Big loser of the weekend....F1
The British media today hailed the performance of Lewis Hamilton at the Hungarian Grand Prix. But for many other Formula One fans and magazines, there is a question mark around the sayings of the rookie driver.
Lewis Hamilton was quoted by the British newspapers: “This proves nothing can stop us. After all the dramas of the weekend, it would have been easy to lose focus. It has been a bit of a downer on the team but they remained positive and the energy in there remains strong.
It has not been a great time for the team, because of all the problems we have with the FIA. This weekend has just brought more pressure but we got one-two in qualifying and still won the race.
With the problems I have had, this was one of my hardest races. But I just got on with my job. I know how to win.”
Especially the sentence I just got on with my job raises question marks. It was clearly stated, and admitted by Hamilton, that he didn't obey team orders during the qualifying session. Immediately after the session on Saturday afternoon, we saw an angry Ron Dennis. Dennis was furious about the fact that Hamilton neglected the team orders, by doing so, he created the situation in the pit lane which resulted in a heavy penalty not only for Fernando Alonso but also for the McLaren Mercedes Team.
As though the youngster was hailed for his competitiveness and skilled driving by everybody who has a heart for F1 in the beginning of the season, he now has demoted himself in the eyes of many true sport fans. It has been whispered in the paddock that Hamilton made a change, disobeying team orders, under the influence of his father, who never leaves his side.
Why Fernando Alonso stalled in the pit lane is still blurry. "The team always decides when I have to get moving. I know it looks that way because he lost the opportunity to do his lap, but even if I had left those five seconds earlier he wouldn't have made it anyway. I think the calculations were wrong. I'm sorry for him but I leave the pits when I'm told to."
Many people do not believe the explanation of Alonso and the McLaren team. They believe that the reigning World Champion deliberately ruined Hamilton's chances for another hot lap.
Everybody has by now formed his own opinion about the matter, but one thing is for sure: the big winner of the weekend is Hamilton. He disobeyed team orders, but still won the race after Alonso received a five place grid penalty. The big loser of the weekend is not Fernando Alonso or McLaren, but once more Formula One.
