Για να είμαστε δίκαιοι, οι... χρυσές σελίδες της ιστορίας της Williams, γράφτηκαν με κινητήρα Renault...

Σα να του λένε, την έχεις ψωνίσει...

Hamilton is in danger of wrecking his career on a self-indulging rush to celebrity... and nobody appears big enough to save him

By Jonathan McEvoy

PUBLISHED: 21:20 GMT, 24 May 2013 | UPDATED: 01:58 GMT, 25 May 2013

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With his three-quarter length khaki culottes, high-top white trainers, tattooed arms, diamond-encrusted ears, bling necklace and a bulldog puppy in tow, Lewis Hamilton's look was more designer bruiser than Riviera chic as he toddled along the most famous waterfront in motor racing.

He could hardly have stood out more in this, admittedly often tasteless, tax haven for the louche and the lecherous, the greedy and the Gucci.

How much simpler it was in 2007 when his blaze through his first season tantalised a beguiled sporting world. He was a wide-eyed boy with his father's best advice in his ear and McLaren's protective arm around his shoulder.
Centre of attention: Lewis Hamilton poses for the cameras before signing autographs for his fans (below)

Centre of attention: Lewis Hamilton poses for the cameras before signing autographs for his fans (below)

Centre of attention: Lewis Hamilton poses for the cameras before signing autographs for his fans (below)
On the water: Hamilton, 28, on his jet ski in Monte Carlo earlier this week

On the water: Hamilton, 28, on his jet ski in Monte Carlo earlier this week

Human nature perhaps decreed that having been smothered during an adolescence which brought dazzling success, he would struggle when set free from the bondage of his upbringing.

Roscoe, his puppy dog, is Hamilton's ultimate symbol of freedom; a V-sign to convention. So what, you might say, who cares about his clothes or his body art? Why criticise Hamilton for his maverick ways when we revelled in the bon viveur antics of James Hunt and Stirling Moss?

The reason - and I say this as one who admires Hamilton as a driver of brilliance and recognises his essentially good nature - is that he is in danger of impaling his career on a self-indulging rush to celebrity, and nobody around him appears big enough to save him from his own recklessness.

Remember that while we are talking about the driver I - and better judges - rate as the fastest of his generation, he has won just a single world title, five years ago. It is too spindly a CV to sustain some of the exaggerated hype that he and his advisers have created.
Lapping it up: The British driver has been accompanied by pet dog Roscoe in Monaco this week

Lapping it up: The British driver has been accompanied by pet dog Roscoe in Monaco this week

Lifting the lid: Hamilton is sporting a one-off helmet in Monaco featuring girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and Roscoe

Lifting the lid: Hamilton is sporting a one-off helmet in Monaco featuring girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and Roscoe

Hamilton, 28, would no doubt be happy to see himself and his Los Angeles-based singer girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger cast as the Posh and Becks of the paddock.

But he would do well to heed the words of John Giles, the former Leeds and Ireland footballer, who noted of the Beckhams that publicity was oxygen to her but cyanide to him.

Like Beckham, Hamilton has entrusted his management to Simon Fuller, the entertainment mogul whose experience in garnering vast commercial riches from and for his clients undoubtedly exceeds his knowledge of pit-lane politics.

Aware of that fact, Fuller has handed over responsibility for Hamilton's day-to-day affairs to Tom Shine, a marketing guru from Indianapolis who is little known in F1 circles.
Round the bend: Hamilton is among the favourites to win in Monte Carlo this weekend

Round the bend: Hamilton is among the favourites to win in Monte Carlo this weekend

Eyes on the prize: The British driver is yet to add to the maiden title he won with McLaren in 2008

Eyes on the prize: The British driver is yet to add to the maiden title he won with McLaren in 2008

Shine's link to Hamilton goes back to 2008 when his father Anthony, then still his manager, struck a five-year sponsorship deal with Reebok, where the American was a senior executive.

Shine then regularly accompanied Hamilton on various Reebok photo-shoots and store openings, striking up a close relationship.

Hamilton, it can be safely assumed, was attracted to the slick, sunglasses-wearing Shine because of his links to the States - the home of his girlfriend and the country to which he talked about moving. (No doubt the gaudy red private jet Hamilton has bought will allow him to make regular trips to LA).

But I can reveal that Shine has a more colourful background than paddock observers realise, having been convicted of fraud for providing auditors of the American sports retail firm, Just for Feet, with false accounts. In June 2004, he was sentenced to six months' home detention and three years' probation and fined $10,000.
Portrait: The Mercedes star takes to the Monte Carlo circuit in search of his second win at the Principality

Portrait: The Mercedes star takes to the Monte Carlo circuit in search of his second win at the Principality

Yet Shine, who continued to work for Reebok despite the conviction, will be Hamilton's travelling companion and shoulder to cry on during the 19-race season.

Mercedes, the team to which Hamilton moved this year, told me that Shine's background was 'not an issue for us but a personal matter for Lewis'.

