view photoHOCKENHEIM, Germany (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton will be unbeatable if he continues to drive like he did in Sunday's German Grand Prix, said triple world champion Niki Lauda.
"Last year he was my favourite, but he screwed up in the last two races," the former Ferrari and McLaren Formula One driver told Reuters.
"I think he's got the message now, from Silverstone in a difficult race and here in a difficult race for him. He did an outstanding performance.
"He's on the right track and if he continues like this he's unbeatable."
Hamilton, who triumphed in a thrilling home grand prix at a wet Silverstone two weeks previously, effectively won two races on Sunday -- one before Toyota's Timo Glock crashed and the safety car was deployed, and another, far tougher, one afterwards.
In the first half, he streaked away from pole position with Ferrari's Felipe Massa powerless to respond and world champion Kimi Raikkonen lost in his own struggles. The race seemed destined to be a processional victory for the young Briton, merited but no thriller.
The safety car, and McLaren's response to it after consulting their number-crunching strategy experts back at Woking headquarters, threw that notion out of the window.
Hamilton stayed out while others pitted and was then caught out when the safety car remained on track longer than expected.
DAZZLING DISPLAY
With Hamilton dropping to fifth after finally pitting with 16 laps remaining, the fight was on and the Briton used his car's pace advantage to respond with a dazzling display that bore all the hallmarks of a future champion.
Italian reporters were reminded of the days when now-retired seven-times champion Michael Schumacher used to perform such feats for Ferrari. Others, such as Lauda, mentioned Hamilton's idol, Brazil's late triple champion Ayrton Senna.
"Perfect, outstanding, Senna-type of driving," was how the retired Austrian driver, now a commentator for German television, summed up the 23-year-old McLaren ace's afternoon at Hockenheim.
The Briton, elated after his second win in a row and fourth of the season, remained focused on the task ahead and wary of pitfalls in a season that has seen four different leaders.
"We're looking strong, we're looking good ... but as you know, in a Formula One season things change," he said. "All I know is that we will have a competitive car and if we can challenge for wins, then great."
Hamilton is four points ahead of Ferrari's Massa with eight races remaining.
Lauda, who won his third and final title with McLaren in 1984, said Hamilton needed to keep a level head.
The Briton lost the title to Ferrari's Raikkonen by a single point last year after the Finn ate up his rival's 17-point lead in the final two races.
"If he continues to drive like this and not start fainting like last year in the last couple of races, then he's in the right direction, no question," said Lauda.
"The most important (thing) for him is to calm himself down and not try to win everything with power and stress. Calm him down and he will use his ability to drive quick in a way which he will drive races like this," he added.
"If he and the team work together in the same direction, Ferrari will not beat them."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Comment 1 - 8 of 8
Well Dragon you have a very valid point in Massa, he has lost it, completely. Seeing how Hamilton hung him out to dry on that corner was a very eye opening realuization about Massa, he now holds the undisputed first place "whimp" catagory. I am not a LH fan but hand it to him he does have balls. Watch him at any start when he is not in P1, he just completely dominates and intiminates those around him, again "balls!" He has a great car, fantastic team and a British media which will never see him do any harm or wrong doing. Is he a great driver, the best driver at present.... hardly..he is good with big balls, not great. Alonso's balls may have shrunk a bit, agreed, but put him in Red and well, Hamilton may just have a problem... (even Vittel in the Bull could be a problem..this kid needs expearence but ....balls...none bigger in the present line up..
I am a longtime Ferrari fan. You other Ferrari fans should show some class and congratulate Lewis Hamilton and McLaren for a job well done. This kid is very good and will make things interesting for a long time. I still think that Ferrari will snap out of it and get back into contention. My money is on Kimi. I have seen Massa falter too many times to place much trust on him. I like the guy, but he's not championship material. Kimi just needs to make up his mind that he has a title to defend. If Hamilton ends up winning it, we should all congratulate him and hope for a better season next year.
Please, NO ALONSO at Ferrari. I don't care how talented he is, the guys is a pr$ck.
Hasn't Alonso already burnt his bridges with Ferrari? I'm sure I remember something a few years ago when I think Ferrari enquired about using his services and they got some awful arrogant respose from the Alonso camp. Jean Todt then said Alonso would 'never' drive for Ferrari. Even though Todt has now left I think for Alonso to join Ferrari Luca Montezemelo would also have had to have left Ferrari for it to be allowed to happen. Like a lot of people in the know Ferrari just don't like Alonso. It's obvious to anyone that Ferrari would now kill for Hamilton.
Alonso IN RED??? are you kidding? he'll gift the championship to Lewis!!! He'll fight Kimi until Ferrari throw him out, but they would have lost one more championship. The punk is even @#$% about Piquet second place!!!
Meanwhile Kwadrino is new to Hamilton bashing. My money is on the fact that Kwadrino is the alias of Goldpibe or Ronwoon or one of those established Hamilton bashers that are in hiding.
And hekki will never be unbeatable, but such a nice gentleman on the track... pfff, come on! I hope ferrari gets back on the right way soon. Hamilton is winning as the others are clearly failing.
Looking forward to seeing Alonso in red, and let's who is unbeatable in a long long while
kWADRINIO: What a pathetic pratt you are. Unless a ferrari is winning then you don't want to know. What a sorry loser you are. What a pathetic "sportsman" you are. Ferrari have been shown how it should be done on two occasions now. Outclassed by a better driver & outclassed by a better team.
Good to see you watched the race kwadrinio! I totally agree Lewis should hang his head in shame, who the bloody hell does he think he is to go winning a race, what’s this sport coming to when a winner enjoys himself and says so! You keep up your campaign for the honour and dignity bit, and when you win the lottery show us all and the media just how disappointed you really are at winning!
Lauda's been wrong before, and he's wrong about Hamilton. The guy just doesn't have the internal greatness that the true masters have. Too much mouth, too much good luck, and his come-uppance is just around the corner I'm sure. Go Kimi, and show this kid how it's done with honor and dignity... not that he's capable of it.
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