F1 star wary of racing rap for road offences

Formula One super-heroes should not be punished on the racetrack if they sometimes behave like mere mortals on public roads, according to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.

Formula One's governing body announced this week that drivers must act as ambassadors for the sport and those who committed serious road traffic offences could receive warnings or be stripped of their racing licences.

Hamilton, who was fined A$500 this year for reckless driving on a Melbourne street during the Australian Grand Prix in March, said he had learned from his own mistakes but was wary of the proposed amendment to the FIA's international sporting code.

"My personal view I would probably keep to myself. It will be safer that way," the 2008 world champion and current championship leader told Reuters at the Italian Grand Prix.

"Young kids look up to us in a sense that they think we are superheroes almost, but even Superman had weaknesses," added the Briton.

"I contribute as much as I can to road safety, and more and more drivers are doing that, which is right. But what we do in our private life is our private life, and we are human at the end of the day.

"The FIA, or whoever is making the rules, will also be making mistakes. I'm sure (FIA president) Jean Todt has had a speeding ticket (in his life)," added the 25-year-old.

"We're all making mistakes and learning in our lives. For some people to take a much bigger penalty for one of those mistakes than others...it should be fair, equal to everyone."

SPEEDING FINE

Hamilton's transgression in Australia was not the first of his stellar career.

The Briton, Formula One's youngest world champion, was banned from driving in France for a month in 2007, his debut season in grand prix racing, after being caught speeding on a motorway.

In that incident, he was at the wheel of a Mercedes when clocked at 196kph near the northern town of Laon. Police impounded the car and also fined Hamilton 600 euros.

"I don't think any one of us (F1 drivers) is going out and doing (on public roads) what we do on the racetrack," said Hamilton, whose McLaren can hit speeds in excess of 300kph with blinding acceleration and gut-wrenching braking.

"We do it in a controlled environment. I go home and I drive back from the airport and I'm on the cruise control the whole time.

"It's the safest way to keep in the limit, because you can't be watching the dashboard the whole time, and of course that's come from certain experiences I've had and I've learned from it and that's good for me," added Hamilton.

"But I don't feel that everything that I've worked for should be taken away from me for something that could be small, could be big. It depends really what you do."

McLaren team mate and current champion Jenson Button, who was caught speeding in France in a BMW during his time at Williams, said he felt the FIA had a point.

"Everyone makes mistakes and you do pay for it, and you would also in that situation," he told Reuters.

"We should be setting a good example, which is exactly what we try to do.

"I think a serious offence is correct for it to cause an issue for your racing career. Doing 77 miles an hour in a 70, I think that's a little different, so it's difficult to know what is really bad and what isn't," added the Briton.

- Reuters