Hamilton, optimistic?

Lewis Hamilton says signing for the F1 McLaren team is a dream come true, and the 21-year-old aims to win the World Championship in his first three years.

Taken from the BBC web site, is he being rather optimistic considering 07 will be his first year in F1? Is he that good, does he have the ability to do what he hopes to do?

Hope so as it would be good to see another Brit pushing the others out there, however we saw Button being hyped at the beginning.

why not !! the difference between hamilton and button is that the former is a team player and gifted driver...the other is a prat

short and sweet Mr Brown!

Bit harsh on Button Mr Brown? Its widely acknowleged he's a good driver as shown in the second half of this season.

Surely it all depends on how good the car is? If the McLaren is off the pace for the next 3 years he won't win sweet FA no matter how good he is.

well it has been said that button is in the top three for F1 drivers button is up there with the best of them!

...I think this is going to end up more about Button than about Hamilton if we let ourselves get carried away.
Firstly I don't think any driver can be classed as a "great" or become a member of "the elite" until they have accomplished more than one race win, Nick Fry getting carried away there I think.
Secondly I hope the young lad Hamilton does really well, we really need a good young British driver desperately, not just about him though it's about the car aswell, it's fast but it's fragile.

Maybe if Hamilton is a hit Button may step up a level, I hav'nt seen enough of Hamilton to judge him tbo but I'm hopeful.

...I think this is going to end up more about Button than about Hamilton if we let ourselves get carried away.
Firstly I don't think any driver can be classed as a "great" or become a member of "the elite" until they have accomplished more than one race win, Nick Fry getting carried away there I think.
Secondly I hope the young lad Hamilton does really well, we really need a good young British driver desperately, not just about him though it's about the car aswell, it's fast but it's fragile.

Maybe if Hamilton is a hit Button may step up a level, I hav'nt seen enough of Hamilton to judge him tbo but I'm hopeful.

...I think this is going to end up more about Button than about Hamilton if we let ourselves get carried away.
Firstly I don't think any driver can be classed as a "great" or become a member of "the elite" until they have accomplished more than one race win, Nick Fry getting carried away there I think.
Secondly I hope the young lad Hamilton does really well, we really need a good young British driver desperately, not just about him though it's about the car aswell, it's fast but it's fragile.

Maybe if Hamilton is a hit Button may step up a level, I hav'nt seen enough of Hamilton to judge him tbo but I'm hopeful.

....Can't work out how that lot appeared.

Let's give the lad the first half of the season to get to grips with F1 and then we'll see.

Damon Hill on Hamilton:
``The first season is the toughest,'' said Hill, at today's opening of the Autosport International Show in Birmingham.
``But all he has to do is be right on the heels of Fernando Alonso, two times world champion, and I think his confidence will grow and grow.
``You've a season's grace - maybe even half-a-season - because people will give him the leeway and the benefit of the doubt for that first six months.
``But then, at the end of the season, if he hasn't outpaced Fernando at one point or another, people will be saying 'Where is it? Where's that spark? Where's that thing?'
``Because you have to accept those that have gone on to become great drivers - like Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna - they arrived and they went `bang'.
``They were on the scene, on the pace, outpacing their team-mate - and they were there right from the word go.
``So it is fair to say there is a little pressure, but I don't think Lewis Hamilton is the sort of person who under-estimates that.
``I think he understands that and respects that. He's got a window of opportunity to learn, but it's going to be a short one.''

Hill also issued a stern rebuke to David Coulthard, who has been one of the few to criticise McLaren for handing Hamilton a race seat. Hill feels Coulthard's comments were borne out of the fact he is now at the tail-end of his Formula One career at the age of 35.
``David perhaps is revealing his slight reflection on the fact that he was a young driver once, like Lewis is,'' added Hill.
``Lewis is the future. He's going to be in F1 for a good few years, and let's hope that Lewis has more success and makes more of his opportunities.
``You have to say it's now possible to reflect on DC's career in that respect. I think it's not well founded, that assessment.
``I think Lewis has a proven track record of being a winner in GP2, and he's been well coached and guided by a very professional team in McLaren and Ron
Dennis.''