From the publishers of THE HINDU VOL.31 :: NO.52 :: Dec. 27, 2008 • Contents
	YEAR-END SPECIAL / FORMULA ONE / TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS Hamilton's victory goes into the background On way to winning the world title, Lewis Hamilton had some memorable runs, including the sensational victories at Silverstone and Hockenheim. But unfortunately, the events that unfolded later, such as Honda’s withdrawal and FIA’s cost-cutting measures, have gained prominence. By G. Raghunath. AP Rubens Barrichello steers his Honda during the practice session in Monza, Italy, in September 2008. Honda has subsequently pulled out of Formula One. Unlike in the past, the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) prize-giving soiree in Monte Carlo this year did not belong entirely to the Formula One champion. And come to think of it, Lewis Hamilton is no run-of-the-mill world champion; the 23-year-old Brit, apart from being the youngest driver to wear the F1 crown, is a global sporting icon too. But in the last quarter of 2008, the temblor caused by the Japanese automobile manufacturer, Honda, who pulled the plug on its underperforming team, Honda Racing, in the wake of the economic meltdown, was so grave that the F1 community, gripped by a new paranoia, wasn’t exactly in the mood to celebrate its new champion. Super Aguri’s shunt early in the season was perhaps a sign of things to come, but not many, not even the FIA, cared to take a serious note of it. Strange enough, Super Aguri was backed by Honda. The Japanese outfit, which entered the F1 circuit only in 2006, had run into financial difficulties and was stopped at the gates of the Istanbul Park during the Turkish Grand Prix. And the following day a consortium of corporate recovery teams was formed to look out for a new buyer for Super Aguri as it went into administration. In the wake of Honda’s withdrawal from the sport, the doomsday men prophesied that a few more F1 teams would join the Japanese players on the sidelines. So, the time was just right for the FIA president Max Mosley — fresh from his victory in a legal battle involving a British newspaper that released video footages of his covert orgy — to act. And what ensued was a range of new measures ostensibly aimed at cutting costs and preventing what the world motor sport’s governing body thought could otherwise lead to F1’s free fall into irredeemable ruin. The antidote prescribed by Mosley and Co., and ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, includes among others a complete ban on in-season testing except during race weekend, restrictions on aerodynamic testing and the use of wind-tunnel, a 50 per cent reduction in the price of engines for independent teams in the next season, a cap on the number of engines allowed for the drivers — eight per driver per season — and a ban on refuelling during racing from 2010. It’s simply unfortunate that Hamilton’s historic triumph has been obscured by events off the track. His victory at Silverstone (British Grand Prix), where Hamilton drove in heavy rain and through sheets of water on the track — he had to frequently flip open his visor to clear the fogging that obstructed his vision — was all about the youngster’s extraordinary skill and courage. Later, Hamilton came up with another sensational drive in the German Grand Prix (Hockenheim) that exemplified his raw aggression. McLaren bungled a pit stop — it did not call Hamilton into the pit after the safety car had come on to the track following Timo Glock’s mishap midway through the race, but asked him to pit a few laps later — that cost Hamilton the lead. But the British driver displayed sublime skills to first beat Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and then overhaul Renault’s rookie driver Nelsinho Piquet Jr. with a spectacular manoeuvre to take the chequered flag. It was a season when Hamilton also drew a lot of flak for his driving. If ramming his car into Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari, waiting in front of the red light at the end of the pit lane in Montreal, was imprudent, the drive-through penalty he earned for cutting a corner in Magny-Cours and cutting a chicane, and thereby gaining unfair advantage at Spa Francorchamps — Hamilton, who won the race was slapped with a 25-second penalty which dropped him to third place — were without doubt embarrassing. His lifestyle and commitment to racing too drew criticism from his fans and countrymen. They looked askance at Hamilton’s innumerable publicity appearances, he racing a Learjet in his McLaren as part of a promotional event and competing in a yacht race (sadly, it proved to be a misadventure for Hamilton, as his yacht collided with another competitor) for McLaren’s sponsor, Hugo Boss. But after the final race at Interlagos, where Hamilton finished fifth to become the youngest F1 champion, not many would have grudged him the title. Felipe Massa, on the other hand, was a bit unlucky, for he did everything he could in a bid to win the title — he finished first in the Brazilian GP — but his best was simply not good enough on that day as he ended up one point behind the champion in the overall standings. The first night race, the Singapore GP, at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, funded in part by the national government, was a runaway success if one were to go by the number of tickets sold for the race — a whopping 110,000. The F1 principal, Bernie Ecclestone, who is keen on cashing in on the success of night racing, is considering the possibility of turning the Asian leg into a night theatre. The other highlight of 2008 was the formation of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) in July with the Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo as its head. FOTA is expected to give the teams a greater bargaining power in the negotiations with the FIA. Printer friendly page   Send this article to Friends by E-Mail Contents • Daily Sports • The Hindu • Business Line • Frontline • Publications • eBooks • Images Copyright © 2008 Sportstar Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of Sportstar.