OCTOBER 9, 2016

Hamilton should be professional says Surer

Lewis Hamilton is still being criticised for his off-track antics at Suzuka this year.

Lewis Hamilton, Japanese GP 2016
© Active Pictures

Lewis Hamilton is still being criticised for his off-track antics at Suzuka this year.

The reigning world champion was first accused of being disrespectful by playing with 'Snapchat' throughout the FIA press conference, and he then hit back at the media by walking out of a Mercedes news conference after qualifying.

"He makes many millions each year, I think 30 million or more, and won't even answer questions from journalists.

"I think he should be a little more professional," former F1 driver and now German-language Sky pundit Marc Surer said.

Hamilton has also suggested that his championship campaign is being thwarted by divine intervention, but that might be interpreted as lacking respect for his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.

"It wouldn't be an injustice if he (Rosberg) won the championship at all," 1996 world champion Damon Hill told the Telegraph.

"He's worked really hard for this. It's quite obvious he's really applied himself.

"It will be interesting to see how he copes with the pressure the closer he gets to his goal," he added.

For his part, Rosberg is continuing to refuse to talk about the title, opting instead to only focus on each race individually.

"I like Atletico Madrid," the German told the Spanish sports newspaper AS, "so your headline can be 'Rosberg, like Atletico, race by race'."

(GMM)