Norris bats away speculation over his F1 future as he denies McLaren are in ‘crisis’

Amidst conjecture concerning his Formula One future, Lewis Hamilton has dismissed claims that McLaren are in a state of “crisis”, emphasizing that he is wholly focused on the upcoming season.

The 2008 world champion, who is entering the fourth year of his current contract with the British team, has been the subject of much speculation in the wake of their disappointing 2010 campaign.

However, Hamilton has sought to quell any rumors of a parting of ways, stressing that he has no intention of leaving McLaren and is devoted to make amends for the team’s recent lack of success.

“I’m not looking to go anywhere else, I’m very happy here [at McLaren],” he said. “We had a difficult year last year and I think we’re in a much better position now. We’re just going to focus on this season and make sure we get the job done. There’s no crisis at McLaren.”

Hamilton also sought to assuage fears that McLaren’s decision to part with sporting director Dave Ryan in the aftermath of the infamous ‘lie-gate’ scandal in Australia last year had affected the team’s morale.

“It’s been difficult for us, but it’s something we’ve got to get over,” he said. “It’s not like a football team where you can get a new manager and it changes the whole team around; it’s a much longer process to get over these difficulties. We’re very strong and we’ll get through it.”

The 26 year-old concluded by expressing his confidence in the team’s chances of success this season and his enthusiasm for his upcoming campaign.

“I’m really excited going into this year with the team and I think we’re in a good place,” he stated. “We’ve worked hard over the winter and we’ve made some really good advancements. It’s a long road, so we’ll see how we get on.”

In the face of conjecture regarding his Formula One future, Lewis Hamilton has emphatically refused the notion that McLaren are in a state of “crisis”, emphasizing that he is firmly affixed to the team and has no plans to depart. The 2008 world champion has made it clear that he is determined to rectify the squad’s recent struggles and echoed his optimism for the upcoming season, declaring that they are in a “good place”. Hamilton further sought to allay apprehensions that the ‘lie-gate’ scandal had adversely impacted team morale, arguing that they are “very strong” and will “get through it”. The 26 year-old asserted his conviction that McLaren are well-placed to challenge for the championship, declaring that they have made substantial progress over the winter and are ready to take on the challenges of the new season.