I’m happier away from McLaren says Hamilton

Six months on from his announcement that he would be leaving McLaren for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton is still in the headlines following the move.

At the time the move shocked the world of Formula One, why would a former Formula One World Champion leave McLaren, a team that was regularly competing for race victories and podiums, for a team that had only won once in the years since they returned to the sport?

The move just didn’t seem right on sporting levels and many questioned Lewis Hamilton for the move, was it just financially based? Or was there another reason?

Hamilton had been noticeably downbeat for a couple of seasons at McLaren. The finger in the British media particularly was pointed at his personal relationships. His Dad in particular when Anthony Hamilton stopped being Hamilton’s manager and then his popstar girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger.

But was the route of his problems actually the powerful and controlling hand of McLaren itself? Hamilton of course had been with the team since he was a boy and ‘flying the nest’ to another team to make it on his own was one of the reasons he gave for the move.

Following a recent interview, psychologists must be having a field day in relation to Hamilton’s comments.

Hamilton refers to executive chairman of McLaren Ron Dennis as the godfather, while he repeatedly mentions being controlled at McLaren while stating he is now free at Mercedes.

‘At McLaren, Ron is the Godfather. Naturally there does come that power. I don’t know if it’s about fear but there were definitely parallels, I have been in a very controlled environment since I can remember and it’s not until the last couple of years that I’ve come out of that control. Hamilton told The Daily Mirror as quoted by Sky Sports.

‘No one controls me now. I’m able to be my own man. Obviously I’ve got bosses at Mercedes in Ross Brawn, Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.

‘I make decisions I want to make now. I’m my own man and that’s what I always wanted.

‘I’m happier now. I can do things and I don’t have to report to anyone.’

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