He told reporters in Japan that he was going to ask team principal Martin
Whitmarsh for an opportunity to address the team in an effort to explain his
departure and stress how much driving for McLaren meant to him.
Hamilton has still not spoken to McLaren’s executive chairman Ron Dennis, the
man who signed him for McLaren at the age of 13. But the 27 year-old is
confident he will have the chance to iron things out with everyone before
the end of the year.
“I am sure at one stage, probably back at the factory, I will get a chance,”
he said.
“I’m pretty sure I will be able to. A lot of drivers [at McLaren] have come
and gone – just left. But it’s different for me.
“I have a good relationship with these people. I did my work experience here
[at McLaren’s headquarters in Woking] when I was at school.
“It was fantastic and where I built a great bond with a lot of people who are
still there today.
“I will try but of course there will be people who are happy I am going, some
who are unhappy I am going.
“Some who will be sad, some who will be supportive – that’s how things are.”
Hamilton, who qualified third on the grid for the Korean Grand Prix, added
that he would certainly clear the air with his former mentor Dennis before
quitting Woking for Brackley.
The 2008 world champion, who lies 42 points behind Ferrari’s championship
leader Fernando Alonso going into the race, which begins at 7am UK time, is
desperate to end his time at McLaren on a high by winning one or both of the
world championships.
The constructors’ championship, which McLaren have not won since 1998, would
appear the more likely of the two but Hamilton said that, whether McLaren
won or not, he would not leave feeling he had “unfinished business” with the
team.
“I don’t feel as though I have,” he said. “I have never felt that I have not
given it my all or anything like that, because I have always given it all I
have.”
Red Bull’s Mark Webber pipped his team-mate and pre-race favourite, Sebastian
Vettel, to pole at the Yeongam circuit, with Hamilton and Alonso making up
the second row.
Button could only qualify 11th after yellow flags interrupted his final run in
Q2.