Lewis Hamilton did not win the Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday — he left that to Fernando Alonso, his McLaren Mercedes teammate — but he stole the Formula One show with a drive of remarkable maturity and razor-sharp competitiveness in conditions that are about as tough as it gets.
In finishing second to follow third place on his debut at the Australian Grand Prix three weeks ago, Hamilton has completed two breathtaking initial drives that are being seen as among the most successful the sport has known.
Hamilton’s performance in Melbourne was hailed by legends such as Niki Lauda and Sir Stirling Moss as among the best debuts they had seen; what he did in the heat and humidity of Sepang yesterday will have convinced them and many others that the Briton is a potential champion.
Over the two races, Hamilton has shown that he is quick enough to hold his own against the best in the world. He loves to mix it with rivals in wheel-to-wheel combat, but he is able to do so without unduly risking his car and, perhaps most impressive, he is metronomically consistent, even under acute competitive pressure.
After a race at the Sepang International Circuit in which he advanced from fourth on the grid to second at the first corner, defended his position brilliantly against Felipe Massa, of Ferrari, and then held his nerve in the closing stages against Kimi Raikkonen, Massa’s teammate, an exhausted Hamilton
called it the toughest contest of his career. “It was the most difficult race I have ever had,” the 22-year-old from Tewin, Hertfordshire, said.
Reflecting on the start — when, on form, neither Hamilton nor Alonso was expected to get on terms with the Ferraris — he said: “To see two Ferraris behind you, two red blobs in the mirror, knowing they are slightly lighter than you and slightly quicker, it was very difficult to keep them behind.”
Hamilton continued in a vein that shows he has not only learnt to walk the walk in Formula One but can talk the talk, too. “Felipe had a couple of moves, but fortunately I was able to trick him to outbrake himself. I could cut across to the point he went off, so I apologise for that,” he said in a remark that was greeted with laughter.
“Then I had Kimi hunting me down for most of the race,” he said. “I can’t explain how tough it was, how hot in the cockpit. I ran out of water, so halfway through the race I didn’t have enough.
“It was getting hotter and hotter. It was nice to have a gap, but I pushed to the end. I had to dig as deep as I could by preserving the energy I had to bring the car to the end. I am overwhelmed.”
Hamilton’s father, Anthony, said that this had been another amazing day for him and his son. He would have been happy had Hamilton finished fourth, where he had started, and was thrilled to see the McLarens get the better of the Ferraris.
Asked whether he was impressed by what his son has achieved in his first two races, Hamilton Sr said: “I’m not, to be quite honest. He’s where he is and it’s where he should be.”
Ron Dennis, the McLaren team principal, who has nurtured Hamilton’s career since the driver was 13, said that this race will have convinced everyone that the decision to promote him from the GP2 Series into Formula One had been the right one. Dennis had been particularly impressed with the composure Hamilton had shown under terrific pressure from Raikkonen.
“To keep his driving tidy and look after the car and do what was necessary to come second displayed a level of professionalism that you wouldn’t expect to find in a guy doing his second grand prix,” Dennis said. And he paid this compliment: “I think now we can all see that Lewis is not just a capable racing driver but also in his approach to life . . . he’s a very good all-round talent.”
As for the other British drivers, Jenson Button finished twelfth for Honda, Anthony Davidson was sixteenth for Super Aguri and David Coulthard retired after 36 laps when a problem developed with his Red Bull’s brake pedal.
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