Now that the Brazilian Grand Prix has wrapped up, CARtoday.com editor Mike Fourie reviews some of the highs and lows of the F1 season… Please add your two cents’ worth!
Although it seems an unlikely point of departure for an article about the dramatic conclusion to the 2008 Formula One world championship, I’d like to emphasise the significance of Lewis Hamilton winning his maiden F1 title by handing a brickbat to Kimi Raikkonen. Last year, the Finn won the world championship by virtue of infighting at the McLaren compound and a combination of inexperience and, ultimately, a gearbox glitch, that sunk Lewis Hamilton. Yes, Kimi certainly peaked at the right time and strung together a run of victories when it mattered most at the end of last year, but his lacklustre “title defence”, if one could describe his patchy efforts as such, underlines why the ever-improving Hamilton deserves to relieve the mercurial Finn of his crown.
Lewis isn’t my favourite Formula One driver, but there is much to be said for his growing mental toughness, never-say-die attitude and consistency. What’s more, the perfect reliability of his McLaren-Mercedes certainly contributed to his success, but Hamilton made three major mistakes this season (there may have been more, but it is way past my bedtime)…
Firstly, he rear-ended Raikkonen’s Ferrari in a bizarre pitlane incident in Canada. Secondly, he didn’t need to pass Kimi immediately after cutting the chicane (legitimately or not, you decide) at the Belgian GP. Had he shadowed the flailing Finn until the exit of the La Source hairpin, he would have breezed past the sliding Ferrari soon afterwards. Instead, he foolishly made a move that left him at the mercy of the stewards – and ultimately cost him his victory. Lewis is also ever willing to put his car in precarious positions when attempting either to overtake, or defend, his position (Ayrton Senna won three F1 titles that way!) and the Briton’s blunder at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix demonstrated that he isn’t perfect.
However, McLaren wasn’t the dominant team this year and Hamilton did a great job of profiting from the Ferrari team’s mistakes and title rival Felipe Massa’s ill fortune. Hamilton almost lost the title in Brazil by being too conservative, but for all intents and purposes he sewed up the championship with a masterful performance in China.
I fear that the likeable Massa might never win a Formula One title, especially now that Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica have proved themselves by winning grands prix, Alonso’s back to his best and Bruno Senna’s waiting in the wings. Had the Brazilian’s engine not blown up in Hungary or his pit crew botched his pit stop in Singapore, Massa would probably have been champion. The Brazilian famously refused to be bullied by Hamilton at Fuji, made his vaunted Ferrari team-mate look slow on several occasions and played no small part in making 2008 one of the most exciting F1 seasons ever.
Kubica was somewhat fortunate to notch up BMW’s first grand prix victory since 2000, but if the Blue-and-White Roundel produces a brilliant car for 2009, more wins will follow. Fernando Alonso proved admirably resolute at the wheel of a pedestrian Renault and when La Regie raised its game in the latter half of the season, the Spaniard produced a couple of inspired victories. And, I challenge anyone to begrudge Vettel his fairytale victory at Monza at the wheel of a surprisingly competitive Toro Rosso and in pretty tricky track conditions. The precocious German is the best thing since sliced Schumacher and it’s a pity he won’t be driving for one of the top three or four teams next year.
Although there were several high points in 2008, a few of the drivers, teams and tracks flattered to deceive. I will refrain from bashing David Coulthard and Mark Webber because the Red Bull car was just awful, but how long will it take for the influence of the wise Ross Brawn to reflect in Honda’s performances? If Raikkonen is the Finnish successor to Mika Hakkinen, I fear the same may be said for Heikki Kovaleinen and countryman Mika Salo. F1’s inaugural night race in Singapore was great, but stray dogs in Turkey and lack of overtaking possibilities in Valencia didn’t provide memorable débuts for F1’s other new circuits at all. And, for pity’s sake, change the rule pertaining to closing the pitlane under safety car conditions – it’s daft that drivers are forced to take drive-through penalties to avoid running out of fuel.
My hopes for the 2009 season are that Raikkonen will regain his old fire, Massa will pick up where he left off, that Renault will continue on its curve of improvement, BMW will deliver a consistently quick car and that Honda will replace perennial nearly-men Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello with young blood. Lewis Hamilton is now the man who swings the sceptre, rules the roost, calls the shots and wears the daddy pants – and he won’t give up his title easily! Wouldn’t it be great if Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso and Kubica (and one or two dark horses) slug it out at every race next year?
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