Nov 2
2008

After last year we cannot help but speculate about the outcome of the 2008 Formua 1 World Drivers Championship. Last year it was all in Lewis Hamilton’s pocket, with a 7 point advantage going into the final race! He didn’t win it!

This year, his second chance, ironically with 7 points heading into the final race once again, but some things are different this year. For a start, he’s a year older and hopefully wiser. He says that he’s coming into this race in a better mental condition this year and that can be no surprise when you consider the difficulties Lewis and the team had last year. A team-mate that was contesting for the title and not generally a good relationship all around and then the red car behind closing on the championship, but supposedly a long way off and looking out of it in Kimi. Of course we can’t forget the whole scandal that hung over the team and the massive penalty handed down from the powers that be, and the extra levels of scrutiny on the team.

Hamilton didn’t get pole, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I think Massa is fuelled light, it’s probably the same for the other surprises in the top few cars like Trulli. Unfortunately this means that Hamilton is starting further back than McLaren wouold have expected and this could bring them some problems down into the first corner. If he can start fourth and stay there he will have the championship wrapped up nicely. If Massa is too short on fuel Hamilton may find he is back in contention with a heavier car coming light as Massa has to stop. I don’t know if Massa will be able to pull away into the distance at the start but I do hope that there isn’t a “Trulli Train” that Hamilton gets stuck behind.

All these things can happen, but we seem to overlook that this, regardless of outcome, is quite an acheivement for someone of Hamilton’s age, to be fighting for the championship for the second year in a row (and only his second year in F1) with a 7 point advantage. OK so he got into one of the best cars on the grid, true, but he also has to face the immanse pressures and PR responsibilities that go with that other drivers don’t face. Also Heikki, considered a prodigious talent, is in the same car, but rarely matches Hamilton for pace and result. So yeah there was some advantage, but there’s also a supreme skill that has brought him to this point again. It would be good to have a British World Champion and in my completely biased opinion he totally deserves it. Massa has been gifted a number of the points, but he has fought hard, he has become a worthy competitor and lasted a championship distance in sight of the lead – all credit to him, but Lewis has my vote!

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