Hamilton resilient despite Monza result
2008 Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has defiantly asserted that he is prepared to keep up the challenge for the 2010 title in the remaining five races. The McLaren driver was criticized for his wild and aggressive driving tactics last weekend,
which led to losing serious points at the Italian Grand Prix when he crashed into Felipe Massa.
Hamilton sought to gain a better position from his fifth grid start and pursued Massa, but was forced to retire when his suspension system burst, catching the end of the Ferrari driver’s vehicle. Although Hamilton came under fire for the ill-timed move,
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh stood by Hamilton, claiming that the 25-year-old’s racing style is what makes him exciting, distinctive, and successful. “I don't want to change Lewis Hamilton,” he insisted. “I think he is a great product, a great human being
and a great racing driver.”
Despite forsaking potential points, Hamilton refuses to let the incident interfere with his title-winning hopes. “In bad situations – and they’ve happened to me before in my career – you soak up all the lessons that need learning,” Hamilton reflected. “You
absorb that information, put the bad experiences to one side, use the benefits and move on.”
He added, “I got up on Monday morning and I was already focused on the next race, improving the car, and closing in on the world championship. You can't dwell on the negatives – we are still in a good position, and we need to capitalise on that.”
Hamilton is in a strong position, and holds second place in the driver’s championship with 182 points, only five behind Red Bull’s Mark Webber. Acknowledging the vital necessity to finish races, Hamilton promises, "I'll take each race as it comes, but I'll
also be making sure I get to the finish of the next five races - that's more important than anything. I go to Singapore to win.”
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