John Watson's comments on Hamilton - Ditch the dog and decide

[CaptainRaiden]

Watson: Ditch the dog and decide | Planet F1 | Formula One News

Former F1 driver John Watson has urged Lewis Hamilton to leave Roscoe at home and, while he's at it, to decide if he wants to be an "F1 driver or a hip-hop star."

Hamilton joined Mercedes at the start of this season and has often spoken of the freedom he has been given by the team.

"Now I don't really care if people have problems with my tattoos," the Brit said in Monaco. "I can have as many tattoos as I want because I love tattoos.

"I can walk and dress and speak the way I want."

And he can take his dog to the races after Bernie Ecclestone granted Roscoe a paddock pass.

Watson, though, fears Hamilton has gone too far and has urged the 28-year-old to think about what he really wants from life; to race in F1 or to be a hip-hop star.

"There is no place for a dog in the F1 paddock," Watson, a five-time grand prix winner, told the Express newspaper.

"For one thing, it is not fair on the animal. It might be in luxurious surroundings, but an engine firing up is like a firecracker or bomb going off for a dog. It's not right.

"It just shows that Mercedes are bending over too far to please Lewis. There is absolutely no way McLaren would have allowed it. Lewis wanted more freedom from McLaren and he has got that, but it can go too far the other way.

"Lewis has to decide if he wants to be an F1 driver or a hip-hop star. At the end of the day, you have got to respect the job that you are doing.

"He went to Mercedes with the reputation of being the man who would get the job done. Niki Lauda took the credit for getting him in there.

"Niki is a experienced former driver who won three world titles. You don't do that just being quite nice and he should be there trying to help Lewis work his way through the problems and point out what Mercedes expect from him.

"If your life was on the line and it was all down to one lap, you would back Lewis over Nico every time. But it is just not happening for him at the minute and he needs to start working out why."

The Brit also called on his compatriot to respond to the challenge laid down by his team-mate Nico Rosberg, who raced from pole position to the victory in Monaco while Hamilton dropped from P2 on the grid to fourth.

"Lewis needs to respond now and quickly resolve the issues. If you keep getting beaten by your team-mate then you damage your own commodity.

"Other competitors then spot that you have a flaw and they will dismiss you. Very quickly you are off their radar and when that happens it is very difficult to recover."

I don't get it. Why have former F1 drivers recently become so annoying? Why does he care? I have never seen the dog during Friday practices. So, the engine noise being a bomb theory doesn't really hold up. The only time I ever saw its pictures was during the media day on Wednesday at Monaco. I also don't get the "Hip-Hop" star jibe. Is it because of the tattoos or the way he carries himself, which is his own damn choice. A lot of other F1 drivers have tattoos, I don't see them attacked by has-beens. I didn't know you have to look and act like a farmer to become a multiple world champion.

In this case, is it envy because Lewis has achieved something in the sport that Watson never did? I don't think he's in a position to lecture somebody who's won more championships, four times as many wins and almost 15 times as many pole positions. IMHO this also-ran should just shut his hole and get back to whatever he's been doing.

[henners88]

Watson is entitled to his opinion and its often an opinion I like to hear, but this is kind of opinion we are seeing more and more in the tabloids. I would have thought with all John's experience he would know drivers need a healthy balance of normality with them at race weekends and having a dog in the paddock with him is hardly a distraction. I certainly wouldn't say Hamilton's struggles with the car by being a couple of tenths off his team mate are anything to do with the clothes he wears, the dog he owns and the number of tattoo's he has. It wasn't long ago Alonso got a massive tattoo on his back and was sleeping with as many women as he could, yet Ferrari didn't come under fire and his commitment wasn't questioned. They are just young men enjoying life in one of the best professions on earth. Less of the sour grapes.

[steveaki13]

Its all because he hasn't won a title recently.

Its easy to lay into Lewis when he has had a bad couple of seasons. If he wins a title no one would give a toss what he's doing outside F1.

Just an easy target. Poor from John Watson basically calling him uncommitted.

[donKey jote]

It wasn't long ago Alonso got a massive tattoo on his back and was sleeping with as many women as he could,

how many was that, 1 ? ailor:

[henners88]

how many was that, 1 ?

I shouldn't give any more detail (not that I have any) as its based on rumours but there was a gagging order supposedly in the paddock during the 2011 season that restricted journalists questioning his rather energetic activities with several beauties.. No Donkey's though you'll be relieved to know

[Whyzars]

Methinks the dog may have lifted his leg on someone's wheel...

[Starter]

Watson is entitled to his opinion and its often an opinion I like to hear, but this is kind of opinion we are seeing more and more in the tabloids. I would have thought with all John's experience he would know drivers need a healthy balance of normality with them at race weekends and having a dog in the paddock with him is hardly a distraction. I certainly wouldn't say Hamilton's struggles with the car by being a couple of tenths off his team mate are anything to do with the clothes he wears, the dog he owns and the number of tattoo's he has. It wasn't long ago Alonso got a massive tattoo on his back and was sleeping with as many women as he could, yet Ferrari didn't come under fire and his commitment wasn't questioned. They are just young men enjoying life in one of the best professions on earth. Less of the sour grapes.

I'd hardly call "as many tattoos as I want because I love tattoos", "a massive tattoo on his back" and " sleeping with as many women as he could" a healthy balance of normality for any person driver or not. What they are are distractions from the task at hand and doing it just because they can. Their choice to live life as they wish, but it lowers my opinion of them as people I'd care to know.

[henners88]

I'd hardly call "as many tattoos as I want because I love tattoos", "a massive tattoo on his back" and " sleeping with as many women as he could" a healthy balance of normality for any person driver or not. What they are are distractions from the task at hand and doing it just because they can. Their choice to live life as they wish, but it lowers my opinion of them as people I'd care to know.

I'm sure they think very highly of our opinions. You may think they sit in their race suits 27/7 waiting for their next chance to get in the car, but the reality is they have lives away from F1 too. If I was in their position I'd be enjoying life and the perks it throws when you have their status. You're probably of the older generation Starter.

[Starter]

I'm sure they think very highly of our opinions. You may think they sit in their race suits 27/7 waiting for their next chance to get in the car, but the reality is they have lives away from F1 too. If I was in their position I'd be enjoying life and the perks it throws when you have their status. You're probably of the older generation Starter.

Having lives away from F1 is a good thing but it is not the same thing as acting stupid. Not that F1 drivers have a lock on that of course. Been known to indulge a time or two myself.

[henners88]

Having lives away from F1 is a good thing but it is not the same thing as acting stupid. Not that F1 drivers have a lock on that of course. Been known to indulge a time or two myself.

I don't think either Fernando or Lewis are acting stupid. Having a few tattoos or in Hamilton's case owning a pet dog are hardly wild activities, lets be honest.