Hamilton's Suzuka GP nightmare
2010-10-11 07:31
UP AND OUT: Lewis Hamilton'c crash McLaren is hoisted off the Suzuka track.
Suzuka, Japan - McLaren's F1 World title hopeful Lewis Hamilton was, if nothing else, happy to put a nightmare Japanese GP weekend behind him.
The only thing that seemed to go right for the 2008 champion, who finished fifth her and slipped to fourth in the Drivers' standings, was that he did not suffer another retirement.
After three failed-to-finish results from his previous four races, the Briton arrived in Suzuka optimistic that the wheel of fortune was about to turn his way. It was a forlorn hope.
Instead, Hamilton crashed during Friday practice and completed but a handful of laps.
Saturday's session was washed out, along with qualifying, and he picked up a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change after a fault was detected too late.
He was troubled by an ear infection and had to endure a bizarre drivers' parade in which he was ferried around the circuit in a 1950's open-topped three-wheeled Messerschmitt bubble car while his rivals waved from Rolls-Royces and Ferraris.
"It was ridiculous," he said, his personal bubble truly pricked. Then his replacement gearbox malfunctioned.
"I'd definitely say it's been a weekend to forget," Hamilton said while his Red Bull rivals celebrated a 1-2 finish. "It's probably been one of the worst weekends I can remember.
Bit unfortunate
"Not finishing in the previous races was perhaps a little bit worse but, in terms of bad luck overall, it's a bit unfortunate this one," added Hamilton.
"I can't imagine a weekend with more problems, to be honest."
Hamilton said he lost third gear during the race and had to drive using gears four to seven only.
Asked about the championship, he replied simply: "I have no idea, doesn't look good."
Hamilton is now 28 points behind Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber with three races remaining. He can, mathematically, turn the tables; anything can happen in such a close-fought season.
'You know these guys...'
"I'm just thankful and so happy that I at least saw the end of the race," he said. "It's the first finish for a long time. You have to try to remain optimistic but I didn't think it was going to make, it to be honest. The car was making a lot of noise so I just kept my fingers crossed and tried not to make too many gearshifts.
"There are still three races to go and still 75 points available but you know these guys just continue to pick up points. Non-stop. It will be very difficult but we will keep pushing."
In a rare piece of good news, team principal Martin Whitmarsh said Hamilton's gearbox problems would not incur another five-place penalty for the next race in South Korea.
"It's not a problem for the next race. We've taken the penalty for this weekend so we have a free gearbox change for the next race," he told reporters.
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