2007 Malaysian GP review

[tadah]

McLaren went into the Malaysian Grand Prix in confident frame of mind, but even Fernando Alonso said it was a surprise as he and Lewis Hamilton turned on a crushing demonstration in which they left Ferrari for dead in the opening stages and swept to the team’s first one-two result since Brazil 2005.At the start Alonso sprinted alongside polesitter Felipe Massa and was able to take the lead, but in another brilliant display Hamilton dived inside Raikkonen to snatch third place before going round the outside of Massa in Turn Two to move up to second.

The Englishman then contained the Ferrari challenge, earning his spurs with a faultless drive, as his team leader went for the win. Ferrari suddenly faced an afternoon of trying to salvage something from what was beginning to look like a disaster, for Massa failed on both occasions when he tried to oust Hamilton. Each time he was repassed easily by the British driver, and on the second occasion the Brazilian slid into the gravel on the exit to Turn Four and lost a crucial place to Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber.

As Alonso pulled out a 15.6s lead before stopping for fuel on lap 18, Hamilton built an advantage over Raikkonen, who stopped the same lap as Alonso. Hamilton thus led a Grand Prix for the second time in succession, until refuelling on lap 20.

The story was the same in the second stint, both McLaren and Ferrari still running Bridgestone’s soft tyres. But this time Hamilton had the gap down to less than eight seconds before the stops, as he set the race’s fastest lap. He refuelled first, on lap 38, followed by Alonso on 40 and Raikkonen on 41. Now, however, all three were on the harder tyre, and while that seemed to suit Alonso and really suited Raikkonen, Hamilton was struggling for grip. Alonso’s 21+s lead was never going to be threatened, but lap by lap the Finn was carving chunks out of the Englishman’s second place advantage. Going into the closing laps the race was really coming alive again, but Hamilton kept his head and yet again never put a wheel wrong. Alonso took the flag 17.5s ahead, to score a crucial first victory for McLaren, and Hamilton hung on ahead of Raikkonen by just 0.7s.

Heidfeld’s great day earned BMW Sauber an excellent fourth place in front of an appreciative audience of Petronas representatives, as he held off former team mate Massa all the way to the flag.

Nico Rosberg was headed for an excellent sixth for Williams when his FW29 stopped on the 43rd lap with a suspected Toyota engine failure, promoting a grateful Giancarlo Fisichella who thus salvaged three points for Renault. The final points went to Jarno Trulli after a strong run for Toyota, and Renault rookie Heikki Kovalainen. Alex Wurz was ninth for Williams after an up and down run from 19th on the grid, fending off Mark Webber who challenged him hard on soft tyres in his final stint in the Red Bull RB3. They were the final unlapped runners.

Rubens Barrichello headed Honda team mate Jenson Button home in 11th and 12th places, chased by Takuma Sato and Scott Speed who battled all the way through. Ralf Schumacher was 16th, while 17th placed Anthony Davidson had a delayed Tonio Liuzzi thirsting after him all through the second half but held off the Toro Rosso to the flag. Robert Kubica was the final finisher, having run in the top six until his BMW Sauber developed a suspected transmission problem and needed to make a pit stop for attention.

Besides Rosberg, the other non-finishers were the Spykers; Adrian Sutil got shoved off on the outside of Turn 4 on the opening lap, in an incident in which Button was also involved, and then Christijan Albers’s car lost its engine shortly afterwards.

A great race thus puts Fernando Alonso into the lead of the world championship, with Kimi Raikkonen second from Lewis Hamilton. Roll on Bahrain.

[Zero]

Brits everywhere rejoice we have without doubt a future world champion in Lewis Hamilton. I myself particularly liked the way he apologised to Massa for outdriving him in the press conf. Also beuatifully cut away before we had to listen to Mumbly Perkeleinen. A good stuffing is exactly what the eye ties deserved after their pigs behavior on Wed. Anybody miss Ross Braun today ?

Great report again Tadah.

[tadah]

Lewis is looking very good. But lets not forget that this seems very familiar as its exactly what was said when jenson came along and look now. 7 years and only 1 win.

[Zero]

If Jenson had been able to stay at Renault I don`t doubt he could have done what Alonso did, unfortunately since he joined BAR/Honda he`s just not had a car capable of displaying his capabilities. Lewis however I feel will (is already) endear himself to Ron and McClaren and they will give him the car to do the job. By his 3rd season I predict.

[tadah]

Hmmm yes but that exactly what was sais of jenson. If he stays with mclaren and if the car is good enough then maybe he might have a chance but he will have to go some to beat alonso and kimi.

[Neil]

At least with no Chav around you won't get any stick for this review.

[flashy]

Originally Posted by Neil

At least with no Chav around you won't get any stick for this review.

oi dont get clever

[tadah]

He didnt give me any stick numpty nuts. But i seem to remember you trying to show me up by posting links to pages what showed exactly the same as i put. This may have been because you thought i would try to take credit for writing them but as you will see i never put that i wrote them

[flashy]

well said tad

[Neil]

Originally Posted by tadah

He didnt give me any stick numpty nuts. But i seem to remember you trying to show me up by posting links to pages what showed exactly the same as i put. This may have been because you thought i would try to take credit for writing them but as you will see i never put that i wrote them

erm no it was because chav asked me to wind you up about F1.

Sorry but he made me. He threatened to post some pictures of me and my farmyard friends

[flashy]

and how dya work that one out ya div? he aint been on for ages and he's banned