After suffering his first real mistake of his burgeoning Formula One career at the Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton proved that he is made of tougher stuff than other drivers. With a win at the Chinese Grand Prix, the Briton could have been the youngest Formula One champion and the first rookie to take the crown. But was it really a mistake by the Briton?
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren’s managing director, shed some light on what happened at the race. "We believed that it was a lower risk to leave Lewis on those (intermediate) tyres until we had more information on a new threat of rain," said Whitmarsh. "We didn’t want to put him on to dry tyres too early and risk him going off if it rained again. The reality is that we made the decision a lap too late."
And then he said something that made me believe that Hamilton is really great for the sport: "Being Lewis I’m sure he will blame himself, but it was a mistake by the team. We said for him to stay out."
His teacher, team principal Ron Dennis, is also one hundred percent behind his protégé. "The great thing about Lewis is you just know he can cope," said Dennis. "He’s probably one of the few formula one drivers who could quote you sections from the FIA regulations. He wants to understand everything and to be the best driver and team member in every respect. He is totally focused on being the best driver in formula one."
The youngster admitted that he puts a lot of the blame on himself just like Mr. Whitmarsh said. "You can be kicked up the arse by someone else, or you can kick yourself. People ask me where does the main pressure come from? Is it McLaren? Sponsors? No, I put a lot of pressure on myself," said Hamilton. "The desire to win is so strong, it’s incredible. So when you make a mistake, and you know you shouldn’t have made a mistake or you know you can do better, it’s a real pain. But you dance back a little bit, and turn all that negative energy into something positive. That’s a powerful tool to have."
"I think the key is to be professional, and I do my talking on the track. It’s important to control yourself and be professional about it and move on while taking everything you can from that race," concluded Hamilton.
With his retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix, he inadvertently set up the stage for one of the most thrilling season ending races in memory. Now, who said that Formula One will not be exciting after that seven-time champion German Formula One driver named Michael Schumacher retired? One more race, it’s all on the line. Who do you think will take all the marbles?