How To Choke A F1 Drivers Championship
Lewis Hamilton has seen a meteoric rise in Formula One. Just finishing up his second year as a driver for McLaren, the brash Brit has accomplished much with solid and daring wins alike. Still, he has shown a tendency to spit the bit on the ultimate prize.
The Formula One racing season offers many high points and always a few odd, low ones. Amongst the mish mash, one thing always stands out. Who will win the most important trophy? Yes, the championship for the drivers.
Lewis Hamilton is a successful driver when it comes to individual wins and the like. Naturally, he should be successful with the championship as well, but he is not. Looking at his actions tends to reveal a driver that does not handle pressure very well.
The Japanese Grand Prix last weekend bears this out. Lewis did a brilliant lap to take pole. His main rival, Felipe Massa, did a poor lap and qualified fifth. Hamilton was in the cat birds seat and Massa was facing a nightmarish day.
The obvious strategy for the race was to go conservative. Stay near the front and just rack up the points. Even losing a point to Massa would not matter much with only two races left in the seasons.
When the race launches, Hamilton immediately loses it. He is beat to the first turn. Instead of slotting into second place, he brashly dives into the first corner like a man with his hair on fire. He nearly causes a crash, ends up getting penalized and the day is a disaster with no points.
What could Hamilton possibly be thinking? If he had cruised around behind Raikkonen for the entire race, he would have finished second and taken more points from Massa. The only answer is Hamilton panicked.
The race was amazing because it showed the two leading drivers in the points chase just falling apart in the face of the pressure. Hamilton drove in a panic and Massa drove like a drunk! Hitting Hamilton was bad enough, but driving over Bourdais was just bizarre.
With Massa, however, you can understand the aggressive moves. He has to catch Hamilton. Hamilton just has to protect his lead. With the odd scoring in Formula One, he practically is assured of the title if he just drives around safely.
The thing that will pain Lewis the most is Fernando Alonso drove the exact race Lewis should have and won the day. While Fernando is the arch enemy of Hamilton, Lewis could do worse then to watch a replay of his race to learn a little.
Does all this mean Lewis has no taste for strategy? Of course, not. It simply means that he is feeling the pressure. He choked badly last year. This year, he has two races to get it right. If not, a reputation will be established that he will really not like.
Ferrari clearly has the best car this year in Formula One, but lacks a steady hand in both drivers and mechanics. Fernando Alonso has shown his usual stellar ability, but with a lesser car. Could the two be good for...
How To Save Money With Young Drivers Car Insurance QuotesYoung drivers car insurance is one of the many different car insurance products that are readily available out there today. It has opened the doors for younger people to get cheaper car insurance because they used to pay high premiums...
Is Online Drivers Ed Right For Me?Seems like just about anything can be done on the internet these days - order a pizza, rent a movie, or even download an entire book instantly. And now the classroom-phobic and just plain busy can even take drivers ed...
Drivers Advised To Be Careful With FuelWith the current economic climate, the rise in fuel prices and the continued impact of the credit crunch, it is important that motorists take steps to reduce pressure on their finances....
The Lowdown On Claiming Against Uninsured DriversIf you have ever been hit by an uninsured driver then the whole event may have caused you heartache, a headache and even a little wallet ache! Claiming for the damage inflicted on your car is nothing short of a...