Formula 1: Chinese Grand Prix Pre-Race Report | Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has got to be thinking. “Here we go again.”

In the closing rounds of the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship, rookie McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton was on the verge of clinching the championship. It was this race, the Chinese Grand Prix, that ended his hopes of being a World champion. Instead through mistakes in the race the title slipped out of reach and it landed with Kimi Raikkonen.

365 days later we are once again faced with an historic Grand Prix.

Maybe.

Lewis Hamilton ran a clean qualifying session overnight to end up in P1 for tonight/tomorrow’s start. Ferrari teammates Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa line up behind him for the start. The Grand Prix starts at 3am Eastern Time and is being televised on Speed TV. Now, because of my disgustingly high salary from midwestsportsfans.com, I will be wide awake when the lights go out to signal the start. However, for most sane race fans, the race is going to be shown again at 4pm on Speed on Sunday afternoon.

Why so historic? Lewis Hamilton is one win away (there are actually several scenarios that could play out where he is World Champion even if he doesn’t win) from being the Formula 1 World Champion. No big deal right? I mean they have a Champion every year don’t they? Yes they do… but never in the histroy of the worlds second most watched sport (only behind soccer) has the FIA ever crowned a black man as their world champion. Truly, what Tiger Woods has done for golf, Lewis is doing for Formula 1 racing.

As a long time fan of Formula 1 racing, dating to the Prost/Senna battles, let me say I am rooting for Lewis to seal the deal tonight…and become F1’s champion. He hasn’t been given a bit of it, he has worked as hard as anyone else, and he has the talent that is worthy of a World Champion. Give ‘em Hell LEWIS!!!

If the question ever comes up…most likely in a bar bet situation…and probably in Indianapolis, Lewis Hamilton is not the first black man to ever drive a Formula 1 car. That honor goes to the American Willy T. Ribbs back in 1986. Ribbs, an Indy 500 veteran, never got a full ride in the mainly European series but had his name permanently etched in history with that testing session.

Here is the starting lineup for the Chinese Grand Prix:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Britain, McLaren.

2. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari.

3. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari. (trails Haimlton by 5 points)

4. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault.

5. Heikki Kovalainen, Finland, McLaren.

6. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, BMW.

7. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Toro Rosso.

8. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota.

9. Sebastien Bourdais, France, Toro Rosso.

10. Nelson Piquet Jnr., Brazil, Renault.

11. Robert Kubica, Poland, BMW.

12. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota.

13. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Honda.

14. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Williams.

15. David Coulthard, Britain, Red Bull.

16. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull.

14. Kazuki Nakajima, Japan, Williams.

18. Jenson Button, Britain, Honda.

19. Adrian Sutil, Germany, Force India.

20. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Force India.

Stay tuned to midwestsportsfans.com for more on this historic possibility!

[tags]formula 1, lewis hamilton, auto racing[/tags]

Tags: Auto Racing, Chinese Grand Prix, Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, World Champion

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