Very good news, we have some good drivers from the caribbean also, I wonder which island Hamilton's father hails from
F1 breaks colour barrier
Hamilton hired by McLaren as tour's first black driver
`I know that there will be a lot of attention on me'
Nov. 25, 2006. 01:00 AM
LONDON—Lewis Hamilton will race for McLaren next season, becoming the first black driver in Formula One.
The team announced yesterday that it had selected the British driver, 21, to race alongside two-time defending F1 champion Fernando Alonso in 2007.
Hamilton won this year's GP2 championship, a feeder circuit for F1. In 2005, he dominated the F3 series, winning 15 of 20 races.
"It's a dream come true," Hamilton said. "To be racing in Formula 1 with McLaren has been the ultimate goal for me since I was very young and this opportunity is a fantastic way to end what has been the best year for me."
Hamilton joined McLaren's young driver program in 1998, starting in kart racing and working his way up through the ranks. He tested McLaren's F1 car for the first time at the Silverstone circuit in England on Sept. 13, and will begin testing for the 2007 season next week in Barcelona, Spain.
"I'm aware that this will be a challenge and I know that there will be a lot of attention on me," Hamilton said. "However, the team has told me just to relax, do the best I can and enjoy the opportunity. I will work hard to get good results."
Hamilton is of Anglo-Caribbean origin. His father's parents come from the West Indies.
"Since 1998, Lewis has formed an important part of our long-term strategy and we are pleased that we are able to help him take another step and achieve his dream of becoming a Formula 1 racing driver," McLaren chairman Ron Dennis said.
British bookmakers William Hill rate Hamilton at 25-1 to win the championship. Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, who switched from McLaren to Ferrari for the new season, is the 5-4 favourite.
"I haven't really thought about targets, although every driver's ultimate target when they reach F1 is to win the championship," Hamilton said.
Alonso, who won his second straight F1 title this season with Renault, moved to McLaren for 2007.
"I look at having Fernando Alonso as my teammate as a positive," Hamilton said. "I can only learn from him. He will do what he always does, which is drive really well, and I will do the best job I can and eventually compete with him."
Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett will stay with McLaren as test drivers.
De la Rosa, who drove for McLaren in the last eight races of the 2006 season, accepted his demotion to test driver.
"The fact that Lewis will be in the car comes as no surprise," he said. "Obviously I would have preferred to race myself, but I also understand why the team has decided to put Lewis in the car. I wish him all the best and look forward to continue working with him."
"Pedro has done an outstanding job for us this season, but we felt it was the right time to provide Lewis with this opportunity," Dennis said.
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