Lewis is Back

Hooray! Lewis Hamilton is back.

Despite the numerous molecules that have dodged Hamilton’s dire season seems to be a distance thing of the past. He surpassed all expectations and realities to lead and win the Hungarian Grand Prix in such dominant and frantic fashion.

All through his led there was the sneaky suspicion that he was on a verge (it’s known to happen) of a fatal mistake that would epitomise his tough season once again. But gladly there was no choke, no mistake and signs of the rekindling Brit yesterday was a breath of fresh air.

Rightly fellow Brit Jenson Button has been taken all the plaudits this season and
Hamilton has been portrayed more of a villain than a nation hero for much of it but this win will bring an awe of optimism for driver, as well as McLaren, to propel himself to start challenging the leaders.

Although it’s not a result that they can get carried away with but the signs that Hamilton, who once was the icon of so many, can right his wrongs.

It does seem decades ago that Hamilton took his spot at the spearhead of the podium but now he might get that winning feeling back again. This is also Martin Whitmarsh’s first win as team boss, after replacing Ron Dennis, and he will earmark this victory as his finest he has ever witnessed after his team has been dragged through so much this year.

From Liegate to the controversy in Malaysia, McLaren has been through it all. Coming to Hungary was big, after the significant updates to his dwindling MP4-24 model at Germany, it was time to show why he’s still the current World Championship and he duly did.

This is arguably his finest victory, his 10th and best. It was Lewis’ first victory since China last season, and his emotional exploits have been missed, Button is animated but it’s not with the exuberance that Hamilton shows.

Button was hoping for much more in his Brawn but Lewis’ victory helped his fellow Brit out. Keeping the Red Bull’s at bay is what he did and as the season heads into its second half, Lewis could become Button’s biggest ally.

Lewis, on the other hand, can leave Budapest Hungary (Sorry) for more.

Lessons Learnt for Lewis

This day was going to be the day that everything went right for Lewis Hamilton, sweep the lies and the poor performances under the carpet and prove he is prevailing King here at Monaco.

Unfortunately for Lewis it did not quite happen. When you are tipped to succeed, it often tips in the other direction. This weekend there was no lies or poor performance but a man obsessed. He can walk away slightly more grown up and thankfully for what he does have.

He wanted to do well, he needed to do well but his egotistical self once again out did him. No one to blame but himself and with that he needs to refine what he wants and what he needs. He wrote off his chances soon into qualifying as he lost his car’s back end on the entrance to Mirabeau’s hairpin and smashed into the tyre wall, breaking his rear suspension.

McLaren worked hard for Lewis and the car looked like it’s going to compete and it would have probably competed.

But he has dropped out and will be starting down in 16th on Race Day, he is far better than that and he does know it.

It was good to see Lewis be aggressive and he contributed many quick lap times. His hero Aryton Senna had a formidable record here and if Lewis is going to emulate him, he needs to understand how to concentrate his aggression and where to direct it.

Lewis still has time on his hands but he demands perfection and it’s a great quality to have. He should not always point his finger to the direction of his team when something goes wrong but take responsibility. His lying to Stewards in Australia lost him many fans, but he walks away from this weekend grown up and as he has accepted his mistakes.

“I don't know what I was thinking, I made a mistake," he told BBC Sport. "I apologise to the team for wasting their time.

"It's been tough but you learn from these mistakes. They are bound to happen, but it's just a shame it happened in the first qualifying session.

"My race weekend for a win is for sure over."

For once his weekend was not ruined by his team, trust issues need to be readdressed quickly before the rest get too far ahead. But Hamilton show signs that

Last season’s triumph is still fresh in my memory, and Lewis looked a man to beat rather than a man to win as opposed to this term.

I am still convinced he will do well hear and if any unexpected showers were to fall, I’m sure Lewis would find himself somewhere near the front.

Good Day for Brits

Brits lead the way again, and this time, in the Chinese Grand Prix.

Lying Lewis showed that there might be some honesty left in him after all as he clocked the fastest lap time in the first practice session in what looks to be a legitimate car.

Although dropping down to 13th in the Second Practice session, he would be encouraged by the new set of his McLaren. The car is sporting a new front wing and a new interim diffuser.

Joyful Jenson, once again, submitted the fastest time of the day. His Brawn GP car didn’t suffer any penalties for the use of rear diffusers that was contested earlier on in the week.

So, the primary focus is still on Brawn and his racing team as they have continually produced result after result, as Button’s partner Rubens Barrichello was third fastest.

Their dominance is still there as Button goes in search for his third consecutive win.

The Brawn’s were only split by the impressive Nico Rosberg in the ever-improving Williams car.

Ferrari’s dismal start to the season gladly continues, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen both suffered tyre problems and the disappearing act off the KERS system seems to have no effect. They have also not used their energy storage system in an attempt to reinitiate their spiralling championship charge.

Raikkonen struggled to find grip and was often found practicing on the grass.
The Red-Bull Renault pair Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel produced that they can compete at the top being the fourth and fifth quickest respectively.

Hamilton’s teammate Heikki Kovalainen ended up ninth fastest of the day as he looks to hit some form.

