Hamilton reigns in Monaco
The massive grin on Lewis Hamilton’s face as he sat on the winner’s chair to field press questions after his imperious command of the Monaco Grand Prix yesterday said it all: “Don’t cha wish your driving was hot like mine?” He had stepped out of his car a few moments before to the sound of deafening screams from across the Cote d’Azur and the entire world. Among the sea of faces glowing with adulation was Pussy Cat Dolls babe Nicole Scherzinger, Lewis’s special “guest”. Life surely must have felt like it couldn’t possibly get better.
Traditionally, Monaco is won on Saturday, not Sunday. Qualifying is everything at this narrow street circuit with nary an overtaking opportunity anywhere. Once the Ferraris had locked up the front row at the end of qualifying, it was clear to everyone that we were going to see a Ferrari one-two on Sunday for the first time in a very long time at Monaco. As seasoned commentators such as former multiple World Champion and Monaco grandee, Sir Jackie Stewart, said, the question was which of the two Ferraris would receive the coveted winners trophy from Prince Albert. Somehow, Felipe Massa had conquered his Monaco gremlins and qualified ahead of his team-mate. A mist of inevitability hung over everything.
Two crucial factors changed everything on Sunday: the weather and the breathtaking class of a young Englishman with a cheeky grin. As the rain lashed down at the yachts in Monte Carlo harbour and the champagne quaffing beauties dived indoors for cover, Lewis Hamilton reached into himself and chose to teach the world a driving lesson. The lesson was straight out of Rudyard Kipling: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs…you’ll be a man my son”. Having leapfrogged the world champion and got up to second place at the start, Hamilton found himself momentarily losing control on the rain drenched circuit and slamming his rear right tyre into the Armcor barriers. He suffered a puncture and an enforced early pit stop. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. This was the moment when Hamilton told himself that nothing was going to stop him winning the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix.
In a brilliant strategy change, the McLaren team took advantage of the early tyre change to fuel Lewis very long. From then on the race belonged to him. By pumping in lap after commanding lap of remarkable speed and car control, Lewis built up such a margin between himself and everyone else that he was well on the way to winning the race by a whole minute despite everything. Life at Monaco in the rain, however, is never quite so simple. Incident after incident intervened to enhance our entertainment – or, in the case of Hamilton senior, anxiety – and make for an epic race of crashes, safety cars and everything else. I sincerely believe the lad when he says that this was the most significant win of his career. "I wanted to win at Monaco more than anywhere else in the world," Hamilton said last night. “This has got to be the highlight of my career and I'm sure it will remain the highlight for the rest of my life. Even if I win here again, which I plan on doing, this will always be the best one."
One bizarre incident will haunt a young man called Adrian Sutil for the rest of his life. The German, capitalising on the crazy conditions in Monte Carlo, had managed to work his no-hoper Force India up to fourth place from eighteenth. He was probably contemplating the mother of all victory parties when - Bang! – he felt the Ferrari of world champion Kimi Raikkonen slam into the back of his car. Raikkonen had aquaplaned on the wet circuit under braking and lost control of his Ferrari. The hunched, heaving form of a disconsolate Sutil crying his eyes out in the Force India garage after his forced retirement must surely be one of the enduring memories of yesterday afternoon.
But who will ever forget Lewis Hamilton’s triumph? If he continues to hear about himself being described as “smug” or “arrogant” he has every right to drop his trousers and show the world his backside. Picture it. You have just come top at the most dramatic Monaco Grand Prix in more than a decade; you are associated with the most gorgeous babes the world has to offer and millions more are throwing their knickers at you; and you are leading the 2008 Formula One drivers’ world championship. A year ago Lewis was thrilled at the prospect of meeting the likes of P Diddy. Now, P Diddy feels honoured to be on Hamilton’s guest list. What’s not to be smug about?
Hamilton should have won the 2007 race but was cruelly prevented from doing so by curious McLaren team orders. Victory must taste that much sweeter now. Little wonder then that Lewis had a special word for his mother: “lots of love, Mum”. I am sure she is a very happy lady indeed wherever she is.
Gitau
25 May 2008
Traditionally, Monaco is won on Saturday, not Sunday. Qualifying is everything at this narrow street circuit with nary an overtaking opportunity anywhere. Once the Ferraris had locked up the front row at the end of qualifying, it was clear to everyone that we were going to see a Ferrari one-two on Sunday for the first time in a very long time at Monaco. As seasoned commentators such as former multiple World Champion and Monaco grandee, Sir Jackie Stewart, said, the question was which of the two Ferraris would receive the coveted winners trophy from Prince Albert. Somehow, Felipe Massa had conquered his Monaco gremlins and qualified ahead of his team-mate. A mist of inevitability hung over everything.
Two crucial factors changed everything on Sunday: the weather and the breathtaking class of a young Englishman with a cheeky grin. As the rain lashed down at the yachts in Monte Carlo harbour and the champagne quaffing beauties dived indoors for cover, Lewis Hamilton reached into himself and chose to teach the world a driving lesson. The lesson was straight out of Rudyard Kipling: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs…you’ll be a man my son”. Having leapfrogged the world champion and got up to second place at the start, Hamilton found himself momentarily losing control on the rain drenched circuit and slamming his rear right tyre into the Armcor barriers. He suffered a puncture and an enforced early pit stop. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. This was the moment when Hamilton told himself that nothing was going to stop him winning the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix.
In a brilliant strategy change, the McLaren team took advantage of the early tyre change to fuel Lewis very long. From then on the race belonged to him. By pumping in lap after commanding lap of remarkable speed and car control, Lewis built up such a margin between himself and everyone else that he was well on the way to winning the race by a whole minute despite everything. Life at Monaco in the rain, however, is never quite so simple. Incident after incident intervened to enhance our entertainment – or, in the case of Hamilton senior, anxiety – and make for an epic race of crashes, safety cars and everything else. I sincerely believe the lad when he says that this was the most significant win of his career. "I wanted to win at Monaco more than anywhere else in the world," Hamilton said last night. “This has got to be the highlight of my career and I'm sure it will remain the highlight for the rest of my life. Even if I win here again, which I plan on doing, this will always be the best one."
One bizarre incident will haunt a young man called Adrian Sutil for the rest of his life. The German, capitalising on the crazy conditions in Monte Carlo, had managed to work his no-hoper Force India up to fourth place from eighteenth. He was probably contemplating the mother of all victory parties when - Bang! – he felt the Ferrari of world champion Kimi Raikkonen slam into the back of his car. Raikkonen had aquaplaned on the wet circuit under braking and lost control of his Ferrari. The hunched, heaving form of a disconsolate Sutil crying his eyes out in the Force India garage after his forced retirement must surely be one of the enduring memories of yesterday afternoon.
But who will ever forget Lewis Hamilton’s triumph? If he continues to hear about himself being described as “smug” or “arrogant” he has every right to drop his trousers and show the world his backside. Picture it. You have just come top at the most dramatic Monaco Grand Prix in more than a decade; you are associated with the most gorgeous babes the world has to offer and millions more are throwing their knickers at you; and you are leading the 2008 Formula One drivers’ world championship. A year ago Lewis was thrilled at the prospect of meeting the likes of P Diddy. Now, P Diddy feels honoured to be on Hamilton’s guest list. What’s not to be smug about?
Hamilton should have won the 2007 race but was cruelly prevented from doing so by curious McLaren team orders. Victory must taste that much sweeter now. Little wonder then that Lewis had a special word for his mother: “lots of love, Mum”. I am sure she is a very happy lady indeed wherever she is.
Gitau
25 May 2008
posted by Gitau at 2:38 pm
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