Hamilton unlikely to race for McLaren in Brazil
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-09-30 13:33 Fast-rising British racing
driver Lewis Hamilton is unlikely to make his Formula One debut for McLaren at
next month's Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old winner of the GP2 series has been widely tipped to become the
first black Briton to take part in a Grand Prix, but McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh
said it was not likely.
Whitmarsh was quoted by Autosport magazine saying: "I doubt it in truth,
because we don't need to," when asked if the team were likely to promote
Hamilton from testing duties to take part in the final race of the year.
We don't need to prove Lewis's credentials in one way or the other in the
remaining races," said Whitmarsh, the McLaren team's chief executive, ahead of
this Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
"We'll make those decision after Japan. I think the goal is now to develop
Lewis and take a view as to when and where he makes his inevitable debut."
Hamilton was involved in a successful week of testing with the McLaren team
at Silverstone in Britain last week.
In addition to lapping the circuit, he was involved in pit-stop and starting
practice, fuelling speculation that he might replace Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa
in the final race of the season.
"He was going through all of the things that would give you an appreciation
of what you need to learn," Whitmarsh added.
"Everything in the car has got to become second nature and we thought it
would be interesting to expose him to some of those things."
Hamilton said: "If an opportunity came up, we would sit down and analyse if I
am ready or not. I think it was 60 laps on Wednesday, and on Thursday I did 50
laps, so not a lot at all.
"Pedro has done thousands and thousands of laps and there is a lot to learn
in this car."
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