Formula 1 News

Briatore: “Hamilton had a very good chance to learn from Fernando” 

In an interview with British newspaper The Guardian, Renault’s Managing Director Flavio Briatore, has criticized Lewis Hamilton’s wrong approach at the end of 2007 season: “With Alonso as a teammate, Hamilton had a very good chance to learn. When you are a rookie, you need to take that opportunity. He had the chance to drive with somebody very special in Fernando. Hamilton is very young and the talent is there, but he lost this opportunity. As a rookie, in the first year, you should work for the team. Your team consists of 1000 people working together to put two cars on the grid. You need to respect these people behind you, and not only your ego. A lot of people are watching you fight while they’re working until five in the morning to deliver this car.”

“I feel sorry for McLaren’s employees – it was terrible. It was important for McLaren to win the drivers’ championship, but they missed the opportunity. Because of this fight, they finished with nothing. I believe that when you want the world champion in your team, and you fight to take him away from Renault, you then need to protect him when he joins you,” the Italian added.