THERE’S no half-measures with Lewis Hamilton. He provokes reaction, good and bad. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend was a classic example as the 2008 World Champion split opinion in the paddock at the end of a hugely dramatic race in which he played a controversial part.
Hamilton pulled off one stunning overtaking move but was later penalised twice for over-optimistic (in the view of the stewards) challenges. And then he compounded everything with unwise post-race comments in response to questions from a BBC TV presenter.
For me, the catalyst for all of this occurred during qualifying. Hamilton loves driving a F1 car at Monaco. His exuberance and confidence are wonderful to watch, particularly within the breathtaking confines of the narrow streets. When Hamilton finished Thursday’s Free Practice, saying he felt he could take pole and perhaps win the race of a second time, you had no reason to doubt him. But then fate stepped in to play a hand – as it often does at Monaco.
McLaren chose to have Hamilton wait until the closing minutes of qualifying before using the rubbered-in track at its best to help set his time. Just as that moment approached, Sergio Perez had a massive accident at the harbour chicane. The session was red-flagged.
By the time it restarted, the remaining two minutes were not enough to allow Hamilton to get his tyres warm and improve on sixth. Worse still, on the one lap Hamilton had completed, he was deemed to have cut a chicane at the swimming pool, thus removing that time to put him ninth on the grid (it would have been 10th had Perez started the race). You could sense the simmering frustration as Hamilton walked briskly from pit lane to paddock, where he told reporters that the team’s tactic had been wrong.
You could argue that the McLaren management should have seen what was coming and counselled Hamilton to be calm during the race. To be fair, that seemed to be the way of it on the first lap when Michael Schumacher went down the inside for the hairpin and Hamilton gave him room. It was the same 10 laps later when Hamilton pulled off a truly stunning move by out-braking Schumacher into the very tricky first corner at Ste Devote. So far, so good.
It started to unravel for Hamilton when the first pit stop sequence found him stuck in 10th place behind Felipe Massa’s Ferrari. (It should be added, of course, that Hamilton’s demeanour will not have been helped by Jenson Button starting the other McLaren from the front row and running in a very strong second place). After ducking and diving for several laps, Hamilton took a lunge down the inside at the hairpin. Massa would have none of it, forcing Hamilton onto the pavement and then into the inevitable interlocking of wheels and crunching of bodywork. For this, Hamilton would receive a drive-through penalty.
Did Hamilton expect the same treatment and room he had given to Schumacher? Most certainly. Was he alongside as early as Schumacher had been? No, not quite. I’m sure the Ferrari driver knew Hamilton was coming. Hamilton should have made allowances that this was Massa. And that this was Monaco. Like or not, it is very, very difficult to pull off a decent pass. Patience is everything.
Moving on to the final few laps, Hamilton tried a repeat of the Schumacher pass at Ste Devote. This time he was dealing with Pastor Maldonado who was running in a sixth place the Venezuelan and his Williams team desperately needed. Was Hamilton as crisply alongside the Williams as he had been the Mercedes? No. But then Maldonado was not as accommodating as Schumacher. Hamilton said Maldonado turned in on him; Maldonado said he did not expect Hamilton to contemplate such a move. Result? Another penalty from the stewards for Lewis.
Then Hamilton really made matters worse when he blamed everyone else and foolishly made a light-hearted racist comment (for which he subsequently apologised).
So there you have it. A brilliant and exciting talent who wears his heart on his sleeve. Should we be thankful? Or should Hamilton be more measured, both in and out of the car, and stop acting like a spoiled brat? After Monaco, the jury remained out.
Follow Maurice on Twitter
@MauriceHamilton
