Picture this scenario involving a Sports Editor (aka Sports Ed) with passing interest in Formula 1, but knowing that Lewis Hamilton stories sell newspapers and generates clicks, and his F1 correspondent (aka F1 Journo).
- Sports Ed: Hey Journo what’s up with Hamilton??
- F1 Journo: Yeah he got trounced by Nico in Singapore…
- Sports Ed: Why?
- F1 Journo: Nico is on fire at the moment
- Sports Ed: That’s not a story… Hamilton been partying again?
- F1 Journo: Not really. Had a busy summer, but since then its almost been back-to-back racing. So not much time to party.
- SportsEd: Hmmm. I like the ‘too much partying’ angle.
- F1 Journo: It’s been done to death and it’s not the reason…
- Sports Ed: Well let’s make it the reason! If his alive still get Sir Jackie Stewart on the line, see what he has got to say about the Lewis’ slump.
- F1 Journo: He is alive and I know what he is going to say, the old guy is like a stuck record when it comes to Lewis…
- Sports Ed: Get on it then!
Hence a story is born and I for one am tired of the same old story from Sir Jackie. He clearly does not like Lewis for whatever reason and is an easy source for any negative reporting on the triple world champion.
Suggesting that Lewis’ lifestyle is responsible for his dip in form of late (or at any time for that matter) is disrespectful on a number of fronts. He has shown championship winning traits, to the point that no one can begrudge him winning the title if that is what happens.
Nico has simply been better or had better luck than Lewis since they got back from the holidays and Sir Jackie is missing the point altogether when he rattles off his ‘words of wisdom’ once again.
That Sir Jackie keeps the Lewis parties too much jibes flowing is ironic because his era was famous for big parties where drivers boozed, smoked and womanised and the very next day they raced. Yes you read correctly, the good old boys would party the night before the race like there was no tomorrow – and for many there often wasn’t.
Then on Sunday after the race of course they cranked it up again.
Granted Sir Jackie raised the bar or changed the way the game was played in those days with his single-minded approach to the sport, which influenced generations of drivers who honed and refined the win at all costs ethos.
Niki Lauda took it to the next level, amid James Hunt’s real partying, and Alain Prost refined Lauda’s approach even further. This eventually evolved into the Senna-Schumacher style of tackling Formula 1 – live, eat, drink, die – a cut throat approach to the sport.
That Lewis is doing it his way must be applauded. Formula 1 is his life and he can switch off when he needs to, recharge and be in full flight as he has done so many times before.
We don’t have to all agree with his approach, but that’s who he is. A lost childhood was the price he paid for becoming a superstar. That he has riches and toys beyond imagination is the reward for his sacrifices and subsequent hard earned success. He can play as he wants and to begrudge him this is simply not right.
After all he is a three times Formula 1 world champion with 49 grand prix wins to his credit. If he quits tomorrow he will do so having etched his name among the greats forever, and in time will be remembered deservedly as an F1 legend.
I reluctantly ran the latest ‘Sir Jackie says Lewis is partying too much’ story but felt that for one last time I would go with it.
Future stories with the words ‘Sir Jackie’ and ‘Lewis’ and ‘party’ will be spiked!
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