STUTTGART, Germany. — Lewis Hamilton
expects McLaren to be a far more harmonious team now that
Heikki Kovalainen has replaced Fernando Alonso.
"You know how it is with certain people,"
the Formula One championship runner-up said after the launch
of the new McLaren MP4-23 car at the Mercedes museum on
Monday.
"Some people you ask questions and they
give you one-word answers and some people make the
conversation and are just easy.
"With Heikki I don’t need to make the
conversation, he is happy to start it and we just can talk for
ages. And I think he has very similar views to me.
"He loves the car without traction control,
he loves racing wheel to wheel, he loves a real true spirit
race. With that I think it just makes everything a little bit
simpler," added the Briton.
Hamilton, who celebrated his 23rd birthday
on Monday, lost out by a single point last year to Ferrari’s
Kimi Raikkonen after an astonishing rookie season alongside
Spain’s double world champion Alonso.
Alonso had joined the Mercedes-powered team
as the main man, the proven winner recruited from Renault to
restore McLaren’s fortunes and lead its challenge for a first
title since 1999.
Instead, the Spaniard found himself the
outsider against a teammate who had been backed by McLaren for
the past decade and who was not to be intimidated.
As Hamilton went from strength to strength,
the relationship between the drivers and between Alonso and
McLaren deteriorated to the point where the champion was no
longer speaking to team boss Ron Dennis.
When Alonso then moved to Renault,
Finland’s Kovalainen joined McLaren in a straight swap.
Hamilton rejected suggestions that McLaren,
which was stripped of all its points last year and fined $100
million for a spying controversy, was his team and Kovalainen
would have to play second fiddle to him.
"I don’t believe that I am starting as a
first driver," he said.
"We expect to have exactly the same
opportunity and I believe that is what we are going to be
given. I’m sure as teammates we are going to push to beat each
other, push the team forward."
Hamilton, who won four races last year and
achieved the unprecedented feat for a rookie of nine podium
finishes in a row, said he had learned a lot from Alonso.
He was also looking forward to renewing
their rivalry now they are in different teams.
"I hope it makes him (Alonso) more
determined. It makes me more determined to beat him. And not
just him, all the drivers," said the Briton.
"Kimi beat me at the end of the season, I’m
more determined to beat him this year. I know where his
strengths are.
"I know from experience of racing wheel to
wheel with Fernando and (Ferrari’s) Felipe (Massa), over one
year you get to understand what sort of people they are and
where you can beat them.
"I just feel more determined this year,"
continued Hamilton.
"I know what I want. I knew what I wanted
last year but it was sort of having that desire and not really
knowing how to fill the shoes 100 percent because I didn’t
know some of the circuits.
"I feel that every year I grow and that
some of these knocks, mistakes or disappointments or even just
the wins just help mould you into a better person... I
honestly believe I can do a better job."
