29/03/2010
NEWS STORY
Australian government minister Tim Pallas has hit out at Lewis Hamilton following the incident which saw him stopped by police on Friday evening.
The McLaren driver was cautioned by police and his car impounded after he was observed doing a "burn out" and "fishtails" as he left the Albert Park circuit.
At a time when the FIA is heavily promoting its own campaign, telling drivers to 'Make Roads Safe', the Victoria state government has begun a similar campaign urging boy racers... "Don't be a dickhead".
In a radio interview, Roads Minister Pallas initially called Hamilton a "very silly young man" but, when pressed, eventually said "Yes, OK, I'll say it. He's a dickhead".
Pallas was a little less critical of countryman Mark Webber - who, ironically, ended Hamilton's hopes of a higher finish yesterday when he clouted the Englishman's McLaren, sending both cars into the gravel - the Red Bull driver having described Australian traffic laws as "nanny state".
"I think what Mark has done has been totally irresponsible," said Pallas, "but he didn't display the behaviour that Lewis Hamilton did, and that put people lives at risk."