The Rookie Blows Sepang Away
If you looked carefully at Fernando Alonso’s face in the post-race interview yesterday, he wore an expression I have never before seen him wear: fear. Never mind that he had just scored his first victory of the season, Fernando was afraid. To the left of him was the competition: a hard living, non-smiling Finn in a super quick Ferrari. To the right of him was the future: Lewis Hamilton.
The word champion was justified in feeling afraid. He now knows that he will never be allowed to dominate the world of Formula One like the German who retired last year. Ferrari have not lost any of their zest and will do all they can to spoil Alonso’s party – particularly because they had painfully to concede the world championship to Renault for two consecutive years because of the dastardly little Spaniard. But what is worse is the awful, terrifying prospect of having to fight against an enemy such as Alonso has never known. And one who wears the same livery and is paid by the same chaps as his own employers. A nightmare, for want of a better description. Not good.
Hamilton came into Formula One and stunned everyone with his performance in Melbourne. “Beginners luck,” some said, “he can’t keep it up at this level. This is not Karting or GP2, this is F1!” Well, more fool they. Lewis Hamilton turns up and throws the book of superlatives out of the window. This is not Britain’s answer to Michael Schumacher. Hardly. This is an entirely new story. I have never seen anything like it.
Having qualified in fourth place behind the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen and his team-mate, Alonso, Hamilton showed – just as he had in Australia – that he had bollocks the size of an ox. He knows the braking point of each driver and skilfully (some might say crazily!) outbrakes everyone. By turn two Hamilton had both Ferraris behind him, was allowing his team-mate clear breathing space ahead and now had the massively challenging job of defending his second position from the quicker, lighter, angrier Ferraris. To keep this together for more than a few laps would have been a splendid achievement. To do so for the entire length of the toughest race on the Grand Prix circuit in weather conditions which give people pause before embarking upon life-threatening exertions like shagging was little short of the stuff of genius. Lewis Hamilton I salute you.
It is now clear where we are in 2007. Felipe Massa is an overpromoted interloper. He has raw talent but not the composure to drive at the top level (take a few lessons from Lewis, Felipe, why don’t you?). This leaves three major players: Raikkonen, Alonso and that boy Hamilton. What a season we have ahead of us.
Was anybody else driving yesterday? Well, I didn’t really notice. Jenson Button? Who he?
I sometimes say this for the heck of it but now I really cannot bear to wait until the next race. Entertainment has been restored to the pinnacle of motor racing. We couldn’t have asked for a better Easter present. Hallelujah!
Gitau
9 April 2007
The word champion was justified in feeling afraid. He now knows that he will never be allowed to dominate the world of Formula One like the German who retired last year. Ferrari have not lost any of their zest and will do all they can to spoil Alonso’s party – particularly because they had painfully to concede the world championship to Renault for two consecutive years because of the dastardly little Spaniard. But what is worse is the awful, terrifying prospect of having to fight against an enemy such as Alonso has never known. And one who wears the same livery and is paid by the same chaps as his own employers. A nightmare, for want of a better description. Not good.
Hamilton came into Formula One and stunned everyone with his performance in Melbourne. “Beginners luck,” some said, “he can’t keep it up at this level. This is not Karting or GP2, this is F1!” Well, more fool they. Lewis Hamilton turns up and throws the book of superlatives out of the window. This is not Britain’s answer to Michael Schumacher. Hardly. This is an entirely new story. I have never seen anything like it.
Having qualified in fourth place behind the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen and his team-mate, Alonso, Hamilton showed – just as he had in Australia – that he had bollocks the size of an ox. He knows the braking point of each driver and skilfully (some might say crazily!) outbrakes everyone. By turn two Hamilton had both Ferraris behind him, was allowing his team-mate clear breathing space ahead and now had the massively challenging job of defending his second position from the quicker, lighter, angrier Ferraris. To keep this together for more than a few laps would have been a splendid achievement. To do so for the entire length of the toughest race on the Grand Prix circuit in weather conditions which give people pause before embarking upon life-threatening exertions like shagging was little short of the stuff of genius. Lewis Hamilton I salute you.
It is now clear where we are in 2007. Felipe Massa is an overpromoted interloper. He has raw talent but not the composure to drive at the top level (take a few lessons from Lewis, Felipe, why don’t you?). This leaves three major players: Raikkonen, Alonso and that boy Hamilton. What a season we have ahead of us.
Was anybody else driving yesterday? Well, I didn’t really notice. Jenson Button? Who he?
I sometimes say this for the heck of it but now I really cannot bear to wait until the next race. Entertainment has been restored to the pinnacle of motor racing. We couldn’t have asked for a better Easter present. Hallelujah!
Gitau
9 April 2007
posted by Gitau at 11:50 am
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