LONDON — Lewis Hamilton hailed Formula One rival Sebastian Vettel as a great champion yesterday, only days after suggesting the German’s dominance was sending fans to sleep.
Reuters
The Mercedes driver told his 1,7 million followers on Twitter that he felt a need to clarify his thoughts about Red Bull’s runaway championship leader and winner of the last four races.
“Seb is great champion!!,” he declared on his feed (@LewisHamilton).
“Not only that, he is a great human being who is funny and humble. Deserves all the success he is having.
“I admire his dedication & ability to consistently perform without mistakes. This is the mark of a true champion,” added the Briton, who won the 2008 title with McLaren before Vettel had won the first of his three to date.
Vettel, who does not use Twitter, has a 77-point lead over Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso in the championship with five races remaining and can clinch his fourth successive title in Japan this weekend. “Regardless of what you & I may think about his car, at the end of the day he’s doing the perfect job,” continued Hamilton, whose earlier comments triggered a rash of newspaper headlines. “I’m just grateful I get to drive in an era with so many great drivers like him.”