Hamilton fears F1 stewards will hit title bid

SHANGHAI, Oct 5 (Reuters) McLaren's Lewis Hamilton fears stewards will damage his Formula One title hopes by punishing him today for allegedly causing a collision at last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

The 22-year-old British rookie, who could win the world title in Sunday's penultimate race of the season, is under investigation for erratic driving behind the safety car on his way to victory at the wet race in Fuji.

''I had a good weekend, I didn't put a foot wrong, I didn't do anything to put anyone else in danger,'' he told reporters at the Chinese Grand Prix.

''I've come away to China and all of a sudden I'm going to be punished for something.'' ''I just think it's a real shame for the sport, Formula One's supposed to be about hard, fair competition,'' he added.

''That's what I've tried to do this year, just be fair.

''There's been some real strange situations this year where I'm made to look the bad person and, by the looks of it, this weekend be given a penalty.

''If this is the way it's going to keep going it's not somewhere I really want to be.'' Hamilton's McLaren team had all of their constructors' championship points removed last month and were handed a 100 million dollars fine after being found guilty of benefiting from information given to them by an employee of rivals Ferrari.

REUTERS BJR RS1610