Hamilton Hogs Headlines After Button Win

Lewis Hamilton's latest troubles are attracting more attention than his teammmate's sensational win in Canada.

"Lewis HamilDUMM" (dumm/stupid) read the headline in the German newspaper Bild, after more collisions and controversy in Montreal.

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes

Photo by: xpb.cc

"In many respects it is a shame because Button's sensational victory in a frankly unforgettable Grand Prix should really take the headlines," wrote David Coulthard in his latest Telegraph column.

El Mundo newspaper after Canada described Button as the "gentleman de los circuitos", while McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said the last-lap win was among the greatest in F1 history.

But typically with the media and its commentators, negativity is the better selling point, with greats including Niki Lauda, Sir Stirling Moss and Emerson Fittipaldi all criticising Hamilton after Canada.

Agreed former McLaren driver John Watson to Talksport radio: "I don't think he's in a good place in himself at the minute."

And lead BBC commentator Martin Brundle added: "He's collecting car damage when he needs to be finishing races. He has to come at his racing in a different way -- it's not working."

Button has also commented on his famous teammate's troubles, but he rebuked Lauda who has called for the FIA to ban Hamilton in order to save lives.

"I don't agree with that," the Montreal winner is quoted by the Mirror. "I think his driving style is aggressive and he always goes for gaps."

And a report in The National said Button added: "Lewis is in the headlines a lot, and a lot of it is because he is bloody good."

But Button also revealed that he spends no social time with his teammate, and Lauda agrees that part of Hamilton's problem is his attitude. "He must calm down and spend less time trying to be a celebrity and a rock star," the Austrian great wrote in a column for The Sun.

"When times are tough as they are now and he is making mistakes he needs to refocus and concentrate solely on driving," added Lauda.

Coulthard agrees: "He does seem a bit distracted at present, certainly in contrast to his main rivals."

But the Scot rubbished Lauda's claim that he is a threat to the other drivers' safety, and a spokesman for Hamilton insisted: "While we respect Niki's views, he is plain wrong in this instance.

"Lewis was cleared by the stewards of causing any accidents on Sunday and has never come close to injuring or purposefully taking out another driver."