Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, October 11, 2008

Formula One notes: Kubica-Hamilton war of words

Also items on Toyota, Mercedes engine deal, Fernando Alonso

By Chris Lines
Associated Press

 OMAYA, Japan -- BMW's Robert Kubica says Lewis Hamilton's driving style is regarded as dangerous by his rivals, bringing a sharp response from McLaren.

Kubica ignited a paddock argument when he told a newspaper that the championship leader had drawn the ire of other drivers for his forceful overtaking maneuvers.

Exhibit A in the Pole's argument was Hamilton's drive in the Italian Grand Prix when he forced Toyota's Timo Glock onto the grass and Red Bull's Mark Webber up an escape road as he forced his way through the field.

"What he did was too much and dangerous," Kubica told Bild Zeitung.

"It was a topic (in the drivers' meetings) and most of them had a similar view. But at the end we can only talk. If someone is convinced they're allowed to do it, then we don't have any influence."

Hamilton diplomatically declined to be drawn into a spat, but McLaren team principal Ron Dennis was less restrained.

"His objective should be to raise his own performance, do the best he can and keep those comments to himself," Dennis said Saturday.

"It's refreshing to have a highly talented driver who has the ability to overtake and make the bold decisions he has in what is only his second season in Formula One."

HOME DRIVERS SHINE: Normally seventh and eighth on the grid would be considered a respectable performance by Toyota, but at Fuji Speedway it is less than they hoped for.

Toyota owns the track and considers the Japan GP to be a season highlight.

Timo Glock looked like meeting the raised expectations by performing very strongly in all practice sessions and was fastest in the first part of qualifying.

So to end up starting from the fourth row of the grid is a disappointment for the home team.

"We struggled to get the most out of the softer tire on heavy fuel and we are slightly further back than we'd hoped," Glock said.

Teammate Jarno Trulli said the final part of qualifying "was a bit of a mystery because as soon as we put the fuel on, the car was rather unbalanced and we lost a lot of grip."

FORCE INDIA-MERCEDES? McLaren-Mercedes chiefs Ron Dennis and Norbert Haug stopped short of confirming a paddock rumor that Mercedes would supply the engines for Force India next year, but only just.

Confidentiality agreements surrounding negotiations prevented them from declaring that Mercedes would branch out to customer teams next season, yet spoke glowingly of the idea when asked Saturday.

"Some form of collaboration will emerge over the next few days, but its premature to talk about it," Dennis said.

"If we go forward with this it will be for the benefit of the team we try to assist and support and the benefit of Formula One."

ALONSO BACKS STANDARD ENGINES: When he was winning the world championship in 2005 and 2006, Fernando Alonso would not have been enthusiastic about letting other teams catch up.

However a season of relative struggle at Renault has prompted the Spaniard to back radical plans to overhaul the sport with standard engines for all teams rather than the current manufacturers' arms race.

"If they equalize the engines, it will be better for the races, because maybe more teams are involved in race victories and the championship is more open," Alonso was quoted as saying by Autosport Magazine.

"Not only two teams will fight for the championships, so maybe it is a good idea."
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