McLaren to play it safe at Interlagos
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has revealed that his team will probably run Lewis Hamilton’s engine in a “safe” setting at Brazil this weekend.
“The track is fairly bumpy, so there’s a greater premium placed on finding a good, driveable balance. The track itself is situated at fairly high altitude, which has a knock-on effect on engine horsepower and downforce, both of which are a little lower than at a regular circuit. For this race, we’ll also be looking at the possibility of running Lewis’s engine in a safer setting so it has a bit more margin than normal. It’s something we do throughout the season but, clearly, there’s a greater need to be safe this weekend.”
Fair enough - any other team in the pit lane would make the same call. Why take unnecessary risks?
Whitmarsh also said that reliability is his biggest concern ahead of the title decider:
“While we try and eliminate as many difficulties for the race team as is possible, there is no escaping the fact that a title-deciding race is clearly very stressful. You’re somewhat torn because the need to score four points is considerably easier than winning - but that sort of attitude is anathema to the team. The reality is that Shanghai was rather more stressful because we only had a five-point cushion over Felipe and that could have been seriously dented.
“Given our performance so far this year, you’d assume that Lewis would be able to score the necessary points - but that could be affected by a sudden Safety Car period or a mechanical problem. Both drivers just need to drive clean races; but reliability is the biggest stress-builder for the guys in the garage, and it is a constant worry.”
How to drive around Interlagos, by Fernando Alonso
End-of-term driver report card: Sebastien Bourdais
12 responses so far
1 Bob // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:13 am
Hi, I’d like to say that Hmilton will never be win a championship driver classifiaction. Thar year Massa will be the best and next Kubica :))
2 hamilton boyfriend // Oct 28, 2008 at 11:56 am
FUCK YOU ham-ilton
as you drive in another team anymore you to the podium was heading !!!
it’s TRUE !!! ham - ilton buahaha
3 POLAK // Oct 28, 2008 at 12:51 pm
LEWUS HAMULCON !!! I hate that Kid !! Realy English People, how many languaegs do you all know ? HMMM ?? I proude to be POLISH !!! And I know Something more, LEWUS HAMULCON (Lewis Hamilton) never gone be a champ… He just have good car, THE BEST DRIVER IN WHOLE F1 Paddock is ROBERT KUBICA !!!! I this year Massa is gone be CHAMP !!!!!!
4 Janis // Oct 28, 2008 at 12:57 pm
KUBICA!!!!! The best pilot ever!!!!!We love you Robert!!!
5 Hamilton's mother // Oct 28, 2008 at 12:59 pm
LEWIS is ma bitch , he suck me every day so I told him : ” Lewis you’re the best” and hi thnik he is the best in F1 , he’s an aschol
6 bandzior // Oct 28, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Massa must win!!! Hamilton sucks!!!
7 Cackie Steward // Oct 28, 2008 at 1:49 pm
To win, Lewis just needs inspiration from his hero Senna.
Sit behind Massa into the first corner, wait for him to turn in, bang, job done - just like Ayrton in Suzuka in 1990.
Reliability doesn’t come into it!
8 Mark // Oct 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I hope, that will by a good and fair-play fight between Hamilton and Massa. Both Ferrari and McLaren has possibilities to cheat. When Hamilton crush Massa, he will by a champion, but if Raikkonen crush Hamilton, Massa will have a very good chance for a championship. Both Ferrari, and McLaren showed in previous, that they can`t fight honestly (overtake of Raikkonen by Massa, and stealing bolid project by McLaren), so that will by very interesting GP. I hope, that Raikkonen will crush Hamilton, because it`s good for Kubica, who will defend 3rd place. He deserves it.
9 wk // Oct 29, 2008 at 3:02 am
di***
in yours and his ass
10 jelena // Oct 30, 2008 at 1:00 am
MASSA CAN SUCK IT !
11 xxx // Oct 30, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Hamilton suxxx!
12 yyy // Oct 30, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Hamlton rulzzzz!