Asian Motor Sports

2007 Shanghai GP - Hamilton sits in the gravel trip as his championship hopes fade away

Lewis Hamilton came close to perfection on a day when he moved a step nearer to his world title dream.

Following a fraught week in which he has been roundly criticized, Hamilton could barely have done more to hit back at his detractors over the last two days.

Friday he had what he described as one of his best days of the season as he finished at the top of the timesheets at the end of both practice sessions.

Then in qualifying for today’ Chinese Grand Prix, the 23-year-old posted the best lap time in all three sessions, saving his best for last in the all-important Q3 as he superbly snatched pole.

Only Nick Heidfeld denied McLaren star Hamilton a clean sweep by edging him into second place in final practice.

All Hamilton has to do now is keep his nose clean throughout the 56 laps of the race, at the end of which he may yet be champion, or at least with one hand on motorsport’s most-coveted prize.

Closest rival Felipe Massa, currently five points adrift, starts third, with Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen sandwiching the duo.

It promises to be an enthralling encounter, particularly if the forecasted heavy rain hits the Shanghai International Circuit tomorrow afternoon.

For now, Hamilton certainly appears cool enough, with his error at the first corner in Japan last week the furthest thing from his mind.

“I didn’t have anything over me going into qualifying, or anything on my mind except for just doing a good lap,” insisted Hamilton.

“I think you can see from my result I’m dealing with it quite well.

“The first lap didn’t work, but the second was hardcore.”

Drivers often talk about putting pressure on themselves, and that would have been easy for Hamilton to do after all the flak he has taken.

But on this occasion he has shied away from doing that, adding: “I am just approaching it the same as always. “I don’t need to do anything spectacular. I just need to be myself and drive the way I drive.”

Hamilton was imperious throughout, clinching the 13th pole of his career, although of his seven this season he has only won twice.

But after what happened at Fuji Speedway, the run down to this track’s first corner will be enthralling, even more so with Massa firmly in the mix directly behind the front row.

Hamilton could have done with some help from Heikki Kovalainen, but his team-mate starts fifth behind Renault’s Fernando Alonso, who has vowed to do all he can to help Massa.

He can also hope a repeat of last year’s Chinese GP isn’t in the cards. The 2007 title was his, until, Hamilton spun into the gravel at the start of the pit lane with 25 laps left to crash out of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

Hamilton, who was second at the time, needed to win the race or finish ahead of rivals Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen to claim the crown and become the youngest champion in history. But in wet conditions and on a slippery track, he spun off on tires that had lost their grip.

Robert Kubica’s title bid was dealt a blow. The BMW Sauber driver – who is 12 points behind Hamilton – will start 11th.

Kubica’s team-mate Nick Heidfeld, meanwhile, will start 10th after being handed a three-place grid penalty by the race stewards after impeding Red Bull’s David Coulthard during the first qualifying session.

Mark Webber initially qualified sixth in his Red Bull, but will now start 16th due to a 10-place penalty for an engine change after the Renault unit spectacularly blew in final practice.

The Australian is one place behind team-mate Coulthard, and two ahead of Honda’s Jenson Button.

Cross posted @ F1 Rage!