Lewis Hamilton is hoping to become the first man to win the world championship in his rookie season. He extended his lead to 12 points over McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso, with only two races remaining. The 22-year-old Briton's victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, coupled with Alonso's failure to score means history could be made in Shanghai, China. Hamilton, who had never even driven a Formula One car this time last year, would also become the youngest driver to win the title, the first Briton to do it since Damon Hill 11 years ago and the first in a McLaren since James Hunt in 1976.
Hamilton needs to finish third or higher at Shanghai, with Alonso failing to win, in order to be crowned champion before the Brazilian Grand Prix on October 21. But Hamilton knows it will not be easy, Alonso is keen to take the fight down to the last race and secure a third straight title of his own.
“Obviously the win at Fuji is a big boost in terms of confidence in my drive to be World Champion. But we still have two races left, and anything can happen,” the young Briton said. “It's good for me that I've managed to pull that sort of gap. The key is just to try to keep it on the track. We're still pretty close.”
Hamilton added that the Japanese Grand Prix was the longest race of his life and, after winning the race in dominant fashion he was just relieved to be out of his car. “It just went on and on. It was just so eventful. I think there were so many times when I thought the race could have been stopped, but the fact that it kept drying a little bit and then raining harder again, it just was very tricky.”
Lewis developed a two-second lead over his McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso in the early stages, but felt he won the race in the laps afterwards, when he exited the pits third and the Spaniard fell to ninth before crashing out. One of the crucial moments for Hamilton came on lap 34 when, following his fuel stop, he found himself battling for third place with Robert Kubica's BMW Sauber. The pair collided at turn 10 when the Polish driver stuck his nose inside the McLaren while Hamilton took a wide line, both cars span. Fortunately, they were able to continue and lost only a few seconds. Kubica was later judged responsible and given a drive-through penalty.
The win at a rain-soaked Fuji Speedway, Hamilton’s fourth of the year from his fifth pole position, also saw him surpass the 100-point mark for the season. Only six other drivers have previously done this. Yet dad Anthony insisted: “There is no partying when you are racing. No smoking, drinking, women - just work. If you want to party and you want to run women, you need to get another job. Lewis just focuses on winning a race, and the next race is what's important to him right now.”
Meanwhile, Ferrari boss Jean Todt has ridiculed suggestions Fernando Alonso will drive for them next year. The reigning world champion has been linked with a move to Ferrari given his fractious relationships with McLaren boss Ron Dennis and team-mate Hamilton. When asked as to Alonso’s chances of a race seat for 2008, an insistent Todt said: “Zero percent. We have two fantastic drivers in Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. We are very happy with them and they are under contract.”
Alonso's most likely destination remains a return to Renault, the team that helped him become world champion in 2005 and 2006.
