Do
you remember this chubby faced little driver, the boy from Stevenage who done
good and won a world title?
I
used to think he was the second coming, I really did. He would get into the car
week after week and absolutely spank it to the limit where even the angels get
nervous.
That
first year Hamilton rocked up there was a big hoopla about it all. This
virtually unknown kid that had won a few lower formula races and stuff, the
regular media had never heard of him, the F1 press pack kind of knew who he
was. The only thing they had for Lewis was the fabled “I done told Ron Dennis I
was going to drive for him one day" heart warming story. The day Lewis the
karting prodigy walked up to Ron at the Autosport awards and buttonholed Mr
McLaren for a job, it was precocious and heart warming all at once. How cute,
how just like Lewis. Ron was instantly smitten with this boy with a gleam in
his eye so he immediately wrote the boy a cheque and told him to come down the
factory for a seat fitting on Monday morning. “You and me lad, we’ll go all the
way. Natch".
When
you think about it though, just how many people walk up to Ron and ask him for
sponsorship of their fledging journey to F1 on a daily basis? Right now how many
dads are calling the McLaren factory looking to impress the boss do you think,
hundred? thousands? If you’ve ever called the McLaren PR department looking for
a few caps to give away as prizes for instants, you’ll know they could teach
the North Koreans a thing or two about stonewalling interested parties.
But
the reality was Lewis was picked up by McLaren and fast tracked into F1 with
much fanfare by a team riding high. He joined Alonso who was no fool and
together they got on like a house on fire, a house full of fireworks and other highly
explosive handbags. McLaren got caught cheating, Alonso spectacularly threw his
toys out of the pram, Lewis almost won the title at his first go, there were
accusation of favouritism, Hamilton and Alonso stopped talking to each other
and Kimi sneaked the title from under the McLaren drivers noses. The narrative
in 2007 was Lewis the rookie turning up and blowing the world champion out of
the water, he was no respecter of titles, he was there to win and show the
world what a plucky lad could do given half a chance.
I
always used to think that it was Alonso that threw a hissy fit that year and
Hamilton was an innocent victim of a spiteful hate campaign by the Spanish
media. After Coughlin gate and Alonso’s big huff off to Renault, that became
the accepted history, as time has gone on however, I’m starting to question
that view.
The
“Plucky young lad” image was cemented with the title winning run in 2008. He
was almost robbed of the title by The FIA sticking their oar in, Massa player
the villain to Hamilton’s young British hero role and we all lapped it up. The
Evil FIA rooting for Ferrari and the swarthy Brazilian foreign type, against by
the rules McLaren and our clean living boy next door Brit, it was a great
year with a title that went down to the last corner of the last race. It was an
amazing year and you had to take sides, you were either old school dirty
cheating Ferrari or stiff upper lip straight bat playing McLaren.
The
final image that year was a beaming Hamilton wet from champagne wrapped in the
union jack, eyes gleaming and waving to the press pack as the Brazilian fans
had gone home hours ago after witnessing Massa win the race, but lose the title
in such a cruel way.
The
years following that title winning season, were not good. Jenson rocked up in a
car still being bolted together in Australia 2009 after Honda quite at the 11th
hour and Mercedes lent the new Brawn team some second hand engines. It turned
out the Brawn chassis had a few clever tricks under its skirts and blow the
opposition away. Only Redbull in a portent of the seasons to come came close to
stopping the Brawn fairy tale that year. Lewis tried really, really hard but
McLaren had thrown everything at 2008 and failed to carry the momentum into
2009. Brawn had a good car while McLaren only had the best driver. Lewis
still went out and drove the nuts of the car each week, but he made mistakes
and too often over drove the car.
And
Lewis started to change; being champion gets you invited to swanky parties,
people who have no idea the engine is in the back of on F1 car want to be seen
with the cute kid from Englandhamshire who won that car race thing.
Suddenly what he wore was just as important as how far up the
championship table he was. He got himself a celeb girlfriend and told his dad
he was going to get himself a new manager. A manager who could get him invited
to better parties and suddenly he was standing next to the likes of Sean Combs
and Samuel L Jackson. Most notably Lewis started sporting earring studs,
nothing to obvious or ostentatious just small black studs.
