Hamilton relaxed ahead of home Grand Prix

Hamilton relaxed ahead of home Grand Prix

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Lewis Hamilton says he is in the best form of his career heading into the British Grand Prix, despite disappointing finishes in his last two races.

Briton Hamilton stands next to a 3D hologram at a promotion for sponsor Reebok in Amsterdam.

The 23-year-old McLaren driver led the overall standings after winning at Monaco last month, but has since fallen to fourth place after a crash and penalties kept him from getting a single point in Canada and France.

"I haven't had any lack of concentration," Hamilton told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. "If anything, I've been more in form in the last two races than I ever have before."

Hamilton looked set to win the Canadian GP in Montreal before crashing into the back of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari after the safety car had come out, and said he was "unfortunate" at Magny Cours.

He was penalized 10 slots on the starting grid in France, and then got another penalty for an illegal maneuver during the race.

"Bang, bang! Two penalties. What can you do about that?" he said.

Hamilton was in Amsterdam for a promotion for sponsor Reebok, and said he felt relaxed ahead of his home race this weekend -- the British GP at Silverstone.

"I'm not putting all the pressure on myself, saying I've got to do it all this weekend, because that's not realistic," Hamilton said.

He said he expects an "extra boost" from having a home crowd, and disputed that McLaren would have a disadvantage against Ferrari on the fast course.

"People make those comments and I beg to differ," he said. "I mean for sure, it's a track where Ferrari seems to excel, they have done in the last couple of years, (but) I think our car is good enough there."

Hamilton also remains confident he can overcome his 10-point deficit to Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and clinch the title in his sophomore season, even if he doesn't win on Sunday.

"I have 10 races (to go) and I'm 10 points behind. That ain't nothin'," he said.

In his rookie season, Hamilton held a 12-point lead with two races to go, but ended up losing the title to Raikkonen by a single point.

That season was marred by infighting between Hamilton and teammate Fernando Alonso, who moved to Renault this year. McLaren was also fined a record $100 million for spying on Ferrari, and has struggled to keep up with the Italian team this year.

Still, Hamilton has no plans to leave the British team, where he is under contract until 2012.

"It's the team I've always wanted to drive for ever since I started watching Formula One, and there's nowhere else I really want to be," he said.

"I don't know what the future has in store for me, hopefully we'll have a lot of world champions and success together, but you know, who knows?"

 

How can Silverstone be his Home race when he packed his bags and moved to Switzerland.

 

How can Spain be Alonso's home race when he did the same thing? Or Germany be Heidfeld's home race? Or Britain be Coulthard's?

 

I see that he wa sborn in Stevenage, UK. His mother is from Grenada Too bad he packed his bags and blew town to Switzerland

 

Not sure I follow. How is that any different than what the majority of the grid does?

 

+1

Not sure how he can be relaxed, dread to think of the pressure mounting here.

 

+1

 

Hello? He is in Amsterdam.

 

Hehe .....

 

Interesting, I knew his farther was of Grenada blood but i thought his mother was on English lady. Is she a Grenadian as well? Is that right?
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Incidentally, does anyone know what (if any?) drug testing these guys undergo?

Although, to paraphrase a Jay Leno comment, "in what way is pot performance enhancing? - Unless there's a big-ol' Hersheys bar for the winner...."

Cheers,
Ian

 

I'm sure they test lots of them

Ferrari does seem to rule here but hopefully Hami can do well, He deserves a reprieve.