”Indeed, some of the most compelling highlights of last season’s on-track
action, from the point of view of a racer’s sheer talent shining through,
were provided by Lewis. In China, Germany and Abu Dhabi, and in many other
places besides, he was awesomely impressive.
”Nonetheless, you described 2011 as ‘a tough season’ for Lewis and
undoubtedly there’s some truth in that. But, such is the level of his
ambition that he’s his own sternest critic.
”Sometimes, therefore, when things don’t go quite right for him, he lets it
get to him. We saw that last year sometimes. But it’s a measure of his
competitiveness, a side effect of his monumental will to win.
”As such, we wouldn’t want Lewis any other way. He’s a truly brilliant racing
driver – one of the fastest we’ve ever seen. And that’s why, throughout last
year, we were always keen to reassure him we were backing him 100%.”
Underlining what Hamilton has achieved with McLaren in his five years in F1
with the Woking-based team, and many more beyond that given he was recruited
at an early age, Whitmarsh, speaking to formula1.com, added: ”People have
short memories, don’t they?
”Lewis has been an integral part of McLaren for more than half his life. He’s
part of the McLaren story and part of the McLaren family, too. He knows
that.
”Equally, he’s been phenomenally successful in the five seasons he’s spent
with us as a Formula One driver.
”He’s been in contention for the drivers’ world championship until the last
grand prix of the season in three of those five seasons, and of course he
won the drivers’ world championship for us in 2008.
”Overall, his record of 17 grand prix wins from 90 grand prix starts places
him in the very top rank in Formula One’s metaphorical hall of fame. ”
With McLaren due to pull the wraps off the MP4-27 at their factory on
Wednesday, Whitmarsh is refusing to give much away, other than to state
”its development is going in the right direction”.
There is, however, an appreciably overwhelming desire to ensure they become
champions again this season.
”Everyone at McLaren is already working as hard as is humanly possible to
change second to first, and has been all winter,” said Whitmarsh.
”Although that level of commitment necessarily involves personal sacrifice, I
don’t think our people see it like that. Formula One people are an
astonishingly motivated bunch, and McLaren people are even more driven than
most.
”McLaren has won 20 world championships in the 46 years it’s been competing
in Formula One, and that’s a stupendous record by anyone’s reckoning.
Believe me, we fully intend to add to that tally.”