02/03/2010
NEWS STORY
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Lewis Hamilton has ended the management agreement that saw his father help guide him from Karting right through to winning the 2008 Formula One World Championship.
Anthony Hamilton has overseen his son's career since he first started Karting at the age of eight, however, ahead of what promises to be one of the most demanding season's in Lewis' career the two have decided to part company.
"I'm 25, and I think it was inevitable there had to be change at some point," Hamilton told Autosport. "Over the past few years, we looked around to see if we could bring someone else into the picture to help with the situation, whether to help with guidance, sponsors, or whatever it was. We looked at it and I just never felt comfortable with anyone else.
"At the time I loved my dad being my manager and taking care of things, because I trust him," he added. "Other managers you hire as employees, but my dad is my dad. I know he does things for only the right reasons, and I can just trust him with my full heart.
"But all of this time we were discussing bringing someone else in, we never quite had the confidence to do it. I think we're now at the point where we are looking to take that step, and I think it is a positive step. I've been in F1 for quite a while now and I wouldn't have been able to do it without my dad. He's done a fantastic job, but he's done that job.
"What I am really, really excited about now is having my dad just as my dad. I want to have a manager who can take care of all the stresses and do all the other stuff, and then I want to do dad things with my dad. I want to go for a beer with my dad. I want to go bowling with my dad. I want to go on holiday with my dad.
"I want to be able to say to him: 'How is GP Prep going?'," he continued, referring to the driver management business his father has set up, "and I want to be able to tell him about all the experiences I am having too... but as a dad.
"I want to be able to have that, and build that relationship. I want my dad to know, and I want everyone to know, he is always going to be my dad. This is us taking a natural progression step."