Tag: hamilton

Report: Lewis Hamilton apologizes for joking insinuation of racism after Monaco GP penalty

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Lewis Hamilton at the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton may be best known for his racing, but in the wake of a controversial performance at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, it was another race card he played altogether.

The young Brit was called in to speak with the race stewards regarding an incident with Williams rookie Pastor Maldonado. Towards the end of the grand prix, Hamilton collided with Maldonado and the latter was taken out of the race. The stewards deemed Hamilton at fault and handed him a 20-second time penalty (the post-race equivalent to a drive-through), though with Adrian Sutil finishing far behind him a lap down, the penalty affects neither Hamilton’s sixth-place finish nor his position in the championship standings.

Speaking with the BBC after the stewards’ decision, the McLaren driver jokingly channeled Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Ali G and mused that the stewards were picking on him because he’s black. Realizing the joke could be misconstrued and taken seriously, Hamilton doubled back and apologized to the stewards for his remarks.

The Maldonado incident was one of several that marred Hamilton’s performance this weekend. After being docked several positions on the starting grid due to an illegal qualifying maneuver, Hamilton started in ninth place. Around halfway through the race, he tried to overtake longtime rival, Felipe Massa, but ended up colliding with the Ferrari that crashed out mere seconds later. The stewards had faulted a frustrated Hamilton for that incident as well and handed him a mid-race drive-through penalty.

Lewis Hamilton apologizes for joking insinuation of racism after Monaco GP penalty originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbscap confirmed for CARS 2

Filed under: Etc., Jaguar, Celebrities

Lewis Hamilton from Pixar's CARS 2

Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbscap from Pixar’s CARS 2 – Click above to see all the new characters

The seemingly endless rollout of new characters appearing in Pixar’s upcoming CARS 2 continues today with two new vehicles, one another Autoblog exclusive. That vehicle is none other than Lewis Hamilton, the only character we can think of so far whose name hasn’t been changed for the film.

The Formula One superstar will appear in the CARS sequel, set to open on June 24th in theaters nationwide, playing a “sleek and seriously fast #2 Grand Touring Sports champion.” Having grown up learning Karate and winning Karting championships, Hamilton’s character steps onto the international stage as Britain’s representative in the World Grand Prix. Follow the jump to see Lewis Hamilton’s CARS 2 character in our exclusive video turntable.

David Hobbscap from Pixar's CARS 2Next up is David Hobbscap, voiced by British F1 announcer David Hobbs. Hobbscap is a 1963 Coombs Lightweight Jaguar E-type, who Car and Driver reports has 20 Le Mans starts under his beltline and retired from racing to become a broadcaster, just like his human counterpart.

Hobbscap will join Darrell Cartrip and yet-to-be-revealed Brent Mustangberger on the three-car commentary team for the World Grand Prix in the film. Check out a screen capture off all three lifted from the official trailer after the jump.

Gallery: CARS 2 Characters

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[Source: Pixar, Car and Driver blog]

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbscap confirmed for CARS 2

Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbscap confirmed for CARS 2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What American Idol and Lewis Hamilton now have in common

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Celebrities

Lewis Hamilton

It’s not love of the limelight. Or propelling raw talent onto the world stage. It’s not a taste for performance, either, although these are all attributes that Lewis Hamilton shares with American Idol. (And no, Hamilton hasn’t signed a sponsorship deal with Ford, though McLaren has run Dearborn’s engines in the past.) What binds them together in contract – as well as spirit – is the deal which the former Formula One World Champion has signed with American Idol creator Simon Fuller and his talent agency, XIX Management.

The move comes a full year after Hamilton relieved his father Anthony of his duties as his manager. Like fellow champion Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton has managed his own affairs since, taking his time to find the right representative before settling on Fuller, whose XIX Entertainment also manages soccer superstar David Beckham and tennis talent Andy Murray.

The move has sparked speculation that Hamilton could switch teams next year if McLaren doesn’t up its game. Lewis has been a McLaren driver through and through from the start, fostered by the team in his ascension up the racing ladder, making his grand prix debut in the chrome car in 2007 (and nearly winning the Championship in his first season) and clinching the title the following year. In the seasons since, Hamilton has landed fifth and fourth in the standings respectively, and has been struggling in pre-season tests so far. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

[Source: Lewis Hamilton]

Continue reading What American Idol and Lewis Hamilton now have in common

What American Idol and Lewis Hamilton now have in common originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos

McLaren MP4-12C at Goodwood

McLaren MP4-12C at Goodwood – Click above to watch the video after the break

The very first McLaren MP4-12C built for public consumption has begun to make its way through the production process. Chassis 01 isn’t quite finished yet, as you can see by our high-res image gallery below, but it will be soon enough and McLaren plans to build up to 999 more in 2011.

Starting at $229,000, the MP4-12C is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 that produces 600 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Prototype versions have been out running at various locations and events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed and a very snowy Top Gear Test Track.

To celebrate Chassis 01 entering production, McLaren has put together a short clip that highlights its past year of testing. Click past the jump to watch Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button put the McLaren MP4-12C through a set of workouts.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C enters production

McLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters production

[Source: McLaren, YouTube]

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video]

McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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