LEWIS HAMILTON Interview - Singapore September 25

Q. Does this weekend feel a bit different?

Lewis Hamilton: "It is feeling quite a bit different. It's my first time in Singapore and it feels great. The city is fantastic, it's especially great at night. The track is a bit special, but I am on a different time zone so it is a bit tough.

"I've just had my breakfast and have been making sure we do our training at night, past 9pm. We stay up until three or four in the morning, although there is not much to do at 4am. We're not partying, just watching films and playing computer games."

Q. How much do you know about the circuit? And what do you feel about the prospects for the weekend?

LH: "The team have done a lot of analysis and tried to find out as much as they can (about the circuit) and it's the same for me. I have read what information the team have given me and I've walked the circuit during the day and will do it again tonight. That gives you some insight.

"But when you get out there it will be totally different. I think the race is going to be very exciting, and potentially more exciting than other races we've had this year. Just because it's a night race everyone is in the unknown and we don't know what to expect."

Q. Having walked the circuit, is it a Valencia or a Monaco?

LH: "I would say it's a mixture between both. It's very similar to Valencia, where you have the brick walls instead of the Monaco barriers. But I think it's a little bit narrower and instead of driving around a harbour, you're driving through the streets. So it feels a little bit different. Also, there are tighter corners on this track, so it's very fast but also some tight, slow corners."

Q. "After the FIA appeal decision, there is just one point that separates you and Felipe Massa. What is going to decide the world championship battle?

LH: "Well, we come here and it's no different to how we went to Monza, which is fine. We're just going to try and do a good job this weekend.

"Everyone is facing the unknown. We are coming here with the competitive package and we have to try to score as many points as we can. That is the key, scoring points at every race, and making sure that we are consistent. Hopefully we can challenge for the win this weekend."

Q. You played your part in the Paris appeal. How did it disrupt your week? and how did it affect your preparation?

LH: "It didn't disrupt my week. I came straight from there, to the airport and on the plane to here. It was kind of like doing a long stopover - it was just as boring as that!"

Q. Have you managed to do simulator work on this track, actually simulating the night?

LH: "Well, we've driven the simulator and it is as accurate as it can be. It gives a good idea of where the track goes but when you get out on the track it will still be a completely new experience."

Q. Even after Paris, the team and yourself seem quite confident about the rest of the season. What is it that McLaren have got that gives you an advantage over your nearest rival?

LH: "With Paris behind us - even going there, we gave it our best shot and perhaps it wasn't the best result we planned for - but we move on. It's all in the past now. All we're going to do is focus on the next few races and we can approach these races with the same confidence we did the last few.

"We have a great package and we've done a great job to prepare the car. I have great confidence in my mechanics, who always do a great job, and the reliability is good. Then it's just down to me giving the right feedback, making sure I take the right steps over the weekend, to push the car forward again. I really feel confident in that sense, but you cannot run before you walk. We have to take our time and not get ahead of ourselves. We have to remember that there are going to be quite a few competitors with us over the weekend pushing for the win and we have to try and do the best job we can."

Q. When you talk about confidence, how much extra confidence do you get from the way you drove in Spa and the aggressive way you drove in Monza? It must have given you a real buzz?

LH: "It does feel great. Even if you don't win and you do a race and you know you have driven with all your heart and things have gone right. Even if you have a small spin like at Spa that I recovered from, or at Monza where I started from the back, I took my time at the beginning but then slowly picked people off. That does feel great when you get to overtake certain drivers you have been watching for years. It's a great experience and you do feel satisfied that you've done the best job you have done."

Q. It is a very tight course here. How easy do you think it will be to overtake?

LH: "First of all, to learn the circuit is going to be key. Learning any new circuit is tough and simulations can gave you an indication of where the first corner is, but otherwise you have to learn it all over again because you are doing it at speed. Overtaking here is going to be very tricky, as it is at all street circuits.

"We do have some longer straights so perhaps you can get a bit closer and maybe tow into the first corner, but I think there will be a little less overtaking than there is perhaps on the open circuits that we have."

Q. What are the team saying about the weather here and what about the prospects of driving under lights in monsoon conditions?

LH: "Well, the weather forecast says it's going to be raining all week! But every time I wake up it's dry and quite warm, so I think it rains in the mornings and when I wake up it's a nice day. So fingers crossed it will stay the same."

Q. Judging by the speed of the car you showed at Spa and Monza, do you believe McLaren have the edge over Ferrari – especially when it comes to using the tyres?

LH: "I don't think we have the edge over Ferrari. I think we are at least equal with them. Regarding the tyre situation, they do use their tyres slightly different to ours – they struggle more with tyre temperature but they look after their tyres better over a long run.

"Here, we are using the soft and super soft, a bit like in Valencia, and they are very strong and very competitive with that tyre. So this weekend they will be strong, but as we saw in Valencia we will be just as strong as them. It will just be down to qualifying and getting the lap together – and being out front."

Q. Jackie Stewart has spoken about the Paris decision and he says the governance of the sport needs to be changed. What is your take on that?

LH: "I haven't spoken to Jackie and haven't read the comments. I am not looking at anything in the past, I'm just moving forward and focusing on the next race."

Q. You have got a proven wet-weather ability. So are you praying for a monsoon here in Singapore?

LH: "Not really. We always hope for a dry race because it's a lot easier to push to the limit and keep the car on the track. The wet is always a step into the unknown.

"If you start from pole you're likely to lead into the opening corner and you'll be the first to hit any big puddles... All these different things are just unknown. If we had a slower car in the dry, perhaps I'd be praying for rain. The fact is that we have a competitive car in both conditions, so I'm not bothered what the weather does. I feel confident either way."

Q. How are you approaching the rest of the season. Is it now just a self-contained four-race championship?

LH: "I think so. We'll start from scratch at each race we come to. I can't stand here thinking, 'Yeah, I've got a comfortable lead' because I don't have that, it's only one point. I'll treat this race the same way I have the past 14. I'll just attack the weekend and try to get maximum points."

Q. Do you think it is now a straight fight between yourself and Felipe Massa?

LH: "I still feel Kimi and even Heikki and Heidfeld are still competitive. There are still 40 points available, so you can never take anything for granted."

Q. Given Singapore's potential unpredictability, is it better to play safe and drive for points?

LH: "Maybe for you, but not for me. I never approach a race thinking, 'I need to finish fourth this weekend'. I plan to win. Scoring points is important, but I'm not going to get ahead of myself. I hope to challenge for pole position and we'll move on from there."

 

Straight good interview, this sounds like the nice kid from the beginning. Confident, yet not arrogant.

 

Quote:
LH: "Maybe for you, but not for me. I never approach a race thinking, 'I need to finish fourth this weekend'. I plan to win. Scoring points is important, but I'm not going to get ahead of myself. I hope to challenge for pole position and we'll move on from there."

That does not sound too sanitized to me, sounds like what he is really thinking. What isn't truthful? All of Hamilton's answers were straight responses to the actual questions he was asked. You would like for him to go off on a tangent?

Yet not being in Hamilton's head, I have no idea if these were coached answers, or really the thoughts of someone mature more interested in the upcoming event and not the colorful blahblahblah you would like. What could he gain from dwelling on the past and beating a dead horse, except a loss of focus? Would you prefer that he show some anger at the decision in Paris and bad mouth everyone? Actually, I would have preferred that because that could mean he is not concentrating on Singapore.

Maybe you are right, and these answers were "coached". I'm leaning to thinking he is focusing on the race and the championship and his answers were straight and honest. Not good for Ferrari. Too bad they were not entertaining enough for you.

To make the assumption either way....is guessing.