Hamilton retires from the Chinese GP

[fasteddy]

By Pablo Elizalde Sunday, October 7th 2007, 07:05 GMT


Championship leader Lewis Hamilton suffered his first retirement of the season after he went off the track at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver was running on worn-out intermediate tyres, with his right rear tyre delaminating fast.

Hamilton lost control of his car when trying to enter the pits, going off at the entry of the pitlane. He ended up stuck in the gravel and was unable to return to the track.

"The tyres were finished, and these things happen," Hamilton told ITV.

Hamilton, 12 points ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso before this race, needed to finish ahead of the Spaniard and Kimi Raikkonen to clinch the title.

His retirement left Raikkonen in the lead with Alonso in second, meaning the title battle is likely to go down to the wire.

"I'm sorry for the team, but I can still do it, don't worry," Hamilton added.

[fasteddy]

Hamilton vows to leave error behind

By Jonathan Noble Sunday, October 7th 2007, 07:52 GMT


Lewis Hamilton says he has already got over the disappointment of his retirement from the Chinese Grand Prix, as he looks towards the title showdown in Brazil.

The McLaren driver led the opening laps in China but lost his advantage when his wet tyres wore down on the drying track.

With the tyres deteriorating rapidly he headed to the pits to change to dries, but ran wide on the entry and ended up getting stranded in the gravel trap.

Speaking about his feelings to ITV, Hamilton said: "When I was out of the car I was just gutted because it was my first mistake all year and to do it on the way into the pits was not something I usually do.

"You cannot go through life without making mistakes. But I am over it and we look forward to Brazil. The team will be working hard to make sure the car is quick enough there, and we still have points in the bag."

Hamilton said there was nothing he could do to prevent his car running off the track as he came into the pits.

"We were having a great race and we didn't know if it was going to rain or not," he said. "The tyres were getting worse and worse and you could almost see the canvas underneath. When I came into the pits it was like ice, I couldn't do anything about it.

"My mirrors were completely dirty, so I couldn't see through them. I couldn't see my tyres; they just felt like they were finished.

"I was coming in that lap so it could have worked out perfectly, I think we had the pace in the dry and I am sorry for the team, they did a fantastic job as always. We have still got one more race to go and we can still do it."

[fasteddy]

McLaren take blame for Hamilton exit

By Jonathan Noble Sunday, October 7th 2007, 08:24 GMT


McLaren have taken the responsibility for keeping Lewis Hamilton out too long on his wet tyres at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The world championship leader ran off the track on the entry to the pitlane as he came in to change his badly worn wet tyres - putting him out of the race and setting up a title showdown in Brazil in two weeks' time.

Speaking to ITV after the race, McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said the team made a mistake in keeping Hamilton out.

"Quite simply we didn't call him in," he said. "I think with hindsight we left him out a lap too long and I think his tyres were pretty worn.

"The weather was pretty changeable at that time and we wanted to make sure that we weren't taking any risks and that we had to cover Kimi. In the end it was decided we had to come in, but at that stage it was frankly a lap too late.

"For Lewis it was a very disappointing day, but for Fernando he is very much in the championship fight. For the fans we have got a pretty exciting race in Brazil in two weeks' time. We are still in great shape.

"Fernando did a great job today and it was very difficult conditions. It's a sad day for Lewis and, as a team, we are still 1-2 in the drivers' championship with everything to go for. It is going to be a very tense Brazil."

Whitmarsh said McLaren wanted to stall for time on making a choice for Hamilton's tyres because of the changeable weather conditions.

"It was our decision," he said. "We were getting the weather information and it was coming and going. We didn't want to come in and get on the wrong tyre.

"We took it one lap too long and we regret that now. But I think Lewis was doing a great job and it's a shame we couldn't get the job done here today."