DENNIS BLAST FOR CRITICS

[davewilson]

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has snapped back at the critics who dare to suggest how to handle rising star Lewis Hamilton.

The 22-year-old's burgeoning Formula One career has prompted many to offer their opinion on what they feel is the right way forward.

That has only served to anger Dennis, who has told them to shut up and mind their own business.

"What I find annoying is there appears to be a rash of so-called experts, people who have never run a competitive grand prix team, who profess to be so knowledgeable about what is and isn't right for Lewis," said Dennis.

"They also profess to know about his character, his strengths and his weaknesses.

"They should be quiet and concentrate on their own business, which I am sure would be better for them.

"I don't want to be too aggressive towards those people, but they know who they are.

"They are failures in many of the things they have done, and this is a success story, with my job as team principal to be supportive of the drivers.

"We will never do anything to the detriment of our main objective which is to win races and try to put Lewis - and Fernando [Alonso] - in the best possible position to do that."

Dennis has also had to counter suggestions Hamilton and Alonso are the best of enemies, rather than team-mates striving for the same cause.

Whilst they are appreciably out to beat each other, as well as the team's rivals, Dennis insists "there is no conflict" and "nothing could be further from the truth".

He added: "If you could see from their body language, how they compete playing video games and all these things, you would realise that yes they are competitive and they want to win.

"But that's not to the detriment of the relationship they have with each other and their relationship with the team."

It was Alonso that took the honours at the end of Thursday's two practice sessions for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix, while Hamilton suffered the ignominy of his first accident at a race weekend.

The current leader of the world championship walked away unharmed after ploughing his McLaren into a tyre barrier at Sainte Devote.

It was not the first shunt of his F1 career, which came in a test session in Valencia in January when he ended up in a barrier after losing control at 140mph.

On that occasion, there was virtually no-one on hand to witness it, save for a number of McLaren personnel and track marshals.

But this was his first in the full glare of the spotlight, with the world's motorsport media looking on, and with many of Monte Carlo's grandstands filled with spectators.

The young Briton has apologised for his error, one from which he is confident he will swiftly learn.

"I was pushing and right on the limit, which is something you always have to do at Monaco," remarked Hamilton.

"I then found the limit - at the mid-point of the second session - and I found out how unforgiving this track can be.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and I'm only human. These small things happen.

"I'm obviously sorry as there will be a bit of work for the guys."

But when asked as to how he would feel stepping back into the car when practice resumes, Hamilton defiantly replied: "Ready to go faster!"