Dennis admits saga 'influenced' Hamilton
McLaren boss Ron Dennis fears the spy scandal may have taken its toll on Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was distinctly off the boil throughout the Belgian Grand Prix weekend in comparison to team-mate Fernando Alonso, who early in the race bullied the 22-year-old into running off the circuit.
The young Briton’s cause was not aided by his visit to Paris last Thursday for the World Motor Sport Council hearing that resulted in damning sanctions against the team.
Hamilton has readily conceded he was not 100% at Spa and that he must now pull his socks up for the final three grands prix if he is to clinch the Formula One world title in his rookie year.
Acknowledging the difference between Hamilton and Alonso in the last two races - with the duo just two points apart – Dennis revealed: “I think it’s just a question of the nature of the circuit, how they are feeling.
“Obviously, Lewis has watched the company struggle a little bit, the team struggle and maybe is a little bit more influenced by that.
“But it was just a tenth (of a second) here and a tenth there. Traffic played a small part, but at the end of the day Fernando drove a disciplined race, and clearly Lewis tried hard but it was not meant to be.
“They’ve both been very disciplined all season. We could have all done without the distractions of the weekend and the run-up to it. But hopefully we can now chill out, calm down and we have a good end to the season.”
Dennis is certainly hoping to experience a ’chill factor’ in a bid to take the heat out of what has been a stressful last few months.
The 60-year-old is currently wrestling with his conscience over whether to appeal the £50m (€72m) fine and having all his team’s constructors’ points stripped for their role in the spy saga.
With the race weekend now behind him, Dennis at least has time to sit and think, adding: “I want to chill out a little bit and get my head in a clearer perspective.
“I do want to put myself in a better frame of mind, take a point of view myself as to the right thing to do and then share it with my co-shareholders.
“As I’ve said several times, I’ve very much committed to Formula One as an individual. What’s happened has not been great for Formula One, it certainly hasn’t been great for McLaren.
“It’s created a lot of news, which has not all been positive to say the least, so closure is the thing we should consider.
“It’s important to try to move forward, and that’s where my mind is at the moment. Part of our closure will be to take all the controversy out of the team and focus on the next three grands prix, but it’s not my decision to take alone.”
