Ex-Formula 1 driver Perry McCarthy has told Lewis Hamilton that he “shouldn’t cry too much” about lacking opportunities during his F1 career.
Hamilton has often revealed that he didn’t receive the same opportunities as others during his junior career; however, McCarthy thinks he should appreciate what Ron Dennis did for him instead.
Dennis was previously the CEO of McLaren and first met Hamilton when he was just a child.
Hamilton and Dennis met at the Autosport Awards, an event the Mercedes driver attended after winning the British Karting Championship.
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The seven-time World Champion was just 10 years old at the time and asked Dennis for an autograph and if he can drive a McLaren in the future.
He actually got a response from Dennis by letter, with the ex-CEO having written: “Phone me in nine years, we’ll sort something out then.”
As is well documented, Hamilton was signed by McLaren a couple of years later to join their Driver Development Programme, with his contract having effectively been a path to F1 and a seat at the Woking-based team.
Hamilton was promoted into the team in 2007 after winning the 2006 GP2 title – known now as Formula 2 – and went onto win his maiden title in just his second season for the British manufacturer.
He achieved so much with McLaren, before leaving them for Mercedes at the end of 2012, with the rest being history.
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Nevertheless, McCarthy thinks the veteran needs to stop complaining about receiving a “lack of support” growing up, given what Dennis did for him at a young age.
“Lewis shouldn’t cry too much about lack of support because he had something that a lot of people would’ve dreamed of having,” McCarthy told EssentiallySports. “That was something like Ron Dennis, the head of McLaren, coming and believing in you.
“Now what Lewis did do is he repaid that belief at every single stage because Lewis is and was brilliant, that was it. So Lewis had the chance and he strangled that chance with every shred of his soul, so he repaid. But Lewis shouldn’t talk too much about lack of opportunities.”