“Maybe I should do that,” Hamilton
said. “I feel exactly, exactly the same. I haven’t sat down and told them
that because I think they know. Even when I was in karting, that fear part
of it, they know that there is nothing else I would rather be doing.”
The McLaren
driver, though, takes issue with Michael Schumacher’s opinion that if a
driver dies in a race it is simply fate.
“I don’t know if it is fate, I don’t know if I would agree with that,”
Hamilton said. “I think it is just unfortunate. My thoughts go out to their
(Wheldon’s and Simoncelli’s) families. I cannot imagine what they are going
through. It is the same for (karting mentor) Martin Hines’ family and all
the people that are passing away at the moment.”
Returning to the safety debate, Hamilton proffered the unfashionable view that
canopies over the cockpit, such as they have in the Le Mans sports car
series, “could be an improvement”.
“We all say it doesn’t look great but it looks like it could be an improvement
to the car,” he said. “It is a difficult balance because we want to keep
Formula One as it is, opened topped. We have got a massive challenge to try
and make it safer without putting a hood on.”
With the end of what has been a poor season in sight, the former world
champion is already setting targets for next year.
Hamilton who will start today’s race from fifth on the grid following a
three-place grid penalty for ignoring waved yellow flags during practice,
said: “I speak for myself (when I say) my driving, for me, has been the
biggest hazard.
“I can improve, and that’s what I’m working towards for next year, and also
staying out of the stewards’ office is also a very big goal, top of my
priorities for next year.
“The last race was a good stepping stone, so let’s hope I continue on that
path.”