Lewis Hamilton to leave the UK

HangTime · 29 Oct 2007 at 22:47

Ironically there was an interview/article with him today in the currant bun, where he stated that he wouldn't want to leave the UK as he's got friends here. Also basically saying that the tax issue doesn't bother him.

What surprises me the most, however, is that this has been the #1 story on the BBC Sport webpage for half the day. I mean, one of our sportsmen has moved overseas - big deal! The likes of Coulthard have lived overseas for years.

SDK^ · 29 Oct 2007 at 22:58

dannyjo22 said:
40% of a billion is a lot of money Not a few hundred thousand in tax.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

dannyjo22 said:
London is full of celebs lewis wouldnt even register on the radar.

You need to wake up !!
Lewis can't even sneeze without making the front & back pages.

He is probably the biggest sports star in the world at the moment.

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:00

[Cas];10379792 said:
Just wondering...

What is wrong with him moving? HIS money, HIS life, HIS choice..

Nothing at all wrong with it just dont blame the press when it's clearly money driven.

I'm trying to remember the wealthy sports star that slammed other stars for seeking a tax haven. He thought they should give something back to the country that had supported them in life.

Not that I blame them, just part of me thinks its a bit wrong that you take from a system your whole life then bugger off when you make some money like that. So we paid for his schooling and health care and now he has enough money to buy everything he wants in life he no feels the need to contribute.

I'm split on it to be honest

Caseh · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:04

Erm...His parent's pay Tax, he's been paying Tax....

And, in this short time, he's paid MUCH more tax than we have. I guess he has already paid for his education + anything else paid for by tax, and even if not, he has been paying his taxes, his parent's have been paying taxes. Still dont see a problem with him going.

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:05

SDK^ said:
Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

You need to wake up !!
Lewis can't even sneeze without making the front & back pages.

He is probably the biggest sports star in the world at the moment.

Neither could beckham and he managed just fine. Just because ITV are losing their mess over him doesnt mean the rest of the world are. I have many F1 friends from all over the world and they are telling me its nothing like lewis hysteria the tabloids have here. Most of the countries getting the ITV feed laugh at their bottom sucking.

Its puts most of worldwide fans off him it's so overblown.

SDK^ · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:05

dannyjo22 said:
So we paid for his schooling and health care and now he has enough money to buy everything he wants in life he no feels the need to contribute.

Jealously - it'll kill ya

SDK^ · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:08

dannyjo22 said:
Neither could beckham and he managed just fine.

See my comment above about the Beckhams - They lap up media attention.

dannyjo22 said:
I have many F1 friends from all over the world and they are telling me its nothing like lewis hysteria the tabloids have here.

Duh - yeah, that's exactly why he's moving out of the UK.

Dougsnake · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:09

Dunno what the fuss is about its not like the majority of fans/people know him personelly and as said in previous posts all the big earners move away from uk for tax purposes, the being left alone thing is just another reason.
Has no bearing whatsoever on my life where he lives goodluck to him if someone dropped a couple of million in my bank account i`d be off on a plane tomorrow as well

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:10

SDK^ said:
Jealously - it'll kill ya

I'd like the chance to pay 40% on a billion sure who wouldn't. If everyone that made money suddenly naffed off to tax havens though its the rest of us that couldn't afford to leave that ends up paying more to support the country.

Fair play to him though, its the con of the century. Someone builds a automatic car and then are foolish enough to give you a billion quid for driving it.

Darts is more sport than f1.

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:11

SDK^ said:
See my comment above about the Beckhams - They lap up media attention.

Duh - yeah, that's exactly why he's moving out of the UK.

Yes but you said he's the biggest star in world, therefore it wouldnt matter where he went.

SDK^ · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:12

dannyjo22 said:
Darts is more sport than f1.

You're in the wrong thread then

Better change your sig as well

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:13

Dougsnake said:
Has no bearing whatsoever on my life where he lives goodluck to him if someone dropped a couple of million in my bank account i`d be off on a plane tomorrow as well

It does have a bearing on your life, good old gordon will tax your more to fill the hole lewis is no longer filling

I'd rather he fills it with his 400 million than me

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:15

SDK^ said:
You're in the wrong thread then
Better change your sig as well

Nah they are 3 drivers who could drive a car without traction control and automatic gearbox's/launch control.

Yeah I know Nigel won his title in a remote control car but he's car control without those gadgets is well known. Lewis and the rest of the gimps just play playstation in a moving car. My drive to work on the M11 is more risky

Caseh · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:18

Go and do what they do then. So i can laugh when you crash out before the first corner.

JAzz · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:18

nft_99 said:
"Over there people don't come up to you, they leave you alone and give you space," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport.

and the tax bill is a lot less

He would be a bit of an idiot if he stayed to get hammered by the Government and their taxes. He has to declare he lives there but he can stay in this country for a certain amount of time

Domo · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:22

dannyjo22 said:
My drive to work on the M11 is more risky

lol - that's pretty funny - probably true too. I know my stint on the M25 can be a little dangerous and there's nobody changing my gears for me!

Back to the OP - I'm not really bothered where he ends up - I just get fed up with the "poor me" bs fledgling celebs come out with. And even more fed up with those who offer pity! For crying out loud he's gonna be a zillionaire and he will never ever care about any of you.

nft_99 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:22

Moses99p said:
haha, well he was gonna move away from the UK to avoid the massive attention he'd get here, and it's just sensible to go to a tax haven.

should have gone to monaco the weathers better

dannyjo22 · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:26

[Cas];10380064 said:
Go and do what they do then. So i can laugh when you crash out before the first corner.

Give me 14 years of mclaren grooming by Ron and i'd **** it too

The difference is there to see, the level of experience needed is much less. Rossi could easily test a car with all the gadgets on. Yet when Tommi Makkinen tried in the days before trick electronic's he had a nightmare and that blokes car control is beyond debate.

I'd also promise to pay UK tax

panthro · 29 Oct 2007 at 23:29

Good move, its a great country, having lived there myself I can definitely see why he wants to move.

Raymond Lin · 30 Oct 2007 at 01:49

Media pressure is just an excuse, tax reason is more like it. Madonna moved here, Gwenyth Paltrow, and even Tom Cruise when he was with Kidnman did too.