Lewis happy after tough weekend (Formula 1)

by true_frnd Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:28 am

Lewis Hamilton has admitted a potential Italian Grand Prix victory ended up turning into a damage limitation exercise.

Hamilton again proved to be the master of the wet conditions during the first half of a stunning race at Monza. Starting
from a career-low 15th on the grid, the Briton scythed his way through
the field, and by the time of what he thought would be his only stop on
lap 27 he was running second. But remaining on extreme-wet tyres, based on an inaccurate weather forecast by the team, proved costly for Hamilton. The 23-year-old was forced to pit again nine laps later to take on intermediate tyres, culminating in him finishing seventh. One consolation for Hamilton is that world title rival Felipe Massa wound up in the place he started from on the grid, sixth. It
means with four races remaining, and pending McLaren's appeal next
Monday into the penalty handed out in the Belgian Grand Prix, just one
point separates the duo. Explaining the tyre call that cost him,
as it did in qualifying the day before, Hamilton said: "I was told it
was going to rain, so I just went with what the team told me. "Considering
the position I was in, if I'd chosen intermediates at the first stop,
because I only needed one, I would have finished further up. "I know at that stage I wouldn't have had a problem if I had gone with inters. "But there was no chance of staying out on extremes. In the end it was damage limitation. "I
still had a great race. I passed eight others, including Kimi
(Raikkonen), which wasn't easy because it was very difficult out there. "What happened was a bit of a shame, but I have still come away with my lead intact." Hamilton was fortunate at one point that a coming together with Red Bull's Mark Webber on lap 49 did not end up in catastrophe. Webber
was pushed wide on the entry to the first chicane as he made an
attempted pass, only for the two to bump wheels, sending the Australian
down the escape road. "He was quick and catching me at that time, and I had to put up a fight to stop him getting by," added Hamilton. "There
was only one dry line and I covered the inside, but I didn't want to
stay there on the wet patch because I wouldn't have made the corner. "I was able to stay on my line, and he clipped my front wheel and went straight on. "The lucky thing is the car didn't break. Imagine if the car had broken. It would have been disastrous." Despite the slimmest of margins now over Massa, Hamilton knows he is fortunate to still be in the lead of the world-title race. "I'm
relieved, but then I'm not surprised because I drove my backside off,
and you all know what I can do in the wet," remarked Hamilton. "I had no doubts in my mind I could do a good job, catch up and win. I thought it was possible." Instead,
the victory was taken by Sebastian Vettel who is now the youngest race
winner in Formula One history at the age of 21 years and 74 days. Heikki
Kovalainen finished as runner-up to help McLaren close the gap to
Ferrari in the constructors' championship to five points. The
BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld finished third and
fifth, sandwiching Fernando Alonso in his Renault, whilst the Red Bull
of Mark Webber claimed the final point.