Formula 1 Betting
Hamilton finally learns lessons in defeat
by Pete South
Perhaps the most crucial moment of Hamilton’s race came when he came into the pits for his second set of the quicker super-soft tyres.
Beforehand it seemed Hamilton had the advantage from qualifying, the 26-year-old had an extra set of the tyres to use for the race having saved one of his allocated sets from Q2 on Saturday, with most believing that he would be able to open up a sufficient gap on them to pit and still be in the lead when the more quickly degrading tyres reached the end of their short life.
But that theory failed to play out in real life in a frantic race that saw 88 pit-stops – more than any other race this season – while, Hamilton was forced into the pits an incredible six times including a drive through penalty.
Earlier in the season, errors from his team (who were held partially responsible for the strategy and the decision to put the intermediate tyres on when rain threatened only for the track to quickly dry that slowed Hamilton badly) would have sent him into overdrive; post-race interviews would be littered with thinly-veiled
His and his team’s call for intermediates was a 50/50 shout that went against him. There was rightly no bickering and pointing of fingers, that is motor racing – all the technology in the world cannot make a decision for you, that comes down to gut instinct – which was wrong on this occasion.
His post-race interview was a master-class in staying calm and towing the party line; something that simply wouldn’t haven’t happened two months previously.
This has been a season of ups and downs like no other for Hamilton; he has been on the receiving end of some harsh decisions, done some foolish things and had his integrity questioned.
His outburst in Monaco, his constant reprimands from the race stewards and his flirtation with Red Bull in Canada have all pointed to a driver frustrated at the face he cannot compete with the pace of Red Bull.
Now McLaren have shown they can win races regularly, Hamilton has seemed a much more together man – he spoke of working together to correct the errors of Hungary and even said he was sorry for his mistakes.
If Hamilton walks away in one piece from another season riddled with controversy with a sense of maturity that simply wasn’t there at the start of 2011 then not all would have been lost as Red Bull waltz their way to the championship.
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