Lewis Hamilton appears set to compete in the Bath triathlon after being cajoled into accepting a 'man challenge' from British
Formula One rival
Jenson Button in the build-up to their home grand prix.
The pair joined
David Coulthard in the Thursday press conference and, when the conversation turned to the relative levels of fitness possessed by each driver, the subject of Button's recent triathlon appearances – the former Hungarian Grand Prix winner having finished 117th out of 1,700 entrants, and 14th in his age group, in a semi-professional triathlon last month – was raised. With Hamilton keen to fight his corner over just how fit he was in comparison to his rival, all three drivers entered into a spot of banter that ended with DC challenging Hamilton to put his money where his mouth was - on Button's new turf....
"I'm not sure whether I could do a triathlon, so I'm not going to say that I could beat him at that, but generally I work my a*se off...," Hamilton said in answer to a question quoting him telling a recent sponsor event that he was fitter than his fellow Briton.
"You work your a*se off to be fitter than me, and you've got to believe that you're fitter than me and the same way the other way. It would be good to have a challenge."
Although Button initially offered Lewis a way out by suggesting they could find some alternative challenge, the talk quickly returned to triathlons when the
Honda driver mentioned that he was intending to enter the three-discipline event in Bath later this month.
Hamilton was initially reluctant to confirm that he would take part - "I'm not putting myself into it, I don't know, I'll probably be working or doing something else. We'll talk about it personally afterwards," he suggested - but, under increasing pressure from the assembled media, and an amused Coulthard - "He's throwing down a man challenge, you can't turn down a man challenge," the Scot chimed in - eventually confirmed that he would try and fit it in to his schedule.
