Reverend
September 30th, 2007, 18:57 PM
Lewis Hamilton took a huge stride towards becoming the first man to win the title in his first season with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Englishman drove a masterful race in treacherous, wet conditions as his chief rival and McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso crashed out.
Hamilton leads the Spaniard by 12 points with 20 available in the two remaining races in China and Brazil.
Heikki Kovalainen's Renault was second ahead of the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.
Hamilton's performance, in his first wet Grand Prix, was as controlled and impressive as any he has produced in a scintillating season. And it means he will win the championship in China next weekend if he beats Alonso, or loses no more than a point to him.
"It was awful conditions and, in the end, I was fortunate I was able to finish the race after my collision (on lap 34) with Robert Kubica," said the Briton.
"When you're behind, and especially in those conditions, it is the responsibility of the car behind to be extra careful and I felt that it was a risk Robert needn't have taken.
"Still, I got through it and was able to see it home. It felt like the longest race of my life, what with the safety car coming on twice and the conditions being so difficult, but I'm ecstatic to get the victory."
The pouring rain at one point put the entire event in doubt, with conditions so poor that the race was started under the safety car.
And there was immediate controversy when Ferrari started their cars on intermediate tyres rather than the "extreme" wets that had been demanded by race director Charlie Whiting.
Ferrari said they did not know of Whiting's instructions. They claimed they did not receive Whiting's e-mail until after the start of the race, but, as all the other teams received it, it seems more likely that they either did not notice it until then or ignored it.
Japanese Grand Prix result:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
2. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
4. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Renault
5. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault
6. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
7. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
8. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Spyker-Ferrari
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 107 pts
2. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes 95
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 90
4. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 80
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 56
6. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 35
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 30
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 21
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 170 pts
2. BMW Sauber 92
3. Renault 51
4. Williams-Toyota 28
5. Red Bull-Renault 23
Full race report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7020434.stm)
The Englishman drove a masterful race in treacherous, wet conditions as his chief rival and McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso crashed out.
Hamilton leads the Spaniard by 12 points with 20 available in the two remaining races in China and Brazil.
Heikki Kovalainen's Renault was second ahead of the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.
Hamilton's performance, in his first wet Grand Prix, was as controlled and impressive as any he has produced in a scintillating season. And it means he will win the championship in China next weekend if he beats Alonso, or loses no more than a point to him.
"It was awful conditions and, in the end, I was fortunate I was able to finish the race after my collision (on lap 34) with Robert Kubica," said the Briton.
"When you're behind, and especially in those conditions, it is the responsibility of the car behind to be extra careful and I felt that it was a risk Robert needn't have taken.
"Still, I got through it and was able to see it home. It felt like the longest race of my life, what with the safety car coming on twice and the conditions being so difficult, but I'm ecstatic to get the victory."
The pouring rain at one point put the entire event in doubt, with conditions so poor that the race was started under the safety car.
And there was immediate controversy when Ferrari started their cars on intermediate tyres rather than the "extreme" wets that had been demanded by race director Charlie Whiting.
Ferrari said they did not know of Whiting's instructions. They claimed they did not receive Whiting's e-mail until after the start of the race, but, as all the other teams received it, it seems more likely that they either did not notice it until then or ignored it.
Japanese Grand Prix result:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
2. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
4. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Renault
5. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault
6. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
7. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
8. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Spyker-Ferrari
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 107 pts
2. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes 95
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 90
4. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 80
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 56
6. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 35
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 30
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 21
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 170 pts
2. BMW Sauber 92
3. Renault 51
4. Williams-Toyota 28
5. Red Bull-Renault 23
Full race report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7020434.stm)