Lewis nails Hungarian pole

Qualifying today will, doubtless, prove to be the story of the Hungarian Grand Prix. As many expected, Lewis Hamilton arrived in Budapest like a surfer riding the crest of a wave. Two back-to-back wins of startling commitment have given Hamilton a surge of confidence that puts all of his rivals in the shade. Never once did he appear rattled, worried, or anything. It was almost unspoken: Hamilton was here to nail pole position. And so he did.

Best of all for Hamilton and McLaren, Heikki Kovalainen qualified in second place. Pay no attention to what Ron Dennis and the rest of the McLaren team say about the drivers being allowed to race each other. The truth is clear: the price of Kovalainen’s renewed contract with McLaren is service to Hamilton. Kovaleinen’s job tomorrow is to cover Hamilton’s back. Third placed man, Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, intends to do all he can to launch himself from third place on the grid to lead the Hungarian Grand Prix. This, as we know, is crucial. The Hungaroring is as bad a circuit for overtaking as a street circuit like Monaco. The leader to the first corner almost invariably is the recipient of the gold trophy a couple of hours or so later.

I cannot see any indication from Heikki Kovaleinen that he is unhappy with the way things have turned out. He and Hamilton seem to get on very well, he has a drive with a top team and is steadily getting better. Who knows what could happen a couple of year’s hence?

But make no mistake, McLaren, like Ferrari in Schumacher’s days, is Team Hamilton. Fernando Alonso realised that last year and chose to leave; but not without having made a right nuisance of himself. Qualifying in Hungary last season was probably the most blatant example of sabotage ever seen in Formula One. Alonso chose to hold Hamilton up in the pits so as to deny him an opportunity to put in a quick lap for pole position. Alonso earned himself a five places penalty for his actions (I was of the view at the time that he should have been black-flagged). Worse, he had to suffer the indignity of watching Hamilton win the Grand Prix despite the sabotage and he fatally ruined his relationship with the McLaren. It has since been let slip by McLaren that they seriously contemplated sacking the Spaniard on the spot.

McLaren is a non-starter. There are no vacancies at Ferrari or BMW for 2009. Renault is not going anywhere fast. Who looks like an idiot now?

Put your money on Hamilton for a win tomorrow. It is almost a dead cert. I can’t see that any bookie would be foolish enough to offer you decent odds, so perhaps better not…

Gitau

2 August 2008