HAMILTON'S GOING TO SWITZERLAND

HAMILTON'S GOING TO SWITZERLAND

Author
Discussion

williamp

Original Poster:

19,276 posts

274 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Well, hes going to live in Switzerland anyhow. And Sauber is a Swiss team....

accoridng to the BBC website, he doesnt like the way us british speculate and blow things out of all proportion. I dont know what he means...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula...

Formula One superstar Lewis Hamilton is to move to Switzerland to escape the excessive public and media attention he has had in Britain over the last year.
The McLaren driver, who came second in the drivers' championship in his debut F1 season, will join Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in Switzerland.

"Over there people don't come up to you, they leave you alone and give you space," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport.

"I'm going to a country that I don't know but it's very exciting."

Ironically, the news comes the day after his home town of Stevenage announced that it was naming a street after the McLaren driver.

Switzerland is a popular choice for F1 drivers looking to relocate, with Alonso and Raikkonen - his rivals in this season's thrilling title chase - already living there, along with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton said he had taken the decision with some reluctance.

"It was a tough decision. My dream for years was to move to London - I stayed in London at a friend's house this weekend and I woke up in the morning and just knew it was where I wanted to be," he added.

"But I'll meet new people, new faces and I do have a few friends there and my family and friends from home will be able to come and visit me."


More to follow.








TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

251 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Ridiculous title.

RT106

715 posts

200 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Strange how he forgot to mention the tax benefits...

dazren

22,612 posts

262 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
RT106 said:
Strange how he forgot to mention the tax benefits...
Quite.

Having said that, is the Swiss tax regime as non existent (ie good!) as Monaco?

kenthardy

143 posts

206 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
So who does this bloke think David Coulthard went to drive for when he moved to Monaco??!!

(Or Jenson Button for that matter?)

Jackie Stewart moved to Switzerland a bit early for a Sauber drive didnt he?

Damon Hill and Eddie Irvine both drove for famous Dublin based F1 teams!

Nonononono yes - I dont mean Jordan either!

Edited by kenthardy on Monday 29th October 17:35

Glassman

22,591 posts

216 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
TonyHetherington said:
Ridiculous title.
Well, maybe he won't be like the football team next year after all, who will, unfortunately, still have a McClaren.

sosidge

687 posts

216 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Didn't Alonso just move to Switzerland at the start of this year too? As soon as he became employed by McLaren I think.

Perhaps they will have adjoining ranches?

I'd have a lot more respect for Lewis if he just came straight out and said he is becoming a tax exile. I can't imagine he gets anything other than credit from the British public if they ever see him on the streets.

belleair302

6,853 posts

208 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
I can imagine Lewis gets a huge amount of grief from the paparazzi in the UK where in Switzerland media is more tightly controlled. Secondly you can negotiate your tax payments within certain cantons and finally it takes no time at all to fly to GP circuits within Europe for testing and most drivers only spend 40-50 days a year at home maximum. Kimi I think is now in Switzerland, MS is there, Alonso, and Heidfeld I believe. Why not it is a beautiful if somwhat dull place to live but way better than Monaco!

dazren

22,612 posts

262 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
TonyHetherington said:
Ridiculous title.
Title changed.

AndrewD

7,544 posts

285 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Well, I'll look out for him down the local then biggrin

SplatSpeed

7,490 posts

252 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
he does realise he is the wrong colour for switzerland

they will never give him a passport

Casino

120 posts

221 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
SplatSpeed said:
he does realise he is the wrong colour for switzerland

they will never give him a passport
Oh?....They let me in ?!

To be honest I couldnt wait to get on a flight out. Its all a bit squeeky clean. Anyway, best place for the arrogant little bleep bleeeeep bleeeeeeeeep bleep.

Vipers

32,916 posts

229 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
RT106 said:
Strange how he forgot to mention the tax benefits...
Probably didnt enter his head.

smile

Gold

1,998 posts

206 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Dont blame the poor lad, many here would do the same thing if they could afford it and thats not forgetting the media frenzy he has to cope with. wink

Gold

1,998 posts

206 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all

Marki

15,763 posts

271 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
RT106 said:
Strange how he forgot to mention the tax benefits...
That has nothing to do with it you fool hehe

That was the first thing i thought of ,, mega $$$ for the Lad next year im sure smile

Mr_Thyroid

1,995 posts

228 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
I don't really understand why this is a story. It's seems like an opportuity to knock him - "look at how arrogant he's got, can't stand to live in the same country as his fans"

Marki

15,763 posts

271 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Mr_Thyroid said:
I don't really understand why this is a story. It's seems like an opportuity to knock him - "look at how arrogant he's got, can't stand to live in the same country as his fans"
I dont blame him at all .gone to the dogs it has biggrin

kenthardy

143 posts

206 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Mr_Thyroid said:
I don't really understand why this is a story. It's seems like an opportuity to knock him - "look at how arrogant he's got, can't stand to live in the same country as his fans"
This is quite restrained - on MSN.co.uk they've emptied the looney bins into their message board!

http://boards.msn.com/UKNewsboards/thread.aspx?thr...

tank slapper

7,949 posts

284 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Who can blame him? I can't think of much worse than being hounded by photographers all the time. Paying 40% of god knows how much to old slackjaw would also tend to focus the priorities a little.