Drivers ask for Hamilton discussion at Suzuka

Formula one drivers have asked to discuss Lewis Hamilton’s recent driving during a meeting ahead of the Japanese grand prix at Suzuka.

That is the claim of Italian specialist magazine Autosprint after the McLaren driver’s latest run-in last weekend in Singapore, where Felipe Massa physically confronted the Briton.

Ferrari’s Massa sarcastically suggested 26-year-old Hamilton should call upon his father for help, while Anthony Hamilton blamed a failure of support by his son’s new management led by entertainment agent Simon Fuller.

Former driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, meanwhile, has suggested Hamilton needs a "therapist", while David Coulthard thinks he needs a wise manager like Martin Brundle.

"It doesn’t have to be a manager necessarily," the Scot wrote in the Telegraph, "but you need someone to be able to sit down and talk to you with complete honesty. To tell you you’re being an idiot."

Autosprint claims Hamilton’s rivals have asked FIA race director Charlie Whiting to allow a conversation about his overly aggressive driving style during the Suzuka briefing.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh acknowledged 2011 has "not been a good season for Lewis Hamilton" but said the tone of the latest criticism "is wrong".

"Lewis is still a young guy, he is learning and he will learn from all of this. He will win races and I am sure he is going to win more championships," he added.