Lewis Hamilton has hit back at his former boss and mentor Ron Dennis, after the McLaren chairman criticised Hamilton’s lifestyle outside of Formua 1.
“If he was at McLaren he wouldn’t be behaving the way he is because he wouldn’t be allowed to,” Dennis said this week.
Hamilton, who quit McLaren in 2012 having spent 14 years with team – six of those as a driver – says he’s confused as to why Dennis made the comments in the first place.
“I don’t really have a response to it,” said the Briton. “Why he’s talking about me, I don’t know. Maybe they don’t have too many other positive things to talk about.”
Since joining Mercedes – a decision many criticised – the 30-year-old has gone on to win two championships and believes his personality has had a “positive impact” on his career.
“Ultimately that’s probably why I’m here and three-time world champion. Even so, who I am today is who I am and I would behave this way regardless of who I was working for. I don’t feel like I behave wrongly.
“Just because I do other things outside of the sport I don’t think it’s a negative, it’s obviously been a positive impact on my career.
“Maybe it’s not that me that needs to be doing any changes,” he added.
Mercedes have repeatedly stated that they have no issue with what Hamilton does in his own time, whilst F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has praised the three-time champion for helping to promote the sport.
