LEW BLEW IT

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jul 6, 2008 | by BILL MILLS

LEWIS HAMILTON goes on a championship rescue mission in today's Santander British Grand Prix after yet another cock-up.

After scrapping for the best time in the first part of qualifying, he headed the second part and had set the stage for some desperately needed glory in the battle for pole.

But just when it mattered the 23-year-old skidded out of the most crucial lap of the day and wasted his chance.

Instead of the glorious launch pad at the front that all British fans were praying for at today's sell-out race, he ended up on the second row in fourth.

Hamilton's McLaren team were so concerned that his engineer radioed: "Don't overdrive, don't overdrive," to their pounds 10million star as he set off on his final tilt at a starting place among the front-runners.

Initially it had appeared he had pulled it out of the fire again as he drove into second spot behind Kimi Raikkonen.

But first Aussie Mark Webber roared to the front for Red Bull and then Hamilton's team-mate Heikke Kovalainen poured salt in his wounds by proving the quality was there in the car by grabbing the first pole start of his Grand Prix career.

As the Finn jumped up and down in delight in the paddock Hamilton sat in silence at the back of the McLaren garage.

Fourth is hardly a disaster and no one in their right mind would bet against a driver of Hamilton's calibre bringing home the bacon, especially as a chaotic, rain-hit race is a certainty according to forecasters.

It was more a case of trying too hard to give his fans what they wanted.

That is no crime but the fact is Hamilton's string of disasters refuses to end - and the cost is mounting.

He already trails Felipe Massa by 10 points and can thank his lucky stars the Brazilian will start ninth today after Ferrari bungled a tyre change.

At the start of the season the legendary Jackie Stewart warned Hamilton that his second year could be harder than the first, but the youngster refused to believe it.

After the joy of Monaco Hamilton's season has been going downhill fast. He: crashed into Raikkonen in Montreal at walking speed

Was hit with a 10-place penalty for France

Sulked at Magny Cours and slammed the media

Straightlined a chicane on the first lap in France and was given a stop-go penalty

Took to the high seas only to see the boat crash

Challenged Jenson Button to a fitness race and then withdrew

Slid off in Silverstone qualifying

Yesterday Hamilton overcooked the run through Bridge and skidded wide at Priory bend.

He had a detailed explanation for what happened but the two words "my" and "fault" weren't among them.

He said: "I was quite relaxed, the first two sectors were good but I went into Priory and on the turn-in had an oversteer moment.

"I don't know whether it was down to the wind, but there were very tricky conditions out there.

"I went into the corner like normal and suddenly the rear gave up. But I'm quite happy with fourth."

Happy with fourth? Not many champions say that - and Hamilton has never said it before.

He was looking moody and dishing out laconic replies to the simplest of questions yesterday.

Even those such as: "Is it important to you to win at Silverstone in the two years before the Grand Prix moves to Donington?" were met with: "It would be nice."

The day before, in happier times, Hamilton had said: "It is important I get something out of this race. I'm not coming here saying I am going to win.

"It is not so important to blow everyone away. It's important to have a solid weekend and the aim is to get a win - but I want to make sure I get some points."

David Coulthard starts 11th for his last British Grand Prix, and Button 17th.

STANDINGS

1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari 48

2. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber 46

3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 43

4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes 38

5. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber 28

6. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren Mercedes 20

7. Jarno Trulli, Toyota 18

8. Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing 18

9. Fernando Alonso, Renault 10

10. Nico Rosberg, Williams 8

11. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams 7

12. David Coulthard, Red Bull Racing 6

13. Rubens Barrichello, Honda Racing 5

14. Timo Glock, Toyota 5

15. Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Toro Rosso 5

16. Jenson Button, Honda Racing 3

17. Sebastien Bourdais, Scuderia Toro Rosso 2

18. Nelson Piquet Jr, Renault 2

TODAY'S GRID

1. Kovalainen, McLaren 1min 21.049secs

2. Webber, RedBull - Renault 1:21.554

3. Raikkonen, Ferrari 1:21.706

4. Hamilton, McLaren 1:21.835

5. Heidfeld, BMW Sauber 1:21.873

6. Alonso, Renault 1:22.029

7. Piquet, Renault 1:22.491

8. Vettel, Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:23.251

9. Massa, Ferrari 1:23.305

10. Kubica, BMW Sauber no time

11. Coulthard, RedBull - Renault

12. Glock, Toyota

13. Bourdais, Toro Rosso - Ferrari

14. Trulli, Toyota

15. Nakajima, Williams - Toyota

16. Barrichello, Honda

17. Button, Honda

18. Rosberg, Williams - Toyota

19. Sutil, Force India - Ferrari

20. Fisichella, Force India - Ferrari