Formula One news

'It's got to be similar to jail' - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has described his start to 2009 as being imprisoning, with an under performing car and immense media attention surrounding himself and the McLaren team since the season-opening 'liegate' controversy, which resulted in the World Champion delivering a public apology in Malaysia. Hamilton, World Champion for the first time last year, currently lies seventh in the drivers' standings with a total of nine points from five races.

This year's World Championship seemingly started as it meaned to continue for Lewis Hamilton, with disqualification in Australia followed by a media frenzy and a total of just four points from the next two races. Fourth place in Bahrain was the best result for the team so far, although the McLaren-Mercedes' distinct lack of downforce resulted with a non-points finish in the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend. "I just feel knocked about by it all," Hamilton told The Times.

Hamilton became Britain's first Champion for 12 years in 2008

"It's got to be a similar feeling to anyone who goes to jail but feels they shouldn't be behind bars," he continued of his backlashing from the press. "That is the feeling I have had, although I know what happened in Australia was wrong. I want to be a driver, I am not in the sport to be a politician."

Although both he and team-mate Heikki Kovalainen have suffered as a result of the off the pace MP4-24, it is the British winner of 2008 who has apparently come off worst from actions taken by the team in Melbourne. "It hasn't affected my driving, I won't allow anything to affect my driving," he reassured. "But it affects your life, it affects the way you are; I used to enjoy Formula One and part of that has been taken away from me.

"I never imagined there would be so much politics when I came into Formula One. It definitely was a shock and there has been too much time taken up with it. Unfortunately, it is the way the Formula One world works for some reason. It's much nicer in the lower categories, where all the people are there just to race and the teams are there just to race."

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