• Italian Grand Prix - Paper Round

'Morose and monosyllabic' Hamilton fuels speculation

Lewis Hamilton - His post-race press conference would have been conducted with more verve by an undertaker © Press Association

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• Race:
• Italian Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• McLaren

Lewis Hamilton's impressive victory at Monza did nothing to quell speculation over his future, with many pundits noting that his post-race body language was more akin to a man whose race had gone all wrong.

As the McLaren team celebrated - including Jenson Button who had every reason to be fed up after his forced retirement - "Hamilton posed stony-faced," noted Kevin Eason in The Times. "His post-race press conference would have been conducted with more verve by an undertaker.

"He greeted his cruise to victory with all the enthusiasm of a man who has just lost a £10 note and left behind him in Monza a McLaren team puzzled as to where they stand in the bewildering life of Formula One's superstar."

"The 27 year-old's subdued mood afterwards was a reminder of the baggage he carries with him, the prickliness of his character," wrote Tom Cary in the Daily Telegraph. "Hamilton mumbled his way through a few interviews, never showing much enthusiasm for the questions, even when they related to his win, before enjoying an awkward embrace with his team principal Martin Whitmarsh."

Cary added that McLaren boss Ron Dennis looked on "stony-faced" and refused an invitation to join in the team photo or don the victory shirt.

"Hamilton's uncertain future hangs like a bad smell over McLaren suggesting talks are going wrong," said Byron Young in the Daily Mirror. "He was inexplicably morose and monosyllabic as he employed his best poker face."

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