McLaren star says it's "sensible" to start thinking about next season
Last Updated: September 12, 2011 3:31pm
Hamilton: focusing more on next season
Lewis Hamilton says he has already started to turn his attention towards next year's Formula One campaign.
The McLaren driver finished fourth in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix after starting second on the grid behind eventual winner Sebastian Vettel, and as a result finds himself 126 points adrift of the defending world champion with six races left to run.
With only 150 points available, it was a downbeat Hamilton that assessed the glaring realisation this year's championship is, to all intents and purposes, over.
Asked for his target for the remainder of the season, Hamilton said: "To finish the rest of the races, and also work hard on trying to make sure next year's car is quick.
"We're still pushing for this year, but it would be sensible to focus on making sure next year's car is faster than this year's car."
Hamilton appeared to take satisfaction merely from the fact he had taken the chequered flag at Monza and said he hoped to do the same at each of the remaining races.
That is an insight into his mindset given the fierce criticism that followed his crash in Belgium a fortnight ago.
After a 24-lap duel with Michael Schumacher during which Hamilton complained to his team about the German's excessive weaving to defend his position, he finally got past.
"I'm glad I finished the race," added Hamilton.
"I showed people I can drive cleanly and not get into trouble even if the guy in front makes it very difficult for me.
"I got by eventually and made it stick, so it was good."
Tough cookie
Asked about Hamilton's desire to simply finish races and whether he had been mentally affected by the criticism that followed his Spa shunt, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "I don't think so.
"He is a tough cookie who just wants to win. He will very shortly bang in that win and look fantastic.
"It's a shame it wasn't here, so we'll see if he can do it in two weeks' time.
"Here there was a fair amount of provocation and frustration in the race. I think someone (Schumacher) drove him off the circuit pretty aggressively at one point.
"At the first corner he could have stuck in for second and lost a wing. He was calmer than I was at that stage, so congratulations to him on that.
"He is growing and developing, and I'm sure he's going to win more races this year and put some of the other issues further behind him."
For Hamilton, there also remains the honour of finishing ahead of team-mate Jenson Button, who currently stands nine points ahead of him in the drivers' championship.
Since making his F1 debut in 2007, the 26-year-old has yet to be beaten by any of his team-mates Fernando Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen or Button.
"Where I finish in the championship does matter to me, but it is the way it is. There's not much I can do about it at the moment," said Hamilton.
After initially stating second in the championship was now another target, Hamilton then quickly changed his mind.
"No, no. First is always the target, and then you take whatever you can when it becomes impossible, and it's still not impossible," he added.
Content
Button, in contrast, is simply content with the way he is driving at present, finishing second at Monza for the third successive year to add to his win and third place in the last two races.
Trailing Vettel by 117 points, he concedes he now has "no chance" of the title, whilst he has also dismissed any suggestion of the dynamic changing in the team if he beat Hamilton this year.
"I don't think it will. It will probably change more for you guys (the media) than anything in the team for us," said Button.
"The points don't mean so much at the end of the year unless you win the championship.
"Right now I am very happy with what I have done with the car this year and the way we've worked together as a team.
"That's more important than points at the end of the year."
Credit: Sky Sports (www.skysports.com)
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