Jun.12 (GMM) Ron Dennis has hit out at the criticism levelled at McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton following his pitlane crash in last Sunday's Canadian grand prix.

The British press, so usually giddy in its patriotic adoration of their 23-year-old countryman, rounded on Hamilton after Montreal, where he was penalised for missing a red light and smashing into Kimi Raikkonen's stationary Ferrari.

But Dennis, Hamilton's long-time mentor and boss, played down the importance of the error.

"It's an accident you see often in the road and it's an accident you will see again in formula one," he is quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

Dennis accuses the British press of Tall Poppy Syndrome.

"It almost seems to be a British failing that we build our heroes and then take delight in focusing on their efforts or mistakes that occasionally occur," he said.

The 61-year-old denied that McLaren or Hamilton, to start the French grand prix at least ten places down the grid, will be affected by the setback or criticism.

"We as a team - and certainly Lewis - are far too immune to that sort of thing. We've locked that part of this season away in our minds," Dennis added.