Raikkonen wrings Magny Cours' neck
I once worked with a very religious Jewish girl called Sarah who had a knack for driving me up the wall. If asked to perform a task which she considered difficult, she would fly into a state of raw panic. Her first reaction would be to hyper-ventilate; eyes bulging like a bull frog's. Then she would get up and run up and down the corridor a few times. Next, she would shut the door of her office, sit down on the floor in the corner and cry while tearing at her hair and banging her fists on her temples. She would call on the God of Abraham, Isaac and David to tell her why she was so persecuted. But, amazingly, when the performance was over, Sarah would sit down and get on with the job. What came out of Sarah's office when she had finished was invariably a sterling piece of work. When up against it Sarah was brilliant. I was reminded of Sarah at the end of yesterday's French Grand Prix as Kimi Raikkonen calmly raised the winner's magnum of champagne to his lips and gulped down a healthy quantity. Written off by everyone, the flying Finn arrived in Magny Cours and shone. When up against it Raikkonen delivered brilliantly.
For the first time this season, the race was not won at the first corner. Raikkonen had qualified third behind Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton but perfectly timed his braking point at the start of the race to slot easily ahead of Hamilton. The young Brit did not like this even vaguely. It was the first time he had been overtaken in a race since his dramatic entry into Formula One and it came as a bit of a rude awakening to him. There will be other moments like this; he just needs to get used to them. It is important for the lad to face a little adversity from time to time so things do not feel like they are coming too easily to him. After that expert move on Hamilton, all Raikkonen had to do was maximise his lap times in the two or more extra laps he had after his team-mate came in for his pit stops and emerge ahead of Massa. He may be well behind the championship leaders but he is still in with a mathematical chance - particularly if the pace of Ferrari this weekend was indicative of a return by the Italian team to the form to which we were once accustomed to seeing.
I couldn't help a wry smile at the sight of some Spanish chaps holding up placards which said "Not today, Lewis". As things turned out they were right but not for the reasons they had in mind when they wrote up their signs. The Spaniards were asking Hamilton to leave off and let their home boy, Fernando Alonso, win for a change. Sadly for them and the entire Spanish population, it was not to be. The world champion's woes continued this weekend. A gearbox failure in qualifying on Saturday meant he started amongst the middle pack in tenth place and had to attempt to fight his way to a decent finishing position. Once he got up to seventh place he found himself stuck behind the BMW of Nick Heidfeld who repeatedly refused to be intimidated by the world champion. Lap after lap at the optimum overtaking corner, Alonso attempted countless aggressive moves on Heidfeld but was unable to make any one of them stick. His manoeuvres were ragged and, to my mind, unworthy of his exceptional talent. Contrast that with the rapid manner in which Hamilton despatched the second BMW of Robert Kubica on his out lap from the pits.
Disappointed Hamilton may have been by finishing third but he still maintained his consistent form in F1 racing thus far. He knows of no place to finish a race but the podium. Spraying champagne and taking questions in a major press conference is like water off a duck's back to Hamilton. I wonder how he will deal with the day when he does not finish on the podium. Until that day, nobody has quite yet been able to wipe the smile off the lad's face (sorry, Spaniards - you're nice chaps, we know, but we love Lewis more).
As we approach Hamilton's home race in six day's time, the lead at the top of the championship table tells a fascinating story. Hamilton is now fourteen points clear at the top, seventeen points ahead of third man, Massa and twenty-two points ahead of fourth placed man, Kimi Raikkonen. These figures should make every driver and his managers pay close attention. The momentum this lead gives Hamilton as he contemplates the madness that awaits him in England at the weekend should assist his progress no end. I have given up making comparisons when it comes to young Hamilton. I am content now to wait and be amazed from race weekend to race weekend. The word “rookie” has quietly been dropped from paddock-speak in relation to Hamilton. Deservedly so…
Bring on Silverstone!
Gitau
2 July 2007
For the first time this season, the race was not won at the first corner. Raikkonen had qualified third behind Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton but perfectly timed his braking point at the start of the race to slot easily ahead of Hamilton. The young Brit did not like this even vaguely. It was the first time he had been overtaken in a race since his dramatic entry into Formula One and it came as a bit of a rude awakening to him. There will be other moments like this; he just needs to get used to them. It is important for the lad to face a little adversity from time to time so things do not feel like they are coming too easily to him. After that expert move on Hamilton, all Raikkonen had to do was maximise his lap times in the two or more extra laps he had after his team-mate came in for his pit stops and emerge ahead of Massa. He may be well behind the championship leaders but he is still in with a mathematical chance - particularly if the pace of Ferrari this weekend was indicative of a return by the Italian team to the form to which we were once accustomed to seeing.
I couldn't help a wry smile at the sight of some Spanish chaps holding up placards which said "Not today, Lewis". As things turned out they were right but not for the reasons they had in mind when they wrote up their signs. The Spaniards were asking Hamilton to leave off and let their home boy, Fernando Alonso, win for a change. Sadly for them and the entire Spanish population, it was not to be. The world champion's woes continued this weekend. A gearbox failure in qualifying on Saturday meant he started amongst the middle pack in tenth place and had to attempt to fight his way to a decent finishing position. Once he got up to seventh place he found himself stuck behind the BMW of Nick Heidfeld who repeatedly refused to be intimidated by the world champion. Lap after lap at the optimum overtaking corner, Alonso attempted countless aggressive moves on Heidfeld but was unable to make any one of them stick. His manoeuvres were ragged and, to my mind, unworthy of his exceptional talent. Contrast that with the rapid manner in which Hamilton despatched the second BMW of Robert Kubica on his out lap from the pits.
Disappointed Hamilton may have been by finishing third but he still maintained his consistent form in F1 racing thus far. He knows of no place to finish a race but the podium. Spraying champagne and taking questions in a major press conference is like water off a duck's back to Hamilton. I wonder how he will deal with the day when he does not finish on the podium. Until that day, nobody has quite yet been able to wipe the smile off the lad's face (sorry, Spaniards - you're nice chaps, we know, but we love Lewis more).
As we approach Hamilton's home race in six day's time, the lead at the top of the championship table tells a fascinating story. Hamilton is now fourteen points clear at the top, seventeen points ahead of third man, Massa and twenty-two points ahead of fourth placed man, Kimi Raikkonen. These figures should make every driver and his managers pay close attention. The momentum this lead gives Hamilton as he contemplates the madness that awaits him in England at the weekend should assist his progress no end. I have given up making comparisons when it comes to young Hamilton. I am content now to wait and be amazed from race weekend to race weekend. The word “rookie” has quietly been dropped from paddock-speak in relation to Hamilton. Deservedly so…
Bring on Silverstone!
Gitau
2 July 2007
posted by Gitau at 1:03 pm
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