McLaren Group CEO and chairman Ron Dennis said he had mixed feelings about former driver Lewis Hamilton's time at McLaren, and revealed the 2015 World Champion would not be behaving the way he does if he had remained with the Woking team.
Speaking at the Marketing Society's annual conference in London, Dennis recalled how he met Hamilton when he was a 13-year-old karter, and was so impressed by his talent that he signed him to a long-term McLaren contract which culminated with his first world championship title in 2008.
Dennis revealed that he felt like a surrogate father to the youngster, and one who guided and fostered his talent and ability in his formative years.
The McLaren Group founder was quick to commend Hamilton on his outstanding career achievements, but also believed that he had at times 'gone off the rails' because he had missed out on part of his childhood development.
"I look at him with mixed emotions," Dennis said. "It was an interesting experience for everybody and it wasn’t completely smooth and harmonious, and I don’t approve of everything he does or says."
"But nevertheless great athletes are great because of the sacrifices they have to make. And sometimes sacrifices are in a very formative part of their childhood so they don’t always emerge with all the right social process or behaviour or tendencies that you like.
"If he was at McLaren he wouldn’t be behaving the way he is because he wouldn’t be allowed to... He's shaking off some chains he didn’t want to have."
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