F1: Hamilton title hopes Finn-ished off

Oct 22 2007 Western Mail

LEWIS HAMILTON vowed to return stronger in 2008 after losing out on the Formula One world championship by just one point.

The Briton could only finish seventh in the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, allowing Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen to take the title by winning the race from team-mate Felipe Massa.

Hamilton’s McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso finished third in the championship, on the same number of points as Hamilton, after taking third in Sao Paulo.

Hamilton said, “I am still quite happy. To have come from GP2, who would have thought I’d be number two in my first season in Formula One?

“We’ve had a few tough weeks, but the team did the best job we could and have done a fine job all year. I still believe that we had the fastest car.

“I will go into next season with my head held high and I know we will do a better job next year and come back even stronger.”

Hamilton, who started second on the grid, admitted a mistake early on cost him places, but he could not explain his subsequent gearbox problem.

The 22-year-old said, “I’ve not had time to analyse what went on. It was my mistake at the start and I lost a couple of positions.

“I had the pace to get back, but at turn four the car slammed into neutral and we don’t know why.

“It was all against me in the end, but I will go into next year and try to do a better job.

“It is 22 weeks until the next race and I am going to come back fitter, more relaxed, more experienced and I’ll have a better car.”

Hamilton’s father Anthony also refused to dwell on the hugely disappointing outcome.

“None of us are in pain, we feel great,” he insisted.

“We’ve just had one of the most fantastic formula one seasons ever. If someone had said last year we’d have been fighting for the title at this stage of the season I’d have said they were dreaming.

“We will come back and if he doesn’t win next year, he will the year after. One thing is certain, Lewis Hamilton is here to stay.”

McLaren team principal Ron Dennis was sporting in defeat, adding, “At difficult moments like this you just have to have a sporting attitude to the outcome.

“Lewis has enjoyed phenomenal reliability from his car this year. It was just a default in the gearbox which selected neutral, but then sorted itself out.

“It was so close, we needed just one car to stop. It’s hard to find the right words, but I think the whole team has done a great job all year and should be proud of their achievements.

“It’s not about one race, it’s about the championship, we have to be sporting and positive and look forward to next year.”

Raikkonen hailed team-mate Massa and their Ferrari team, who also secured the manufacturers’ championship.

“Even in the hard times we stuck together and didn’t give up. The team has been very close.”

The Finn started third, but soon passed Massa and Hamilton, who had a disastrous start and was eighth by the end of lap one.

Hamilton looked nervous before the race as he sat on his haunches under an umbrella held by father Anthony.

When the siren sounded signalling 10 minutes to the race start, he rose and gave his dad a huge bear hug, whispering into his ear “I love you dad.”

It was a touching moment, but once the red lights disappeared to signal the start, Hamilton made a crucial error.

Allowing Raikkonen to pass before the first corner was not a problem, but as the Finn pressed behind Felipe Massa he braked sharply, forcing Hamilton to bunch up behind him, and that gave Alonso the chance he needed to pass on the outside.

When Hamilton tried to retake Alonso down the straight, he braked hard and ran wide, allowing four cars to pass and dropping him to eighth.

He soon fought back to sixth after passing the Toyota of Jarno Trulli and BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld, but on lap eight he slowed almost to a standstill and the field streamed by.

Whatever the problem, his car finally regained power, but the malfunction had relegated him to 18th, 41 seconds behind Massa.

It forced the team into changing their strategy, pushing him into a three-stopper in the hope that fuelling him short would propel him up the field.

But it was not enough as Hamilton could only come home seventh, so missing the chance to become the first rookie, and the youngest driver, to take the title.

Home favourite Massa comfortably led for 50 laps, but with his team aware of the title situation, there was no surprise with what unfolded.

Raikkonen, who was within two seconds of Massa when he pitted, stayed out for three extra laps and flew around the circuit.

It was enough for the Finn as he just came out ahead of Massa, eventually taking the chequered flag by 1.4secs.

Hamilton had the title in his grasp just over two weeks ago before the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai. But how the team will rue keeping him out on worn tyres that led to him ending up in a gravel trap without a point.

While Raikkonen celebrated amid a ticker-tape parade that rained confetti on the two Ferraris, Hamilton returned to his garage and shook the hand of all those he came across with a smile on his face.

Massa missed out on a second successive victory from pole, but was delighted for Raikkonen and Ferrari.

“I’m happy for the team and for Kimi – one day I hope it will be me,” he said.

“We’ve had problems this year, including with the spy story, but it’s been a great team effort, and I’m happy to have helped win the championships.”

Former champion Alonso was magnanimous, saying, “Congratulations to Kimi, who did a great championship.

“There have been ups and down, better moments and worse moments this year.

“We tried to work as hard as we could and arrived into the last race with a chance, but it was not quite enough.

“I’ve had a fantastic car, a very competitive car, and I’ve learnt a lot. I’ve had four victories and I feel comfortable.”