World champ Hamilton receives warm welcome in Woking
Wednesday, 05 Nov 2008 13:15
The McLaren welcome sign in Woking has undergone a makeover
Newly crowned formula one world champion Lewis Hamilton has been greeted with the warmest of welcomes as he visited the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking today.
Just days after celebrating his maiden drivers' crown in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Hamilton made an appearance at the British team's main development centre in Surrey to thank all the behind-the-scenes staff who assisted in his title bid.
Hamilton's welcome was made all the more spectacular by the special lighting of the centre's distinctive entry sign, which usually burns neon white.
However, to celebrate their driver's triumph, the sign has been lit in the team's bright red 'victory' livery for the 23-year-old's homecoming.
"Whenever we win, we put on our McLaren Mercedes 'rocket red' victory T-shirts, so it's pretty cool that the McLaren Technology Centre has got in on the act too," he said.
"I'd been shown photos of the MTC when I was still in Brazil, but it looked even better when I saw it in person for the first time this morning.
"And I understand it's had a fantastic reaction locally."
The McLaren group's head of communications and public relations, Matt Bishop, added: "The 'rocket red' sign has really made an impact: motorists have been beeping their horns in support and celebration as they pass by - some have been stopping to get their photographs taken next to it.
"We've even had the local police pass by to send on their messages of goodwill to Lewis and the team."
Hamilton became the youngest ever F1 champion, two months before his 24th birthday, after narrowly beating Ferrari's Felipe Massa to the title by a single point following the Briton's dramatic fifth-place finish in Brazil.