F1: Hamilton tops championship

May 14 2007 Western Mail

LEWIS HAMILTON went to pole position in the Formula One drivers’ championship with a third successive runners-up slot in Barcelona.

Felipe Massa took the chequered flag ahead of the British rookie racer, but it’s Hamilton who leads the way by two points from McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso – third yesterday – and three from Massa.

A podium finish in Spain again etched his name into the history of the sport, making him the youngest driver since Bruce McLaren – founder of the team he drives for – in 1960 to stand on top.

“I keep saying I’m living my dream, and it’s really true,” said the 22-year-old after a fourth successive podium finish.

“I’ve been working so hard for this – me and my family – for so many years. To come out of only my fourth grand prix leading the world championship when I’m racing against the top drivers in the world, is just incredible.

“It’s an amazing feeling. To be in this position is a dream. It’s just getting bigger.

“I’m enjoying it, and I need to keep on enjoying it, and to keep on building up the points I have.

“When I came into the sport I did so with an open mind, to do the best job I could, and that is what I’m doing.

“I’ve good points, but I definitely didn’t expect to be doing as well as I am.”

Becoming world champion is also becoming more realistic as each race passes, with 13 now remaining on the calendar.

Hamilton added, “It’s positive, but we have to be realistic. It’s only my first season and there are going to be ups and downs.

“But if we can keep on scoring points and gaining podiums, then the results will be good.”

The result of this race was decided at the first corner of the Circuit de Catalunya.

When the field pulled away Hamilton passed the second Ferrari of Raikkonen to claim third.

But it was a wheel-to-wheel duel between pole-man Massa and second-on-the-grid Alonso that grabbed the attention.

The Spaniard – in front of a record 140,000 crowd – slipstreamed the Brazilian before pulling out to overtake around the outside heading into turn one.

Alonso cut in, resulting in the two cars touching and the McLaren took a brief journey onto the gravel, allowing both Hamilton and Raikkonen to pass.

Alonso later accused Massa of being “aggressive” and “risky”.

The reigning double world champion maintains his car was damaged in the incident, compromising his race as he finished a distant third behind Massa and Hamilton.

Post-race, Alonso did not pull any punches, insisting, “Sometimes these kind of things are dangerous.

“When you are fighting for the championship, it’s very risky to be so aggressive in the first corner.

“I had put myself behind Felipe, and thanks to the slipstream I was a little quicker. I went to the outside, braked later and I was much in front of him at the first corner.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t think so, we touched each other, and we were lucky to both finish the race.

“Normally in 99% of these type of incidents, both cars will finish at the first corner. Here, we were very lucky to finish first and third.

“If you look at my car, the sidepod and rear have been touched.

“That shows everybody who arrived first into the corner. I was more than half a car in front.”

Massa countered, “I was inside, so I don’t understand his point. As long as I am inside, I will stay there. I won’t move. If anybody was aggressive, it was Fernando, not me. If I am wrong, I am the first to say I have made a mistake. But this time don’t tell me I’ve made a mistake. Come on, this is racing, Formula One, the first corner.

BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica claimed fourth, with Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard fifth for his best finish since last August’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Williams of Nico Rosberg and Renault’s Heikki Kovalainen came in sixth and seventh, while Takuma Sato was eighth for Super Aguri’s first point.

LEWIS HAMILTON went to pole position in the Formula One drivers’ championship with a third successive runners-up slot in Barcelona.

LEWIS HAMILTON went to pole position in the Formula One drivers’ championship with a third successive runners-up slot in Barcelona.

Felipe Massa took the chequered flag ahead of the British rookie racer, but it’s Hamilton who leads the way by two points from McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso – third yesterday – and three from Massa.

A podium finish in Spain again etched his name into the history of the sport, making him the youngest driver since Bruce McLaren – founder of the team he drives for – in 1960 to stand on top.

“I keep saying I’m living my dream, and it’s really true,” said the 22-year-old after a fourth successive podium finish.

“I’ve been working so hard for this – me and my family – for so many years. To come out of only my fourth grand prix leading the world championship when I’m racing against the top drivers in the world, is just incredible.

“It’s an amazing feeling. To be in this position is a dream. It’s just getting bigger.

“I’m enjoying it, and I need to keep on enjoying it, and to keep on building up the points I have.

“When I came into the sport I did so with an open mind, to do the best job I could, and that is what I’m doing.

“I’ve good points, but I definitely didn’t expect to be doing as well as I am.”

Becoming world champion is also becoming more realistic as each race passes, with 13 now remaining on the calendar.

Hamilton added, “It’s positive, but we have to be realistic. It’s only my first season and there are going to be ups and downs.

“But if we can keep on scoring points and gaining podiums, then the results will be good.”

The result of this race was decided at the first corner of the Circuit de Catalunya.

When the field pulled away Hamilton passed the second Ferrari of Raikkonen to claim third.

But it was a wheel-to-wheel duel between pole-man Massa and second-on-the-grid Alonso that grabbed the attention.

The Spaniard – in front of a record 140,000 crowd – slipstreamed the Brazilian before pulling out to overtake around the outside heading into turn one.

Alonso cut in, resulting in the two cars touching and the McLaren took a brief journey onto the gravel, allowing both Hamilton and Raikkonen to pass.

Alonso later accused Massa of being “aggressive” and “risky”.

The reigning double world champion maintains his car was damaged in the incident, compromising his race as he finished a distant third behind Massa and Hamilton.

Post-race, Alonso did not pull any punches, insisting, “Sometimes these kind of things are dangerous.

“When you are fighting for the championship, it’s very risky to be so aggressive in the first corner.

“I had put myself behind Felipe, and thanks to the slipstream I was a little quicker. I went to the outside, braked later and I was much in front of him at the first corner.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t think so, we touched each other, and we were lucky to both finish the race.

“Normally in 99% of these type of incidents, both cars will finish at the first corner. Here, we were very lucky to finish first and third.

“If you look at my car, the sidepod and rear have been touched.

“That shows everybody who arrived first into the corner. I was more than half a car in front.”

Massa countered, “I was inside, so I don’t understand his point. As long as I am inside, I will stay there. I won’t move. If anybody was aggressive, it was Fernando, not me. If I am wrong, I am the first to say I have made a mistake. But this time don’t tell me I’ve made a mistake. Come on, this is racing, Formula One, the first corner.

BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica claimed fourth, with Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard fifth for his best finish since last August’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Williams of Nico Rosberg and Renault’s Heikki Kovalainen came in sixth and seventh, while Takuma Sato was eighth for Super Aguri’s first point.