Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix : Lewis Hamilton Wins GP but not Championship
In Shanghai, the circus known as Formula 1 once again proved that nothing is impossible. With a growing lead in the drivers Championship, Lewis Hamilton headed into the race that had previously derailed his quest to be World Champion.
Lewis Hamilton won the pole giving himself the best shot at the championship he could have asked for. More importantly, he won last nights Chinese Grand Prix. Yet he isn’t champion. Here’s why.
As I mentioned in my pre-race report last night, Felipe Massa was trailing him by 5 points in the championship. The running order showed Lewis in 1st, Kimi Raikkonen in 2nd, and Felipe in 3rd. If the race had ended this way, Lewis would be World Champion. Yet the two Ferrari driver’s were given “team orders” to switch places and Raikkonen let Massa slip past. With Massa in 2nd place, and not having the horses to catch the McLaren driven by Hamilton, he had assured himself of keeping the hopes of a world championship alive.
Lewis Hamilton needs just a 5th place finish in Brazil to win the Championship. This has to give him a bit of confidence going into the final GP of the season. Massa, even with a win, would be unable to surpass the point lead Lewis currently holds over the Ferrari driver.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (3rd):
“Today I had a good car, but it was not quick enough to beat our main competitor. At the start and after every tyre change, Hamilton managed to pull away, while when it got near to the pit stops I was able to go a bit quicker, but it was always too late. On top of that, three times, I came up behind backmarkers who cost me valuable time. We secured a very good result for the Constructors’ classification. Now we go to Brazil where we must try and get a one-two finish and then we can see where we stand in both Championships. Felipe passing me? I am part of a team and I am well aware what they expect of me. I am out of the title fight and have to do the maximum because Ferrari can achieve both its objectives. It’s a simple as that.”
Kimi Raikkonen won the Championship last year and certainly had some help from his teammate. This time he had a debt to pay. As he says in the qoute, he knows what’s expected of him.
“Team Orders” is certainly something Americans have a hard time digesting. The fight for your life mentality of our great nation is what makes us great. However, it is also one of the biggest reasons why F1 hasn’t caught on in this Country. In IndyCar and NASCAR, though there may be some silent team orders given certain situations, Formula 1 is very open about their orders. The driver ordered to slow down so his teammate will pass doesn’t even try to make it look like a valid pass, they just slow it down…and let them by. This fundamentally goes into the face of our entire fabric as a nation. Our constant challenge of “tell me something I cannot do, and I will prove you wrong”, wouldn’t work in the mainly European racing series.
I have always viewed Formula 1 as a game of Chess with million dollar pieces and precision placement. Formula 1 is not the sort of racing we are used to seeing. As with anything, it’s often easy to brush off that which we don’t understand.
I encourage you to tune into the final GP of the 2008 campaign. The Brazilian Grand Prix is on at a more normal time than 3am…so that excuse won’t be there. Besides, just because Lewis Hamilton didn’t become the first black Formula 1 champion last night doesn’t mean he won’t in two weeks.
Being part of history, and watching it unfold is worth waiting for.
Check back here at midwestsportsfans.com for more on the world’s most watched racing series.
[tags]auto racing, formula 1, chinese grand prix, lewis hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen[/tags]
Tags: Auto Racing, Chinese Grand Prix, FIA, Formula 1, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, World Championship
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