Review: Hamilton loses focus in Fuji
by Niamh O'Mahony, 13 October 2008
The drama surrounding the 2008 World Championship battle shows no signs of easing up after yet more controversy, racing penalties and irate drivers at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.
setantasports.com's full race report
Victory on the day belonged - quite rightly - to Fernando Alonso. For the second time in a fortnight the Spaniard showed the world why is considered the best racer in Formula 1 at the moment, his middle stint a reminder of the talent that lies beneath when his mind is fully focused on the job.
The race result was almost completely overshadowed by the clash of Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa on lap two though, with both men having rather difficult days at the office.
Hamilton made a bad start but charged down the inside of Kimi Raikkonen and forced several cars off track as he himself tried to remain on the circuit.
Massa was one of those pushed on to the grass, but he did manage to get by his title rival through the next series of corners as cool temperatures played havoc with the tyres.
Back up to speed on the second lap, Hamilton was quickly stuck to the rear wing of his Ferrari opponent and, in his desperation not to leave the Briton by, Massa braked early at Turn 11 to avoid Jarno Trulli and gave Hamilton his opening.
Ridiculed by Hamilton for letting him by too easily at the Germany Grand Prix, Massa reacted in a manner quite out of the norm for him - aggressively.
Not willing to relinquish his position without a fight, he flung his F2008 across the chicane and clattered into Hamilton's side pod, forcing his McLaren to spin. A silly move, Massa's penalty was deserved.
The damage inflicted to Hamilton's McLaren, coupled with a drive through penalty for causing the chaos at the first corner, meant a lonely day for the Briton. He eventually finished 12th, but his stony-faced appearance while talking to reporters afterwards told a thousand tales.
The 23-year-old was absolutely livid, outraged that he had been penalised yet again, though he did also admit that he should have had more patience. It seems that he is more determined than ever to win the title in his own way.
He openly criticised Massa and stubbornly dismissed the notion that he should be racing to defend his title lead at this stage rather than racing to claim more GP victories.
Massa, unsurprisingly, deflected blame away from himself for the collision, as well as his coming together with Sebastien Bourdais late on.
The French racer had just emerged from the pit. The pair made contact, Massa spun and it was the Toro Rosso man who was penalised despite following his natural line.
Massa also used the pit lane exit section of the main straight to overtake Mark Webber and claim eighth in the final laps, driving that was in marked contrast to some of the Brazilian's previous efforts.
It is as if he has realised what it takes to win and succeed at all costs... maybe he has been having words with mentor Michael Schumacher?
The penalties handed down to Hamilton, Massa and Bourdais have already been discussed in many forums at length, but the end results seem to have been the outlawing of overtaking and the almost complete sanitisation of racing with no more rough and tumble permitted.
What happened at the first corner was racing, pure and simple. What happened on the second lap is also part of motor racing. Yes, it was silly, but to argue that it was deliberate is to try and cleanse motor racing of its competitive edge.
Hamilton has been criticised for some 'aggressive' driving recently, but this is Formula 1 and not kids karting in the park. Clashes, bangs and bumps are part of this sport and the more race stewards interfere in the action, the more respect is lost.
All the greats have tried to win at all costs. That does not make them 'bad' in the way that Michael Schumacher was often portrayed, it makes them the ultimate winners.
If I have a wish for the coming two races, it is that Hamilton and Massa get to have two straight out fights with each other. That there are no team tactics [or Alonso!] involved, and that these two men get to decide the final destination of the 2008 crown by their skill on the track and nothing else.
The Fourth Estate
Guardian (Britain)
Hamilton's title charge in a spin as he sees rival Massa crank up the pressure
Twelve months ago Lewis Hamilton claimed one of his greatest wins, in the rain here at Fuji. [On Sunday] he left the same circuit under a different sort of cloud after finishing 12th and failing to score any points in the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Sun (Britain)
Hama, rammer Ding Dong
FURIOUS Lewis Hamilton last night accused Felipe Massa of trying to ram him off the track as road rage erupted in Japan.
Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy)
Japan, Alonso triumphs. Massa, two points recovered
Renault's Spaniard wins at Fuji ahead of Kubica and Raikkonen. The Brazilian moves from eighth to seventh thanks to a penalty for Bourdais and retrieves two points on Hamilton, who was penalised for an incident at the start to end up 12th.
As (Spain)
The master of Racing
Alonso collected his second consecutive victory after no mistakes, some good pace and a great start. Hamilton and Massa succumbed to the pressure.
L'Equipe (France)
Alonso at ease in Asia
Fernando Alonso (Renault), already a winner in Singapore, has claimed his second victory in succession in Japan. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), who is now out of the title race, completed the podium. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) was seventh, pocketing two important Championship points, while Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) took 12th.
Sports Bild (Germany)
Alonso wins the Fuji GP
For the second time this season, Fernando Alonso has claimed first place on a Grand Prix podium. The Spaniard triumphed at the Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Poland's Robert Kubica and World Champion Kimi Raikkonen.
Drive of the Weekend: Fernando Alonso
The Renault man's display on Sunday was vintage Alonso. Taking on a lighter fuel load for his middle stint, he knew he had to make up several laps worth of time on Robert Kubica and did just that. The very same tactic has been responsible for many F1 victories over the years, but only the very best can manage it on a regular basis. Alonso is among that elite group.
Notable mention: Kimi Raikkonen. A much better effort from the Finn in qualifying saw him right in among the big boys, where he should always be.
Team of the Weekend: Renault
We are going for the obvious on this one, but you have to remember the progress the French squad has made since the season opener in Australia. Alonso barely managed fourth, with Nelson Piquet forced to retire and they followed their well-timed Safey Car win in Singapore up with a genuinely-deserved victory on merit. The strategy plan for Alonso was decisive, while Piquet confirmed the R28's new-found speed by claiming fourth, having started 12th on the grid.
Disappointment of the Weekend: Nick Heidfeld
We were expecting better from the German following BMW Sauber's decision to retain both him and Kubica for next season, despite the former's struggle in qualifying.
This was his first opportunity to repay that faith, but his hopes ended in Q1 of qualifying when poor tyre selection saw Heidfeld eliminated at the first hurdle. He went on to make little impact on race day, coming home ninth.
Overtaking move: Raikkonen & Kubica
Technically, this was not an overtaking manoeuvre, but to see F1 at its potential best it is worth looking at footage on lap 53 when Raikkonen was trying to get by Kubica. Just out of the pits, the Finn had the slight tyre advantage and knew he had a limited window to pass his rival.
He went down the outside of the BMW Sauber down the straight and on the approach to the first corner before cutting back inside through the second. The pair ran side-by-side through Coca-cola corner before Kubica finally held position through Turn 4. Edge of the seat stuff: no contact, collisions or controversy afterwards... the way we like it.
Rookie performance: Sebastien Bourdais
Bourdais was quite rightly an angry man on Sunday evening. Fighting desperately for a second chance in F1 and a race seat for next season, the French racer saw a solid sixth place finish disappear when race stewards adjudged that he - and not Massa - was responsible for the clash that saw the Brazilian spin on lap 50. Bourdais had the inside line, Massa had the space to move over and both continued unharmed - for many, the incident should have been left go. Instead it was the Champ Car king who was penalised and Massa who ultimately gained from the collision.
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