Mike Gascoyne is today being reported as telling F1 publication 'Motorsport Aktuell' that he was not best pleased with the hand gesture Lewis Hamilton made at Giancarlo Fisichella as he passed the Roman on the straight at the Bahraini GP after remaining behind the Force driver for a few laps. The wave seemed to be out of frustration of being stuck behind a slower car.
However, in the replay, ITV-F1 commentators suggested that this wave is something Hamilton does to every driver he passes, but personally I have never noticed this before.
Neither, it seems, has FI chief technical director, Mike Gascoyne.
It is reported that, when asked about the gesture, Gascoyne told Motorsport Aktuell "I don't know why he did that."
He continued, "Fisichella was fighting with him for position, and he can't expect to just be let past."
The Briton added that it was "totally unnecessary" and "so it was especially good to be in front of him at the end."
Hamilton was, of course, down the order after a disastrous start and a collision with Fernando Alonso. The Brit finished in 13th position, one place behind Fisi, with Giancarlo's fastest race lap being over 4 tenths faster than Lewis'.
The British commentators are being apologists for Hammy. It is stupid to wave at another driver when passing a F1 car at speed. I can only imagine hammy, or anyone else for that matter, doing it out of frustration or anger. I don't think Hammy waves at every driver he passes - does he think he's out for a stroll in the park?
Lewis should probably have aimed that frustration at himself - he'd caused his own predicament by choosing the wrong throttle map, hitting Alonso and then making a meal out of passing cars that should have been faster than him (he was spotting waving his fist at Sato this race as well).
I watched Hamilton win the 2006 GP2 series with some wonderful driving, so when he entered F1 last year I was looking forward to being able to cheer him on. Sadly from Monaco on when his whinging and very clever media manipulation came to the fore I began to dislike him. His Danial O'Donnell persona makes me want to throw up,(Irish readers will know what I am saying) and as for his antics at Hungary, well I believe both drivers should have been banned from that race on the spot by McLaren. It might just have given them the shock both needed at the time.
Now this "can do no wrong" driver makes obscene gestures to drivers he is racing for position with. His Danial O'Donnell persona might be slipping a bit, but still people try to defend him. Brundle even accused Alonso of braketesting him when he ran into the back of Alonso. Hamilton is a very skilled driver, but he is not yet the next all time great. He has to win a few WDC's first. Until then he is one of a number of promising drivers who may or may not realise their potential, and as such should at least show some respect to his fellow drivers.
Hammy obviously thinks he is Ayrton Senna reborn and that when his car comes up in someone's rear view mirror, they should just pull opver and say 'Thank you'
Hammy has to get somewhere close to Ayrton's peerless and ruthless skill to get fellow drivers in F1 to do that. He's a long way from that
if he makes the same gesture every time he overtakes another car, thenn it is even worse, it shows a total lack of respect for teh whole concept of his job which is racing
I see in the future Hammy blowing kisses as well as waving at cars that would pass him, he does have a fast drive but put him in a ForceIndia and Fisi would draw laps around him. Lewis is a pipsqueak who needs a few good lessons from the seasoned pilots.
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