Olympic torch run beats grand prix

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton joked that he would have liked to have swapped his disappointing finish in the British Grand Prix for carrying the Olympic flame in his home town.

The McLaren Mercedes driver had been due to carry the torch as it passed through Stevenage, the Hertfordshire town where he grew up, but swapped to yesterday because of the clash with the race at Silverstone.

After starting yesterday’s Olympic Torch relay in Luton, Hamilton, 27, joked that he would have liked to have carried it yesterday after all, following a disappointing eighth-place finish which leaves him fourth in the championship.

“It wasn’t that great a day, so I would happily have missed it to come and do it that evening,” he said. “But I am so proud to do it, it doesn’t matter where I do it.”

Describing the response from fans in the town centre as “phenomenal”, he added: “To be nominated to do this is a real honour, I never in a million years thought I would have a chance to do it.”