UNITED KINGDOM: MOTOR RACING - McLaren Formula One star Lewis Hamilton says he will be better prepared next season than in his debut year because he now knows the circuits

Record ID: 737895

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: MOTOR RACING - McLaren Formula One star Lewis Hamilton says he will be better prepared next season than in his debut year because he now knows the circuits
  • Date: 4th December 2007
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 3, 2007) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MCLAREN F1 DRIVER LEWIS HAMILTON SAYING OF PARTIAL BAN ON ELECTRONIC AIDS NEXT SEASON: "Elecronic aids, it hasn't completely been taken away, but obviously you've not got traction control, but it's just then down to your natural ability, being able to manage your tyres in a certain way, being able to have a very, very smooth, progressive right foot and being able to really exploit that throughout the corners and out of corners and things like that. And a lot of people from a GP2 season with no traction control people, just boot it and you know, light up the wheels, overheat the tyres and so there's a real skill and knack to it. So I think next year you'll see, for sure, the top cars are going to be at the front, whatever happens, but the best driver will shine through, I think. So it will be interesting to see"
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2007 12:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8Z9BL5PPS4AT0D4OLXEQGHSH5
  • Story Text: McLaren Formula One star Lewis Hamilton told Reuters on Monday (December 3) that he is going to be better prepared next season than in his debut year because he now knows the circuits.
    Hamilton finished runner-up in his rookie championship to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
    Speaking in London during a round of appearances, Hamilton also said the removal of electronic aids will put more emphasis on drivign skills -- and after moving up to Formula One racing is still fun.
    "Elecronic aids, it hasn't completely been taken away, but obviously you've not got traction control, but it's just then down to your natural ability, being able to manage your tyres in a certain way, being able to have a very, very smooth, progressive right foot and being able to really exploit that throughout the corners and out of corners and things like that.
    And a lot of people from a GP2 season with no traction control people, just boot it and you know, light up the wheels, overheat the tyres and so there's a real skill and knack to it. So I think next year you'll see, for sure, the top cars are going to be at the front, whatever happens, but the best driver will shine through, I think. So it will be interesting to see," said Hamilton.
    Asked which Formula One circuits he would be better prepared for next year having experienced them last season, Hamilton replied: "Every single one of them. There were, I believe, seven race circuits this year, at least seven, that I'd never been to before. So now having the experience, going away from it, coming back the next year, knowing the circuit, knowing where the bumps are, knowing what the weather's usually like, what the grip surface is like, there's so much that I've learned. So I'll go there fully prepared. For the other circuits, it's great to have been there and experienced what a grand prix race weekend is like and what a Formula One race is like on that circuit. So, I should be a little bit more prepared."
    Hamilton also said he still took great delight in racing, like "a kid with a new toy". "Oh it's fun every time. As soon as you put your suit on it's fun.
    The whole weekend's a complete blast and although it's very, very political and very serious and everything like that, which you need to be, because it's immensely intense and competitive but, it's so much fun. You get in the car and I'm like a kid; I know what to do with it and I'm like a kid with a new toy," said the McClaren driver.
    Hamilton collected several trophies at the Autosport Awards ceremony on Sunday, beating Raikkonen for the magazine's 'International Racing Driver of the Year' award. He also won 'British Competition Driver of the Year' and 'Rookie of the Year'
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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