UK: Kart racers watch Lewis Hamilton lose his chance to become world champion at the Chinese Grand Prix

Record ID: 335218

  • Title: UK: Kart racers watch Lewis Hamilton lose his chance to become world champion at the Chinese Grand Prix
  • Date: 8th October 2007
  • Summary: HODDESDON, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (OCTOBER 7 2007) (REUTERS) WIDE PAN OF RYE HOUSE TRACK TO FUNCTION ROOM WHERE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING TELEVISION
  • Embargoed: 23rd October 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4SXSJE4OXEB23L20MAM0LK02L
  • Story Text: Kart racers at the track where Lewis Hamilton had his first race react to the McLaren driver's disastrous exit from the Chinese Grand Prix.
    Kart drivers from the age of eight years to adult watched Lewis Hamilton's sudden exit from Chinese Grand Prix on television on Sunday (October 7).
    Around 150 kart drivers were at the Rye House track near London for the annual London Cup meeting, and were preparing for their second day of races.
    Lewis Hamilton, who grew up not far away in another area of Hertfordshire, took part in his first ever race at the Rye House track and was a regular there until he graduated to cars. People who had raced against him were among those in the audience.
    There were audible groans when Hamilton's McLaren car slid off the pitlane surface and into the gravel track to retire shortly after halfway through the race. Most got up and left the room to concentrate on their own races.
    Although Hamilton is still points leader in the championship, both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen have a chance to seize the championship with just the Brazilian Grand Prix remaining. Alonso is now just four points behind the Briton.
    Among those going onto the track for practice was Mike Spencer from Essex who used to race against Lewis Hamilton in karts and later in cars.
    He paid tribute to his old opponent: "I think sooner or later everyone makes a mistake and Lewis has driven good this year. So to make one mistake out of one season's racing is not bad going, is it?"
    Spencer said that racers always found it hard to pressurise Hamilton into making an error.
    "Against Lewis, again it was the same thing. He hardly ever made a single mistake and he was very hard to pass," he said.
    Also at the kart track was Alex Hawkridge, former manager of the Toleman Formula One team which later became the Benetton team and then Renault. In 1984 he signed Brazil's Ayrton Senna, then British Formula Three champion, for his team.
    Asked how Hamilton rated next to Senna, Hawkridge referred to Hamilton's number of wins and points in his first season of Formula One.
    "I think you have to say he's achieved more than anybody has ever achieved in history. Although he had the best car, he hasn't put a foot wrong all year. I mean it's difficult to compare drivers from Senna's era with Hamilton but I believe Hamilton is every bit as good as Senna," he said.
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