Issue 155

Hamilton has wonder start

08th May 2007

Formula One is one of the most competitive sports on the face of the earth. The fastest drivers in the world driving some of the fastest cars in the world often separated by little more than a tenth of a second. It is a tough environment for any rookie to enter and be successful. But occasionally there are drivers capable of making the giant leap to the motor racing's top table with consummate ease. Michael Schumacher performed miracles in an average Jordan on his debut, while Ayrton Senna

put the recalcitrant Toleman on the podium during his first season in F1 in 1984.

More recently Jacques Villeneuve put his Williams on pole for his F1 debut at Melbourne in 1996.

Now the name of Lewis Hamilton can be added to that list following the Stevenage driver's magnificent start to his F1 career. In his first three Grand Prix Hamilton has taken a third place finish and two second places.

He currently sits joint top of the World Driver's Championship with team mate Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen on 22 points. He is the first driver in Formula One history to finish on the podium in each of his first three races.

What has been particularly impressive about the start that Hamilton has made has been his ability to reel off a number of laps at a consistently high speed and how he has shown himself adept at defending his position against more experienced drivers.

His holding off of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari in Malaysia being a prime example.

Admittedly Hamilton has been helped by the fact that Mclaren Mercedes have built a car that, with the exception of Ferrari, has a big advantage over the rest of the field but he has been more than a match for team mate Alonso who, lest we forget, is a double world champion.

However, it is easy to forget that Hamilton is not yet the finished product. While he has been highly effective thus far, the real test of his abilities will come on the days when his car is not quite right and he finds himself a little further down the field.

True greats such as a Senna or a Schumacher proved themselves able to haul an underperforming car to the front of the field despite its deficiencies.

Examples that spring to mind include Schumacher's famous win at the 1995 Belgian Grand Prix where he worked his way up from 16th on the grid to pass Damon Hill to take victory while Senna, starting from 4th on the grid at the 1993 European Grand Prix in rain sodden conditions, overcame a bad start to overtake five cars on the opening lap and win by almost 90 seconds.

It remains to see if Hamilton has that ability but judging by what we have seen so far it wouldn't be a surprise.

But his rise to prominence has also shown how fickle a sport F1 is. Anyone remember Jenosn Button?

Andrew Gwilym