French Force F1's Hamilton to Surrender Driver's License

In a twist, French police were on the other side of surrender this weekend. Rising open-wheel star Lewis Hamiltion, 22, was pulled over in Laon Sunday for going 122mph in his private Mercedes. The area speed limit was a more conservative 85mph, and Das FanHaus would have liked to see some wiggle room in the strict interpretation of the traffic code.

Topping 120 in an 85 converts to like doing 65 in a 55 out here, and that's basically just keeping up with the pack. I'm sure there were a bunch of minivans and mopeds or what have you whizzing by le radar gun, but poor Lewis was targeted for his flashy German ride. We've seen it a hundred times ourselves. You're whizzing down Champs Mc Champs at a brisk pace and then WHAM! speed trap behind the baguette stand.

Hamilton must pay a €600 fine and have his license suspended for one month in France. In our opinion, his best bet is to challenge the ruling one region at a time. Start with the Rhineland and work your way in.

(HT: BBC News)

Photos: Female Drivers

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-22-2007 @ 9:17PM

Leni said...

I wish they'd take his F1 superlicense as well. He's an arrogant brat!

12-24-2007 @ 2:29PM

Duh said...

Keep the speed on the track rookie

12-24-2007 @ 3:00PM

mark andrews said...

at least he wasnt drinking.........maybe wine since he is in france......or is it enough to make him start drinking?...........

12-24-2007 @ 3:06PM

Gus said...

More like 78 (not 65) in a 55, but around Chicagoland he wouldn't even get a glance. The cops are busy enough grabbing drivers at 90 in a 55 and don't have time for slower drivers. Maybe if drivers here lost their licenses for a month for that, they'd slow down.

12-24-2007 @ 3:18PM

Ed said...

irishoutsider has the poorest math skills I haver seen.

What a dummy.

12-24-2007 @ 4:08PM

Web said...

Arrogant man! 120 mph in Europe is suicide!

12-24-2007 @ 4:47PM

tirong said...

Take his super license? You must be a total loser, a hater!! What a stupid comment! and keep the speed on the track, sure he does, apperantly you have,t seen him drive.Those stupid french police just want to have a story to tell that's why they pulled him over. Drunk driving, that may be more of a basis for you haters to convict him, but that'll never happen. Judgemental people have a lot of complex, they have to judge other people to feel good about themselves!As usual ignorant people would love to see this blown out of proportion. Haters!

12-24-2007 @ 4:49PM

The Voice OF Reason said...

If he were white, he would have been let go.

12-24-2007 @ 4:57PM

Dave said...

Better redo your math, moron, as 122 in an 85 isn't close to being the equivalent of doing 65 in a 55.

12-24-2007 @ 5:13PM

Tough Luck, Crybaby said...

You do the crime, you pay the fine. C'est finis.

12-24-2007 @ 5:24PM

lmao said...

Honey Child dont yous be knowin no better?????

12-24-2007 @ 5:45PM

doc said...

122 mph in an 85 mph is the same percentage over as 79.2 in a 55mph zone.

around here you go to jail and lose your license. period, and this is as it should be.

12-24-2007 @ 5:50PM

He didn't get a ticket for speeding, he got one for not having the balls to open up that Mercedes and drive that car the way it should be driven.

12-24-2007 @ 5:58PM

Belle Starr said...

122 in a 85 is 30 miles plus over the limit . Almost 40 miles over the limit . Do that here , and you can go to jail . His smartest move is to pay the fine and have his girlfriend do the driving for the next 30 days .