A Brit to be Proud off

Whilst one Brit is the butt of a nation, his fellow compatriot is taking all the plaudits.

Jenson Button claimed his second pole in a row whilst last year’s British F1 hero Lewis Hamilton looks a soulless withering sore loser in 12th spot. And it is what he deserves.

It could be easily forgotten that F1 fans around the world saw in bemusement as Lewis Hamilton took the World Championship in such dramatic fashion last November.

Now Lying Lewis is more of a pest than anything else, he has lost a lot of respect this week.

British favourite Button drove brilliantly in qualifying and Malaysia is set to be an exciting race.

He took pole position but only just, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli took second, a tenth of a second behind Button, and is ahead of teammate Timo Glock who will start in third.

Glock did move up two places since Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was reprehended for his collision with BMW’s Robert Kubica at last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix that cost him 10 places and Brawn’s Rubens Barrichello, who was docked five places due to a change of gearbox on Friday, will start in ninth.

Felipe Massa continued his miserable spell as he starts in 16th. Partner Kimi Raikkonen drove with more conviction and he lasted until the last stage of qualifying, he will start seventh.

Williams’s Nico Rosberg, who was the quickest in Saturday’s final practice session, and will begin in fourth ahead of Mark Webber.
But this session once again belonged to Brawn GP and more specifically Jenson Button.

Hopefully, next week’s discussions will be about the positive aspects of Formula 1 rather than the negatives.

So next week, no lies, no cheats, no talk of the possible ill-use of rear diffusers (Appeal is soon), just pure, sheer, adrenaline pumping Formula Motoring Racing.

Please.

Lying Lewis or Holy Hamilton?

The fallout from the Australian Grand Prix continues despite the second round of the World Championship being well under way.

Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest time in Friday practice but he is far from the headlines as more information is slowly revealed over the FIA's decision to disqualify Lewis Hamilton from the Melbourne race.

I fear this may well be another F1 scandal that us the fans will never know the truth of, as it's clear the press aren't even sure what is going on. The BBC report that 'Hamilton insists he is not a liar' and the whole report seems to show Hamilton has come out fighting in the wake of this latest scandal. However the headline on the official Formula1.com website reads 'Hamilton apologises for Melbourne mistake'.

So which is it? Hands up or gloves off?

Either way both stories confirm Lewis claims that he was told to 'withhold information' from the stewards by sporting director Dave Ryan, a man who is now suspended and facing the sack. The British World Champion insists that he is not a liar or a dishonest person. But unfortunately that would also prove to be untrue.

He told stewards in Australia he was not instructed by his team to allow Jarno Trulli to pass him, however radio transmissions have proven he had. Hamilton now claims he is sorry to his fans and the stewards for misleading them but still seems to believe he is not to blame.

"I want to say sorry to all my fans. I am not a liar or a dishonest person, I am a team player. If the team ask me to do something, I generally do it. This is not an easy thing to do, to step back and realise I was in the wrong. But I was in the wrong, I was misled."

Seemingly a good apology, until the last three words. Quickly and quietly taking the plaudits for honesty, then shoveling the responsibility onto someone else.

"I was misled." Maybe, but you knew the team's aim was extra points, and you knew it was wrong.

Time to accept responsibility for your actions Lewis, or this could be a very tough season.

Hamilton Stripped of Aussie Podium

Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of his podium finish and championship points from the Australian Grand Prix after a review by race stewards.

After initially finishing in fourth place at Albert Park he was promoted to third when Toyota driver Jarno Trulli was handed a 25 second penalty. A review of the decision has seen Trulli reinstated in third and Hamilton disqualified after 'new elements' of the investigation were discovered by the FIA.

A statement on the Official Formula One website revealed, “The Stewards have considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, consider that driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and the competitor Vodafone McLaren Mercedes acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the Stewards."

The hearing was held at the Sepang circuit, host of this Sunday's Malaysian grand prix. World champion Lewis Hamilton left without comment, but a spokesman for his team ensured the driver is not at fault.

"Vodafone McLaren Mercedes understands that the Stewards made their decision on the basis of reviewing radio transmissions between the driver and the Team. The Team mistakenly believed that the radio transmissions had been reviewed by the FIA on Sunday 29th March 2009, and consequently did not believe it was necessary to discuss them with the Stewards on that date. Nonetheless, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team now regrets that it did not do so, accepts the Stewards' decision and will not appeal."

This decision is the latest in a list of decisions that have seen the FIA punish Mclaren and Hamilton. The team have found the FIA to be unforgiving of their actions since the Spygate scandal which tarnished the 2007 season. They were fined £50m and stripped of their constructors points for the season.

Hamilton was also demoted from first after the Belgian Grand Prix last season after he was adjudged to have unfairly overtaken Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen. The Brit had cut the last corner after Raikkonen squeezed him off the track and immediately allowed the Fin back in front. Despite this, his overtake at the following corner was classed unfair and Hamilton was pushed back to second.

The third place in Sydney had been the silver lining on Hamilton's opening weekend which had seen him a long way off the pace of the front runners, but this decision now leaves him even further from retaining his title.