Long-term McLaren and Mercedes-Benz protégé Lewis Hamilton has been confirmed as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes racing driver and will make his debut at the opening round of the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship in Australia.

21-year-old Lewis will join World Champion Fernando Alonso racing the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 during the 2007 season with both Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett continuing as test drivers.

The 2006 GP2 Champion, who also dominated the 2005 F3 Euro Series...

More: http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/index.shtml

Seen him do some awesome races in GP2, looking forward to see him kick Alonso's ass!!

do you know why ??? his uncle is the boss off mclaren !!
he was signed with them since he was 11

The headline really cracked me up:
"McLaren sign up first black F1 driver"

I wish they had "Ferrari signs up yet another white F1 driver" :P

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Who's his uncle?

Ron Dennis

I don't expect much of him. Massively overrated in my opinion.

And how are they allowed to refer to him being black? If that is even the slightest issue, then surely that is a form of racism, and all of McLaren and their sponsors should be shot? In a raceless world we wouldn't even notice the colour of his skin, surely?

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Are you sure?

No hard evidence but i remember hearing that rumour 10 years ago when he was 1st signed by McLaren.
I've heard it from several sources since and it would explain why on earth an F1 team would jump on a 11 year old and pay for alot of his racing career...

Quote from tristancliffe :

And how are they allowed to refer to him being black? If that is even the slightest issue, then surely that is a form of racism, and all of McLaren and their sponsors should be shot? In a raceless world we wouldn't even notice the colour of his skin, surely?

It struck me as odd (and funny in some antiPC sort of way) seeing that headline in F1-Live as it really has no relevance with his driving or abilities. If he was like "youngest ever" or something maybe that would be worth mentioning...
Good thing they didn't write up "first F1 driver of african slave decent" or something.

And technically speaking he's not that dark-skinned really, I'm probably darker than that during the summer. Pff! :P

'McLaren hires first ever slave in F1'
Now that would be very funny. I'd actually like to hear James Allen justify that.

Oh noes - what nonsense is James Allen going to spout about him. Tempted to remove the speakers from my TV now!

"I ain't gettin' in no Ambulance fool!"

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Oh christ I hadn't thought of that. He'll probably compare him to other famous black drivers, like BA Baracus.

Or yell "Stop him! He just nicked that Mercedes!" as he exits the pits.


Disclaimer: no, I am not a racist nor am I expressing my own views - just taking a dig at current social stereotypes.

The McLaren already has the required Bling paint finish. All it needs is some spinner hubcabs, neons, tinted windows, and a gear knob with 23 different LED flashing combinations.

Quote from tristancliffe :

The McLaren already has the required Bling paint finish. All it needs is some spinner hubcabs, neons, tinted windows, and a gear knob with 23 different LED flashing combinations.

How can you forget the big audio setup that triples the car's weight?

it is through i remember when he raced over here for the internations in cadets after he just signed !it was on karting .co.uk not a long way back ! they also said it on gp2 i wasnt sure either but they said it on that

Looking forward to seeing him beating Alonso, too.

that would make my day !!!!

Well if hamilton is better and beats alonso, then alonso will be wasted
And the headlines are not true, it is not the first black person in F1... he is not wholly black...

Great news, Hamilton is twice the driver Jenson Button is. Anyone who saw him last season in GP2 could never call him overrated. However he has a marmite personality, you either love him or you hate him. Some people say he thinks he is owed this f1 drive, in my opinion he just wants to prove himself in the top class of racing.

But news is that Gary Paffett is signing a deal with Mercedes to race in the DTM next year, if he accepts he will have a F1 race seat in 2008...one to watch.

Also its great news that Davidson finally has another shot at racing, he has been very loyal to Honda and is a nice guy too.

I just hope they sack James Allen, it will be interesting to see what happens if theres a British top 4 in 2008...he might explode. Or top 5 if DC stays.

Well i hope Honda get a car that is the fastest on the grid! then Jenson can prove himself for once!

I think he's going to be fantastic. And what's really good for him is that he has nothing to lose at all. I fhe's slower than double WDC Alonso nobody is going to criticize him for it and if he's faster on occasion the media are going to go nuts.

And another thing: he sure can race. Specifically I remember him fighting Glock last year for over a lap at Istanbul and him overtaking Sutil in Eau Rouge at Spa 2005.

I hope nobody mentions his dangerous and inconsiderate move at Silverstone (which I watched in person). Whilst he might have balls, I remember an equally talentless driver by the name of Montoya was hyped as a racer. Just crap at everything else. And not that good at racing in the end, just good at breaking his/others nosecones.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

But news is that Gary Paffett is signing a deal with Mercedes to race in the DTM next year, if he accepts he will have a F1 race seat in 2008

Hadn't heard about the bolded part before although I heard similar things before he moved from DTM to McLaren. I hope it works out this time.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Surely if it were true, the motorsport rags would be publishing it?

I think I'm going to assume this is bollocks until a reputable source reports it.

It is true, I expect the motorsport publications don't publish the fact because it would ruin the whole Hamilton story (i.e. the whole having the balls to walk up to Ron Denis age 11 and ask him for sponsorship etc), I expect thats why they don't publish it anyways.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

...
But news is that Gary Paffett is signing a deal with Mercedes to race in the DTM next year, if he accepts he will have a F1 race seat in 2008...one to watch.....

I heard they told him that before, after he won the DTM in 2005.
Only one year as F1 Test driver then you'll get a seat.
And now back to DTM
Mercedes illepall

Quote from BBO@BSR :

I heard they told him that before, after he won the DTM in 2005.
Only one year as F1 Test driver then you'll get a seat.
And now back to DTM
Mercedes illepall

It's better than how they treated Heidfield!

Although, it is a bit of a shambles, GP should've bailed - Hamilton has and always will be the Macs golden boy, but best of luck to him in the DTM anyways

And ofcourse, to LH in F1, I have an autograph from him from 2002, I guess its worth more now :P