ibibo travel: Furious Hamilton calls penalties ?a joke?

Monday, May 30, 2011

Furious Hamilton calls penalties ?a joke? | 2011 Monaco Grand Prix

29 May 2011 by Keith Collantine

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Monaco, 2011

A furious Lewis Hamilton ^[1] criticised the stewards after being penalised during the Monaco Grand Prix for colliding with Felipe Massa.

Hamilton is also under investigation for a later collision with Pastor Maldonado ^[2].

Hamilton said afterwards: ?Out of six races I?ve been to the stewards five times. It?s a joke. It?s an absolute fricking joke.

?You know you can?t overtake here. Very, very rarely do you get an opportunity.

?I was quite a lot quicker than Massa, I went up the inside and the guy just turned so early and just turned into me so I tried to go onto the kerb to avoid him, and we?re stuck together.

?So it was just? and of course I get a penalty which is usual. He held me up in qualifying and I got the penalty. He turned into me, and I got the penalty.

?And I went up the inside of Maldonado and you can see on the screen he turned in a good car length too early to stop me from overtaking him and crashed into me. This stuff?s ridiculous. These drivers are absolutely fricking ridiculous, it?s stupid.?

Asked why he has had so many penalties he joked: ?Maybe it?s because I?m black ? that?s what Ali G says! I don?t know.?

He denied it was affecting his driving: ?No, it?s not affecting my confidence as a driver.

?I just think the sport is? you know, people want to see my racing, they want to see overtaking, and you get done for trying to overtake, trying to put on a show. I?m trying to make a move.

?Fair play if I really feel I?ve just gone too late and hit someone, I put my hand up and realise, OK, I really have caused an incident and been the stupid one, but it?s not the case.

?I?ll just try to keep my mouth shut and enjoy the rest of the season which, I?m sure, is going to be an interesting one, but as you can see he?s walking away with it.?

He denied the result has ended his championship chances, saying: ?No, it?s never too late, but it?s not looking great.

?I gave it my all today and the team did a great job to get the car back out and get it fixed for the last few laps.?

Update: Martin Whitmarsh says Hamilton has spoken to the stewards following his outburst: ?Immediately after the race he was very down, and during a post-race TV interview he made a poor joke about his penalties that referenced Ali G.

?However, I?m pleased to say that he chose to return to the track a little while later to speak to the stewards about the joke. They accepted his explanation.?

Browse all 2011 Monaco Grand Prix articles ^[3]

Image ? McLaren