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VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - For once, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton may be prepared to think twice about how he goes about overtaking Formula One rivals.
The 2008 world champion's last two races have been a rich tapestry of collisions, controversy and trips to the race stewards.
At the European Grand Prix on Saturday the 26-year-old qualified third and told reporters he might consider a more cautious approach to Sunday's race -- even if that has always been anathema in the past.
"I want to finish. That's the key," he said.
"I'll always remain as aggressive as I am. However, instead of thinking once about a manoeuvre, you'll perhaps think twice," continued the Briton.
"If that means you're more cautious, then so be it, but if I get the opportunity then I'm going to attack and try to take it."
Hamilton's instincts have always been to race, rather than settle for second best, and it is that potent blend of passion, raw speed and sheer determination to win that makes him such a hit with the fans.
It has also been his undoing, with the Briton even colliding with his own team mate Jenson Button at the previous race in Canada. Button went on to win, Hamilton retired.
In Monaco he had collided with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams' Venezuelan rookie Pastor Maldonado, the impacts ending his rivals' races.
RIGHT DECISION
Asked whether criticism from former drivers and champions, such as Austrian Niki Lauda who said he could kill someone if he carried on in such a reckless manner, had influenced his thinking, Hamilton was firm: "Not a single thing.
"Things happen for certain reasons," he added. "Of course you look at them and analyse whether you think you are in the right place or the wrong place and if you made the right decision or didn't.
"But it's just the way life is. It's just happened in two races and hopefully it won't happen again. I don't know why the previous overtaking manoeuvres were much cleaner and much easier.
"Maybe the drivers are feeling they can put up even more of a fight than they have in the past."
Asked whether he could really think twice when faced with a split-second decision in the heat of battle, Hamilton nodded: "When an opportunity arises you have a choice to either take it or not to take it, and the opportunity most likely will come around again.
"So you can decide not to take it the first time and then take it the second time, perhaps."
Team principal Martin Whitmarsh, sitting alongside his drivers at the media briefing, said he had no problem with Hamilton's driving.
"He is a natural, aggressive, born racer and he's going to go out there and race and I wouldn't want him to do it any other way," he said.
"He'll have learned from it and I don't think he needs teaching from me."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Sonia Oxley; For Reuters sports blog Left Field go to: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport)
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The 2008 world champion's last two races have been a rich tapestry of collisions, controversy and trips to the race stewards.
At the European Grand Prix on Saturday the 26-year-old qualified third and told reporters he might consider a more cautious approach to Sunday's race -- even if that has always been anathema in the past.
"I want to finish. That's the key," he said.
"I'll always remain as aggressive as I am. However, instead of thinking once about a manoeuvre, you'll perhaps think twice," continued the Briton.
"If that means you're more cautious, then so be it, but if I get the opportunity then I'm going to attack and try to take it."
Hamilton's instincts have always been to race, rather than settle for second best, and it is that potent blend of passion, raw speed and sheer determination to win that makes him such a hit with the fans.
It has also been his undoing, with the Briton even colliding with his own team mate Jenson Button at the previous race in Canada. Button went on to win, Hamilton retired.
In Monaco he had collided with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams' Venezuelan rookie Pastor Maldonado, the impacts ending his rivals' races.
RIGHT DECISION
Asked whether criticism from former drivers and champions, such as Austrian Niki Lauda who said he could kill someone if he carried on in such a reckless manner, had influenced his thinking, Hamilton was firm: "Not a single thing.
"Things happen for certain reasons," he added. "Of course you look at them and analyse whether you think you are in the right place or the wrong place and if you made the right decision or didn't.
"But it's just the way life is. It's just happened in two races and hopefully it won't happen again. I don't know why the previous overtaking manoeuvres were much cleaner and much easier.
"Maybe the drivers are feeling they can put up even more of a fight than they have in the past."
Asked whether he could really think twice when faced with a split-second decision in the heat of battle, Hamilton nodded: "When an opportunity arises you have a choice to either take it or not to take it, and the opportunity most likely will come around again.
"So you can decide not to take it the first time and then take it the second time, perhaps."
Team principal Martin Whitmarsh, sitting alongside his drivers at the media briefing, said he had no problem with Hamilton's driving.
"He is a natural, aggressive, born racer and he's going to go out there and race and I wouldn't want him to do it any other way," he said.
"He'll have learned from it and I don't think he needs teaching from me."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Sonia Oxley; For Reuters sports blog Left Field go to: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport)
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