Hamilton criticises McLaren for swerving ’risk’

Lewis Hamilton left Valencia unhappy that McLaren has not taken more risks in the development of the 2011 car.

The MP4-26, recently Red Bull’s closest challenger, struggled on the streets of Valencia, leaving Jenson Button pleading for "some really good upgrades" for Silverstone and beyond.

"We need to take some risks," said the 2009 world champion. "I do know of some new parts that are coming but we need some more."

Now approaching 100 points behind runaway championship leader Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton and also Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso on Sunday wrote off their 2011 title chances.

And Hamilton sounded critical of his McLaren bosses.

"They didn’t want to take the risk," the 26-year-old is quoted by the Telegraph. "For safety reasons. The question is whether or not we would have finished (the race) if we had taken the risk, but then that is what risk is all about.”

"We had another couple of tenths available to us which I think would have been quite strong and it would have helped look after our tyres," added Hamilton.

The Briton admitted that the risky components ruled out by his bosses related to exhaust blowing. "I pushed as hard as I could (to have them)," he insisted.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh, however, appeared to lay the blame elsewhere for his drivers’ poor afternoons.

"It was a tough afternoon for the guys which was a consequence of starts which weren’t optimal," he is quoted by the Guardian. "Then we were overheating the tyres."