There
just isn’t the same level of adulation in the UK for athletes and celebrities
as there is in America. Especially for the black stars, the whole stiff upper
lip, know your place, embarrassment thing. The biggest sporting celebration in
the UK is the BBC sports personality award at the end of the year. An event
where the 84 year old retired post mistress from Little Puddlington who teaches
wheelchair bound kids to play tiddlywinks is given a longer standing ovation
than the eventual Sports personality. In the UK being a billionaire, super fit,
highly talented and driven world champion just isn't as good as the
inspirational old lady smelling slightly of moth balls.
Lewis
found he rather liked America and the adulation he gets there. He didn’t have
to be the humble plucky lad from Blighty who lived in a quite village in the
sticks any more. He could be the Formula one world champion Lewis Hamilton and
hang out with Kanye west at the MTV video awards, he could meet black America
and be accepted as an equal.
Back
in the world of F1 the 2010 season was another to forget. Jenson joined him as
Brawn turned into Mercedes. McLaren built a better car, but it wasn’t as good
as the Redbull or the Ferraris this time. Vettel sneaked it from Webber
and Alonso, Lewis was distant and grumpy. Diamond studs appeared and the
tattoos got bigger and more obvious.
2011
and the wheels really started to come off the car for Lewis, the on/off celeb
girlfriend was all the media wanted to talk about when they weren’t asking why
he kept hitting Massa. He spent more time in the steward's office than the
podium that year. He replied to the press pack questioning after yet
another telling off with “maybe it is because I is black”. The red faced loons
and F1 media failed to get the reference or the joke. Vettel was
unstoppable all year long taking back to back titles.
2012
and McLaren are in full on comedy team mode, the car was pretty good but
McLaren contrived to lose the drivers title to Vettel yet again, with poor
strategy calls and a pit crew straight out of the keystone cop. As Vettel
breezed to his third straight title helped by the FIA failing to show any
backbone and Pirellis capitulation to Redbulls “safety” concerns. Lewis feeling
straight jacked by the McLaren hive mind PR machine, quit for Mercedes and a
new start. He told the press the reason was he wasn't allowed to keep the
trophies he won; he only got copies from McLaren weeks later.
2013
and every team apart from Redbull were building their new rules for 2014 cars
back at the factory so weren’t really trying that year. Redbull and Vettel
romped home virtually unchallenged. Ferrari desperate as ever to appear
competitive put up a bit of a fight, but they failed as usual. Lewis
spent half the season designing a baseball cap that met his exacting standards.
A hat … ! and that hat became part of a “look” Lewis adopted, A hat that never
left his head and was used, with the big celeb dark glasses, to hide away from
the press and fans alike. The year was not a total success, but nor was it a disaster
with a win in Hungary and a handful of thirds, a respectable start with the new
team. Freed from McLarens strict PR rules, Lewis could pick and choose the
events he attended and who could interview him. The narrative changed
from humble plucky young lad to grizzled ex world champ, a loner, the intense
young man with nothing but thoughts of victory and looking cool when he wins.
Of
course there’s nothing wrong with win at all costs, just as long as you remember
shake the beaten guys hand and don’t screw over your friends. The sort of
friends you came up through the ranks with, good mates whose fathers are
themselves ex world champions. Long days spent travelling all over Europe and
beyond, sleeping in dingy hotels and more often than not the back of dad's
car. The sort of mate you measure yourself against in the beginning then
realise you can beat with ease and keep him around to make you look good.
Yeah,
don’t screw those friends over or it makes you look like a brat.
In
2014 Lewis cut the ties with the old image, the old life and his friends. Nico
suddenly was the enemy and just another person to beat, all those long hot
summers learning their trade round the European tracks meant nothing when it
came to the rub. Lewis now moved in the exalted circles of the triple A
entertainment circuit. The earrings got bigger and brighter, much, much brighter.
Big fat flash gold chains became the signature symbol of success. The humble
English lad from the sticks became the humble God fearing Lewis Hamilton Brand #teamLH.
It
took a bit of effort, but he won the title in 2014, Nico made him work for it,
but it wasn’t really in any doubt. Everything he learnt as Alonso’s understudy
that first year came into play. And it was Nico that was seen to be throwing
his toys out of the pram this time. Nico that had to cheat to beat Lewis and
Nico that made all the mistakes.
But
it was Nico that, I think, came out of the season with the most respect. It was
Nico that went to Lewis before the crowning of the world champion after the
race and shock his hand. He was the first to congratulate the new champion and
it was Nico that paid tribute to Lewis.
