Flying Scot Lauds Hamilton

Topics:  Sir Jackie Stewart, Lewis Hamilton

Anthony Fontanelle
June 26, 2007

With three world championships under his belt and under his name, Sir John Young Stewart - better known as Jackie Stewart - is one legend that knows when he sees a good driver. The Flying Scot, as he is called, has 27 career wins, 43 podium finishes, 17 pole positions and 15 fastest laps and he recently lauded the McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton. With such a legendary commending Hamilton, it seems that the young British driver has everything going well for him.

The rookie sensation that has broken record after record in his budding Formula One career recently made an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The ovation that greeted Hamilton at the event prompted Sir Jackie Stewart to say that Hamilton is a good addition to the list of Formula One drivers this year.

Hamilton has taken seven podium finishes in all his seven starts. The first podium finish for the British Formula One driver came when he placed third at the first race of the season. After that race, he posted four second-place finishes and topped it off with back-to-back wins at the North American leg of the current Formula One season.

After Hamilton’s win at the United States Grand Prix in his Mercedes-Benz relay-equipped MP4-22, the LA Times run a story with Hamilton on the front page. This effect of the young rookie sensation in the promotion of the sport is appreciated and lauded by the Flying Scot.

“Lewis' arrival has caught the imagination,” said Sir Jackie Stewart. “The front page of the LA Times had a Formula One racing driver on the front page, and that is a big deal for motorsport of all kind. I saw the reaction when he went up the track (at Goodwood), and he has all the support he needs in this country.”

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual hill climb event. The hill climb is one of the oldest forms of motorsport where competitors race up a hill and try to post the fastest time. At this year’s installment of the event, the Formula One rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton entered the event driving McLaren’s Formula One which was used last season. After the event and the warm welcome given to Hamilton, the Flying Scot thinks that the youngster will come back next year for the event.

“I have to tell you it is not easy for a very well-known racing driver to come here, but I see no reason why he won't come back, even though you can't get close to him. In my own way I can't move. I can't bring my grandchildren here because they get pushed and shoved around. Nobody means to do it. It's not malicious. It's just that you can't do it because you get so many people crowding around,” he stated.

“Lewis can't walk around freely without there being pushing and shoving, and people asking for autographs. Of course he doesn't mind doing that, none of us do, but it's not an easy trip. But his popularity at the moment is very big, with the popular media making a big thing out of him – correctly. Therefore I'm sure he'll want to come back, and I'm sure he will service the British public very well.”

As for Hamilton, he said that he was surprised but is looking for the same reaction when McLaren competes at the British Grand Prix next month.

Source:  Amazines.com