A fifth world title would confirm the British driver as not only the best of his generation but as one of the all-time greatsPerhaps, when Lewis Hamilton has his fifth Formula One world championship secured, he might allow himself to reflect on just how far he has come. The boy from Stevenage who loved karting is now a man breathing the rarefied air at the very top of his sport. If he closes out the title at Sunday’s US Grand Prix, the celebrations will be long and loud. He will deserve every moment, his performance this year should be acknowledged as capping one of the great modern sporting achievements. Related: Lewis Hamilton holds off Ferraris to seal pole position for...
Struggling team show determination to climb the F1 ladder with a 20-year-old driver who brings no cash but wads of talentLewis Hamilton’s extraordinary run of success may well reach a glorious finale in Austin on Sunday but at the other end of the grid the US Grand Prix represents the first race since Williams resolved to make a new beginning. The once mighty team made a bold statement last week by signing George Russell for 2019.This season is gone for Williams but they can be optimistic, knowing they have publicly committed to hauling themselves back up the F1 ladder. Taking on the 20-year-old British driver was no small matter for the beleaguered team and should be applauded. Related: F1: British...
Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Russia was not ideal but nor was it a repeat of Austria 2002. The Scuderia have much to ponderThe spectre of Austria 2002 continues to hang over every instance of teams employing orders. When Ferrari made Rubens Barrichello move over for Michael Schumacher it was a decision of such cynical overkill it rightly remains infamous. At that point the season was only five races old, Schumacher had won four of them and had twice as many points as his nearest challenger, Juan Pablo Montoya. It was simply unnecessary. Team orders were banned afterwards but it was a rule that proved unenforceable and since 2011 they have been legal. In Russia Mercedes’ decision to make Valtteri Bottas...
Talented French driver was being groomed for a Mercedes seat but a smoothly proceeding career has been turned on its headThere is a sense going into the Russian Grand Prix this weekend that, for the short term at least, it is the last-chance saloon for Esteban Ocon. The talented young French driver revealed this week he is in talks with Williams for a potential seat in 2019. If he does not secure the drive he will almost certainly be out of Formula One next year. Much as young driver programmes are proving invaluable to making it through the F1 ranks, on a partisan grid they can come back to bite you.Ocon drives for Force India in his second full season...
Ferrari paid the price for a slow stop at the Hungaroring while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen blew a fuse after a power failureHaving made three strategic errors this season, the pressure has been on the Mercedes pit wall. With qualifying crucial in Hungary they were on top of their game in a chaotic wet session. Tyre choice at the right time was key and it was by no means easy. The team handled it well and ensured their drivers were on the right rubber at the right time. After this it was Lewis Hamilton who was once again exceptional. As Mark Webber pointed out, on his pole lap he took the inside line for traction on the penultimate corner. Always...