My pick for the vacant seat at McLaren - also on Windtunnel last night Varsha even made a comment about Dennis putting him in that seat . . . Lewis Hamilton GP2 champion Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he would rather test for a year at McLaren in 2007 than get loaned out to race for another team. McLaren boss Ron Dennis is currently pondering whether to give Hamilton his Formula One debut next year, and will make a decision after the youngster has conducted some testing later this year. Dennis' options for Hamilton are to give him a McLaren race seat, loan him out to another team or give him a test driver role. Speaking after clinching the GP2 championship, Hamilton made it clear that he would not object to testing next season if he was then promoted to a race seat in 2008. Speaking about his preference for testing or racing for a rival team, he said: "I don't think it will make much difference. I've been with McLaren for seven or eight years now. That's where I want to be and I'm happy to work as a tester for a year and then race the next year. "It would be a good opportunity to learn the car and get used to the team and learn the circuits. But I know them all now, apart from Malaysia and Japan. If I was put in a race seat then it would be more of a challenge being up against Alonso." Looking back on his GP2 campaign, Hamilton claimed the highlight of it was his recovery drive in Turkey. "It wasn't a victory, it was a second place in Turkey," he said. "At certain races you have high emotional feelings and I put a lot of pressure on myself to be successful. I didn't want to let the team and McLaren down. "All I had to do was get 20 points and I spun and went back to 20th. A lot of people think the world is coming to an end in that situation, but I stayed positive. I pushed and got up to second. That was one of my greatest races." Carol
I want nothing more than to see Hamilton in a McLaren seat next year! I really want him to show Alonso that he is not as good as he thinks and if he doesn't get a racing seat I might actually have to drop McLaren as a favourite team for 2007.
Frankly it seems a bit soon for Hamilton, imo. I'm all for the youth movement, but putting pure rookies in championship contending cars is going a step too far, as Renault have done with Hekki, and even he did a year as a tester. Coming up the way Kimi and Alonso did is the correct way, learn the ropes in a smaller team, then move up to the big time. Of the current crop, who is available? I don't think de la Rosa has earned the job. Klien is a posibility, often the fastest Red Bull car. Anthony Davidson might be interstesting, but I think Honda has him locked up. Alex Wurz is destined to be a life long tester. Seb Bordais?
Either he's got "it" or he doesnt. Winning the GP2 championship is a good indicator and especially his Turkish results speak loudest. Give him a month of testing full bore. If he is the real thing contract him for 4 years + and start him now. Kimi had what, 20 pro races before stepping into F1 ? Rosberg is the same, the real deal.
Remember they had to make a special provision for Kimi to get his "Super License". quote: "Of the current crop, who is available? I don't think de la Rosa has earned the job. Klien is a posibility, often the fastest Red Bull car. Anthony Davidson might be interstesting, but I think Honda has him locked up. Alex Wurz is destined to be a life long tester. Seb Bordais?" Davidson is already paired with Sato. Sebastian - don't think he'll ever make it into F1 despite all his calls to the powers to be. Wurz is already signed too. Hamilton's record speaks for itself. Besides Ron Dennis has been grooming him for years and years. Carol
i think Lewis will start testing soon and likely to race in Brazil. Look at Cubica - 3rd in BMW at Imola.
It was announced he'd be testing prior to China which is 1 October. Unfortunately same weekend at Petit Le Mans (you know where I will be!!) Carol
Dennis won't give the seat to a rookie, even if it is Hamilton. At best, if he isn't loaned out to another team for a season, he will test and be given a one-off race or two. Pedro de la Rosa will get the second seat. I'll bet Dennis wishes he hung on to Montoya now.
Lewis Hamilton will get the race seat. I also think there will be a change in the second seat at McLaren... there is a clear understanding that they need to start from a clean slate!
Indeed it does: F1 starts - 0 I don't care what he has accomplished in junior series, as a rookie he will have x amount of rookie mistakes to make and a championship contender is not the place to make those mistakes. However I suppose it might make sense with LH as a pure #2 to Alonso. Again, I'm not a fan of the equal #1 approach anyway.