Now
in 2015 Lewis is on course to cruise to the title this year. Vettel in the
Ferrari is the only driver looking to take the fight to Mercedes as Nico is
completely out qualified and raced. Lewis has already got the pole position
trophy secures. The only race he has failed to make the podium so far was
Hungary. The third in Monaco was only third because the team screwed up in the
closing stages.
Yes,
I know, to win the world championship takes a certain .... ruthlessness. You
have to be prepared to sacrifice friends and loved ones to achieve the ultimate
goal in single seat motor sports. It's not an easy thing to do and doing
multiple times takes a single minded determination.
But
let us turn to Vettel for a moment and the point of this little piece.
I'm
prepared now, to admit that Vettel won the title in 2010 by being better than
Alonso and Webber. Those two were looking at each other and missed the German
Lad who won the race that mattered.
I will always question how legitimate Redbulls
cars were in 2011 and 2012. They were doing something clever with suspension and
ride heights. The engines were clearly using off throttle over run far more
effectively over Newey's exquisite bodywork.
In
2013 no one else turned up to the party.
But
Vettel, and this is painful to say .. wasn't that smug about it all really. No ,
no he wasn't. That's what we wanted, we wanted to dislike him because he was
winning and it all looked too easy whilst Alonso and Hamilton couldn't get a
look in. Okay he was a bit mean to Webber a couple of times. But he did it on
the track. You never heard reports of him bad mouthing Webber, and he did sort
of apologies afterwards.
Yes he waved that finger around, but he only does it when he's on the podium and he's won, when he actually has the right to do it.
But
Vettel never paraded a flash private yet around or took to wearing more and
more jewellery around the paddock. Check out the instagram accounts for both
Vettel and Lewis, see who likes to display the trappings of success. For the
Singapore GP Lewis is finally releasing some of his music he's been recording
at home, the fabled rap album.
I
think the tipping point for me was Monza and the drivers' tribute to Justin
Wilson, and yes I know this moment has been done ad infinitum.
The camera cuts to the driver in the garage waiting to go
out and pay the tribute. All gathered together talking and smiling, apart from
the world champion who has his ear buds in, hat on and big old glasses coving
that impassive race face. Lewis was off to the side not talking to anyone as Vettel
strides in and tells Jenson that the drivers are going now. I didn't ask, he didn't
check his watch and defer to the world champion. He confidently strode in and
told the driver to start moving.
Out they troop onto the trailer to stand, heads bowed and
uncovered as a mark or respect to a fallen comrade, killed so cruelly by a bit
of flying debris a week earlier. Well almost all the heads were uncovered.
Lewis didn't uncover his because he had just dyed his hair
blonde and wasn't showing anyone his new hair colour until he'd won the race! A
little bit of me died there. It really did. His image was more important than
showing some respect. Yeah, it's just a hat, I know, I know. But he walked passed
everyone else because he was the last up there, talking on his phone, he saw
them take their hats off. If he hadn't just dyed his hair would he have been so
precious about the hat?
Its just bad form really.
I still think he's one of the best drivers I've ever seen.
And I'll always root for him, the same as I rooted for Nigel and his endless
brummy whinging. But I'm not sure in the extremely unlikely event I'm ever
offered the chance to have lunch with Lewis I would take it now, I think Vettel
or Jenson or even Alonso would be more interesting and less self obsessed company.
Right enough slaying of idols, Singapore this weekend. Lewis
will probably win, but watch out for the Redbulls who are pinning their hopes
on a slew of updates. As Hungary showed
when top speed isn't so important they've got a sweat handling car can take the fight
to Ferrari and Williams.
Ferrari's engine update gave Mercedes something to think
about at Monza, Vettel will be buzzing after that result so I think another
podium is within easy reach. Nico will be the one to lose out again.
Williams need something to happen here. Ferrari has the
beating of them now and Redbull are up for the fight. But the boys from Didcot
are bringing their A game apparently, lots of sponsors to impress and third
place in the championship to secure.
The on going "Whose going to buy Lotus this week" story will drag on. As an engineer working in an industry facing plenty of redundancies at the moment myself, I really feel for the workers back at the Lotus factory. Not knowing if you'll have a job next month is a terrible thing to have to live with. Whilst the money men argue over "historical payment" real people have mortgages to pay and school uniforms to buy. The sooner things get sorted out the better.
Force India, Indian summer will continue as Perez continues to do a good job of reminding everyone he used to be thought off as something special.
The rest who cares, Mehri will we last as usual.
