Hamilton Will Come Back Stronger in 2011 - Manager

Lewis Hamilton did not have the season of his life last year, even though at some point the British ace was a clear contender for the world title. A couple of on-track mistakes led to some unexpected DNFs in the second part of the season and, just like that, the 2008 F1 champion dropped from 1st to 4th, a position which he had to settle until the end of the season.

In parallel to his on-track struggles, Hamilton had to also face intense criticism following his burnout and tailgating incident in Australia, when he was stopped by the local police and handed a hefty fine. Added the personal problems with his father Anthony, it's pointless to stress the fact that 2010 was not quite ideal for Ham.

Knowing that all too well, McLaren's team manager Martin Whitmarsh argued that his driver will come back stronger in 2011, having gone through a rough period last year.

“I think it is well publicised that Lewis had a number of issues,” said Whitmarsh in a recent interview with British magazine Autosport.

“He is still a very young man. I think he is finding his way as a motor racing driver and in his life, and I think he had some cause for distraction. The team could have done a better job, and inevitably the drivers could have done a better job. We could all have done a better job. I could have done a better job too,” he added.

“But overall I don't think Lewis should be too dissatisfied with his performance. He had some fantastic races and we all know what a superstar he is, and how tough he will be on himself. (...) That is what drives us along, motivates us and makes us determined to win this year.”