While the team's laissez-faire approach to Shine's past is remarkable, their attitude to Hamilton's new puppy is even more permissive. What serious sports organisation would allow a leading team member to take a pet into the workplace?
Monaco GP

On a practical level, will Hamilton not be distracted by the dog while he is preparing to race, racing and unwinding from racing? What if Roscoe gets ill, as he did in Bahrain? As every dog owner knows, sickness brings about a period of anxiety. It is unconscionable that McLaren under Ron Dennis would have allowed Hamilton to ferry a pet around with him.

In fact, the distraction has already set in. Not only did Hamilton have to go through the rigmarole of obtaining a passport to save Roscoe from quarantine but he spoke directly to Bernie Ecclestone to arrange paddock accreditation. A badge complete with Roscoe's picture (wearing sunglasses) was issued.

Then there is his rapidly expanding portfolio of tattoos. Much to his father's dismay, Hamilton's right arm is desecrated with a five-inch angel, a copy of Michelangelo's sculpture Pieta, which shows the crucified Christ in his mother's arms, as well as hearts and musical notes. His back is filled like a billboard.

Another distraction is his interest in the music industry. He spent a portion of the off-season recording music with British R&B singer-songwriter Angel, and although Hamilton denies he wants to become a music star, his infatuation with rappers has landed him in trouble before.

During the 2009 Canadian Grand Prix, he moved out of the team hotel and arranged his own bigger suite in the W Hotel so he could accommodate some rapper friends, including Ice T, who sauntered around the inner sanctum of McLaren's garage swearing and filming on a hand-held video camera, to the bemusement of mechanics.

That said, McLaren at least tried to exercise some control over him. They could say no. At Mercedes, he appears to be revelling in the freedom afforded by the company of a convicted felon, a skin artist and a bulldog puppy.

Of course, he still loves racing, and his face lit up while talking about mastering the mean, tight streets of Monaco. He may well win the race if he can plant his car on pole in qualifying today.

If so, his advisers will find it even harder to point out where he is in danger of running out of control, and that will be Lewis's shame.

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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107671

Mercedes in 'secret' Pirelli tyre test row

Mercedes is at the centre of a growing controversy ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix after it emerged the team had conducted a 'secret' 1000 kilometre tyre test at Barcelona after the last race.

The Brackley-based outfit has struggled to work out why its race form is no match for its qualifying efforts this season, having now secured four consecutive pole positions but struggled in the races.

AUTOSPORT can reveal that rival outfits have been left deeply unhappy that Mercedes was given a golden chance to boost its understanding of the issue with a private test at Barcelona last week.

Although in-season testing is banned, it is understood that Mercedes was requested by Pirelli to help work through the issues that the Italian tyre manufacturer has experienced in the last few races.

According to sources at Mercedes, the test was allowed because Pirelli can call upon one outfit for a private test to help it with products if circumstances dictate.

Mercedes is adamant that its running at Barcelona was totally within the regulations, but high-level sources have revealed that other teams are not convinced and the matter has now been taken up with the FIA.

Team principal Ross Brawn said that his outfit had worked tirelessly on the tyre issue since Barcelona - but did not make reference to the test when asked about what the team had done since the Spanish GP.

'I think when we got back from Barcelona we had some pretty long and deep meetings and decided a course of action,' he explained.

'There were a lot of things going on already, so I don't want to create the impression that we got back and all of a sudden we started work. There was a lot of work going on already.

'I think some of the work was refocused in areas that we thought were maybe more relevant and in the last couple of weeks, Bob [Bell] has been directing all the engineering team to make sure that they focus on the areas that we felt were most important.

'We have come here with changes, and it is almost impossible at Monaco to judge those changes but we believe that they are relevant and give another snap shot of that at Montreal.

'But it won't be until we get to Silverstone that I think we can judge where we stand and there are more changes that we are trying – and trying to establish those changes in the best possible way with the limitations of going to races.'

Sources say governing body the FIA knew about the test, with contracts outside the rules allowing it to happen.
The tyres used at the test were development designs for next season, as well as a new tyre Pirelli wants to introduce at next month's Canadian Grand Prix

Μεγάλη πουστιά.Φανταστείτε να το είχε κάνει αυτό Ferrari,RBR....

Ο χρήστης GranTurismoOmologato έγραψε:

Sources say governing body the FIA knew about the test, with contracts outside the rules allowing it to happen.
The tyres used at the test were development designs for next season, as well as a new tyre Pirelli wants to introduce at next month's Canadian Grand Prix

Μεγάλη πουστιά.Φανταστείτε να το είχε κάνει αυτό Ferrari,RBR....

Κάτι δεν πάει καλά.

Είναι ΑΔΥΝΑΤΟΝ να μην το ήξεραν οι άλλες ομάδες. Πως μπορείς να τεστάρεις μυστικά στη Βαρκελώνη για τρεις ολόκληρες μέρες, ειδικά μετά απο αγώνα.

