Graves claims racially-motivated special treatment for Hamilton

I was going to write a great long rant about this article, but I think it speaks for itself. Wesley Graves was interviewed for an article in The Guardian about young sportspeople who never made it. He was one of two drivers signed by McLaren ten years ago, but he hasn’t raced since he was dropped by McLaren after a season and has been unemployed since he left school. Apparently he still sees himself as a racing driver.

Wesley thinks Lewis Hamilton was given special treatment. “They wanted to have the first black Formula 1 driver.”

What does he think of the stories that Hamilton could earn £1bn over the next 10 years ? He laughs bitterly. “It’s horrible.” Why? “Because I’m sitting here talking to you about what I could have been and what I should have been. That’s why it’s horrible. Then they say he’s worth this much money. It does my head in. I hate it. It was like I was on the way, and it’s took away from you.”

There’s a few mistakes in the article - it talks about “cars” not karts, and there’s a few blatant examples of spin. For example, Graves claims that he was made to race against 50 others (Cadets) while Hamilton was moved into an elite class. In actual fact, this was because Hamilton won everything there was to win in Cadets. Graves won some regional races and the GP, so was left in Cadets to have a good shot at the British Championship.

Anyone who is in possession of one of the more colourful anecdotes, please don’t post it in my comments. Thanks!

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