Champions tell Hamilton to stay put
Wednesday 6th July 2011
Former world champions Nigel Mansell and Jacques Villeneuve have both urged Lewis Hamilton to stay with McLaren rather than seek a drive elsewhere.
Hamilton's long-term future with the team who have nurtured his career since he was a schoolboy has been the subject of speculation for the majority of the current season, ever since the 2008 champion admitted he would consider a move if McLaren could not provide him with a winning car.
Rumours started to circulate again after Hamilton was revealed to have spoken to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner at last month's Canadian Grand Prix. His current McLaren contract is due to expire at the end of 2012.
It has also been suggested that Hamilton has a clause in his contract whereby he could leave a year early. If that was the case, then a move to Red Bull could be feasible given that they have yet to confirm Mark Webber for 2012.
However, both Mansell and Villeneuve have said that if Hamilton is to achieve his ambition of winning multiple titles then he is better off staying put.
"First of all he would have to be fortunate enough to be offered a seat," said 1992 world champion Mansell.
"As Michael Schumacher proved in staying with Ferrari, if you can have the support of a team totally behind you, build on that year on year.
"For me Lewis has had an amazing career with McLaren, and he hasn't exactly had a drought.
"Personally I would stay with McLaren and with all the people who have supported him through thick and thin.
"I think they are a fabulous team, and it might be a mistake if he changed teams."
Echoing Mansell's thoughts, 1997 champion Villeneuve added: "No way should he go.
"He would be taken there (to Red Bull) just to pump the image of (Sebastian) Vettel. Why should he go there?
"He's protected at McLaren. They love him there. They gave him his career, he should be thankful.
"He should never have the right to be angry at them for anything because without them he would never have raced, so be happy.
"Of course talks about moving to another team can be used to raise a salary, which is good. You need to do that."
Meanwhile, both drivers also agreed that Hamilton should not fundamentally alter the aggressive driving style which has brought criticism in recent races.
He was handed a penalty by stewards after collisions with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams driver Pastor Maldonado in Monaco and was then involved in incidents with both Webber and McLaren team-mate Jenson Button in Montreal a fortnight later.
"Lewis is a racer, a fighter," added Mansell, who will serve as a steward at this weekend's British Grand Prix, a race he won four times.
"The thing he hasn't got quite right is when he passes people - just try not to knock them off! That's the only thing.
"Still go for the gaps, but leave them a little room, and don't do it on corners where there's no recovery.
"People are there to race, just like he is, so he has to get it a bit more right than he has done in the last few races."
Villeneuve admitted he was a fan of Hamilton's approach but claims he "seems to have been going backwards in his evolution".
The French-Canadian added: "Last year he had calmed down, but was still aggressive.
"To me he was thinking a lot more, but this year he has left his brain at home.
"He is super aggressive, fun to watch, and I don't want him to change. He is the only action there is in a race.
"But once in a while he should think a little because they are not clever moves.
"It's okay to be aggressive, but not if it will catch you out as well, and he's been getting caught out, and that's when it's a mistake."
Credit: ESPN STAR (www.espnstar.com)
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