Απλά δε γίνεται.

Renault confirms 2014 engine deal with Toro Rosso

Οπότε πρέπει να βρούμε άλλον πελάτη. Η Force India δεν είναι κακή. Η Williams θα ήταν προτιμότερη μάλλον αλλά οι σχέσεις Ferrari-Frank μόνο καλές δεν είναι...

Ο χρήστης REALZEUS έγραψε:
Renault confirms 2014 engine deal with Toro Rosso

Οπότε πρέπει να βρούμε άλλον πελάτη. Η Force India δεν είναι κακή. Η Williams θα ήταν προτιμότερη μάλλον αλλά οι σχέσεις Ferrari-Frank μόνο καλές δεν είναι...

Η FI είχε κάποτε κινητήρες Ferrari ε; Όταν λεγόταν Spyker.

Ναι είχαν τότε κινητήρες Ferrari. Εγώ λέω να πάρουμε την Lotus. Παίζει βέβαια τότε να μας κερδίζει ο πελάτης...

Ο χρήστης REALZEUS έγραψε:
Ναι είχαν τότε κινητήρες Ferrari. Εγώ λέω να πάρουμε την Lotus. Παίζει βέβαια τότε να μας κερδίζει ο πελάτης...

Πάντως ακούγεται πως και η Lotus θα αλλάξει το 2014..

Αν ήμουν ο Lopez θα μιλούσα ήδη με την Ferrari. Η αξία των κινητήρων μας είναι αδιαμφισβήτητη.

http://www.f1grip.gr/ειδ ... 2-mercedes

Απίστευτα νέα, έτσι απλά. Η Pirelli και η Mercedes ξεπέρασαν κάθε όριο με αυτήν την κίνηση

Red Bull protests Mercedes after Pirelli tyre test

http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport ... 09032.html

Ross Brawn
'We were approached by Pirelli and asked to conduct a tyre test.
(...)
within their agreement with the FIA there's a provision for them to ask any team to do a 1000km tyre test.
We ran that past the FIA to make sure they were happy with it - they were - (...)

Αν το ηξερε η FIA, δεν θα γινει τιποτα.
Και αν η Μερκ και η Πιρελι (και λογω της κριτικης για τα λαστιχα) οδηγηθουν εκτος Φ1, θα χασουν ολοι.
Αρα θα κατσουν ολοι στα αβγα τους.

To θέμα είναι γιατί δεν ενημερώθηκαν και οι ομάδες και όλα έγιναν στην ζούλα.

Αφού το ήξερε η FIA το θέμα θεωρείται λήξαν.

απο τα σχολια...επισης στο τελος στο sky sports δειξανε και το χαρτι στον πινακα της FIA

Ferrari's comment - 'Pirelli can offer to the teams the chance to do 1,000km of testing for tyre development and safety. But the fundamental aspect is the year of the car because if you use a current car it should be allegedly a breach of article 22

Pirelli: We would like to invite you to do a tyre test for development and safety...
Mercedes: We accept your invitation, please let us know when and where...

At the circuit:

Pirelli: We seem to have a problem, you should have brought and older car, not the current car...
Mercedes: Oh, what a terrible mistake, we only brought the current car... We do not have the time to bring another car now...
Pirelli: Well, let's get on with it...

Το περσινό μονοθέσιο το'καναν δώρο στον Σούμι για τη συνταξιοδότηση.

Μάλιστα...χόντρυνε το πράγμα:

Sanctions likely as FIA confirms Pirelli, Mercedes did not inform us

This note was given to media by the FIA tonight

In a note issued to the media tonight the FIA has in effect hinted that Mercedes could face serious sanctions as a result of the controversial secret Pirelli test.

It makes it clear that Pirelli and Mercedes did not follow procedures and that they tested without the FIA’s permission.

Jean Todt is believed to be furious about what happened and met with Stefano Domenicali at the Ferrari motorhome today.

The note reads as follows: “At the beginning of May, the FIA was asked by Pirelli if it was possible to carry out some tyre development testing with a team, using a current car. Within the contract Pirelli has with the FIA as single-supplier, there is provision for them to carry out up to 1000kms of testing with any team – provided every team is offered the opportunity to do so.

“Pirelli and Mercedes-AMG were advised by the FIA that such a development test could be possible if carried out by Pirelli, as opposed to the team that would provide the car and driver, and that such tests would be conditional upon every team being given the same opportunity to test in order to ensure full sporting equity.

“Following this communication, the FIA received no further information about a possible test from Pirelli or Mercedes-AMG. Furthermore the FIA received no confirmation that all teams had been given an opportunity to test.“

It goes on to clarify the legal procedures that will now follow in the coming days. Watch this space…

http://adamcooperf1.com/2013/05/26/sanc ... -confirms/

Αν έγινε έτσι, σόρι αλλά καλά θα τους κάνουν...

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