Hanging with Hamilton
Posted by Andy Wilman at 10:00AM on Friday 30 November, 2007 14 Comments
Well, Lewis Hamilton came down to our windswept airfield, put all thoughts of his 850bhp F1 car to one side, and climbed into the next best thing, our mighty Suzuki Liana.
As regular viewers will know, we retired the Liana from Reasonably Priced Car duties a few series back, but we keep it on standby for the odd occasion when an F1 driver pops in.
He scowled when he saw the wet track, because any chances of beating the Stig's time of 1.44.4, done on a dry track, were out of the window. Also there was oil dotted around, pissed out by the Vauxhall VXR8 that we'd lapped earlier in the day.
Click through our behind-the-scenes gallery from filming
Now regarding this oil business, conspiracy theorists, pull a chair up, because Lewis's job was to set the fastest wet time on the Top Gear F1 board, and the only other wet time belongs to Mark Webber, who's Australian.
Well you don't need to be that brainy girl on Scooby Doo to work out that the night before Lewis's lap, Mark, having seen the weather conditions for Dunsfold, has driven down to Vauxhall's press garage in Luton, scaled the walls, broken in and loosened something or other on the VXR8, and it being an Australian car, he knows which bit to loosen and where the oil is and everything.
Anyway, Lewis took his tuition from the Stig very seriously, then we set the stop watch and sent him off. The lap time you'll find out if you watch Sunday's show, but I will say I've been in the edit for two days since we recorded the show, and I still keep replaying his second to last corner, because I've never seen a piece of driving quite like it. The world is governed by the rules of physics, but he just seems to have his own set.
After the show I drove home from the recording, still thinking about Lewis. This isn't unusual in itself, because I'm normally turning over a guest's appearance on the show, deciding about which bits of the interview to drop, which to leave in etc. But on that drive I was just thinking about Lewis himself.
Like most people I've seen what he can do on the track, but it's only when you meet him that you get a sense of the force that seems to drive him. It's not that he's intense - in fact it's a while since I've met a 22-year-old so polite, or an F1 driver so aware of what's going on around him - it's just that he literally seems to have some Jedi force pulsing through him.
He will obviously go on to make hundreds of millions in his career, but he's one of the few I'd believe when he says the money doesn't matter. Like Schumacher and Senna, he's connected by an invisible thread to a race car, and racing it is his reason for being here.
Whilst he was signing some books before the interview, I reminded him he'd once said that if he died on the track, then so be it, and he just nodded and carried on signing as if I'd asked him if he was having cold turkey on Boxing Day.
The other thing you notice is he's so self-sufficient for a 22-year-old. Most F1 drivers need more maintenance and nannying than the car, but he doesn't seem to need anybody. In the interview, in Clarkson's backyard, he sat opposite one of the most confident broadcasters in the world and scored some cracking blows when the banter kicked off.
Jeremy asked him about girls and living the James Hunt life, and Lewis didn't want to go there, but I've never seen a question so beautifully deflected and kicked off into the weeds; John Humphrys would struggle.
During the break after Lewis's interview, a couple of us from the Top Gear office were having a fag round the back of the hangar, and he joined us for a chat. He asked if he could come back and set a dry time, and we thought he was just being polite, but you could tell he meant it because he was saying how if the appointed day was wet, the deal was he could cancel, but if it was dry, he'd be there.
The three of us were standing looking at him thinking: "Won't you have more pressing issues on your mind next July, like Silverstone or Monza?"
But as far as he's concerned, there's unfinished business at Top Gear. Bollocks, we'll have to cancel the Chuckle Brothers.
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14 Comments for "Hanging with Hamilton"
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It's a shame about the wet conditions, but if he still set a staggering time then he should be all the more proud. That is, assuming he set a great time. For all we know, when you said he took the second to last corner like none other, you probably meant he half-spun-out on it, or something. Also, i'm assuming he didn't have engine problems this time around?
Can't wait to see the show!
Good to hear that Lewis is as normal as it's possible to be in the mentalist world of F1. Looking forward to seeing the interview.
WOW, my 2007 year wish has been shot down... this whole year I thought to myself the Stig has to be Lewis Hamilton: Brilliant driver and he never appeared on Top Gear, but then I turn to the site and I see the Stig besides Hamilton and i was left with an awe!! I can't wait to see the programme on Sunday... I have 20p Hamilton wont beat the Stig's lap...
Yes, indeed the wife and I are on pins and needles waiting for the show. Hamilton, what a terrific sport and what a great future! Good blog post, Andy.
Lewis is the way he is because of his family. They are his rock and will always keep him 'normal' because they are such honest, focused people.
We must not lose sight of the fact that this is how the majority of people in this country are, despite the media hyping up so called 'personalities' then taking such glee in knocking them down. Stay focused Lewis. You deserve all the riches that will come your way.
It sounds like a top episode this Sunday. Can't wait!
As for Lewis Hamilton, you can tell he is made for glory. He conducts press interviews like a seasoned pro and drives like a machine, so he'll never struggle to pay the bills.
What will happen if the Stig get a much better time?
Good work Mark, us Aussies know the secret location of the ABROP valve (Anti-British Record Oil Purge) fitted to all export Holdens. It's our revenge for sending us the MG. As good as Lewis is, here's hoping Mark's wet time lasts!
Great post!! In fact I'm happy to see the track was wet, knowing that he will return in TG for a second drive(and hopefully second interview).
The aura around Lewis is exceptional. I really believe he will be something like the next Schumacher right because of the similarities pointed by Andy. Schumi was not only a driver like everybody now, he lived with the car and developed it.
Despite of the fact I'm a Ferrari fan, I think Lewis's gonna be the biggest driver in the next decade.
That was absolutely unbelievable driving in the dry, never mind the wet! I bet he does close to 1.40 in the dry... If anyone does not realise how good this guy is, they need their head testing.
All can I say is he is a breed to himself, I really cannot wait to see him come back and do the track in the dry!!!
He makes other F1 drivers look like Top Gear presenters...
You're right about him setting his own laws of physics. When Mansell went round I thought that's as fast as that car can possibly go, it can't do any more, then Hamilton goes just as fast IN THE WET.
Even by the second corner you could see it was that much faster than everyone else; what on earth was he doing to make the car do that?
Simple awesome! Superb driving, a great attitude, a perfect role model for all F1 noobs. That man's a born champion whether he ever wins a title or not!
We truly are witnessing a remarkable talent, the likes of which only come along once or twice in your lifetime. Savour every moment he has to offer because I don't think we'll see anything like him again.
PS. Do we need a new Stig now??? I imagine he hasn't slept since that lap.