Lewis Hamilton Wins The 2008 German Grand Prix
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by: Henri Boulanger
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Word Count: 538
Following the 2008 German Grand Prix, the clear leader in the Formula One standings is Lewis Hamilton. With his victory at the July race in Germany and his previous win in England, Hamilton is four points in the clear. His victory came with some daring passes after a near disaster early in the race.
A crash in a hairpin turn involving Timo Glock required a safety car, which almost cost Hamilton the race. As most teams were in the pit while the safety car was out, the McLaren team kept Lewis Hamilton on the track, giving him a great lead. When he finally had to enter the pit with seventeen laps to go, Hamilton dropped to fifth place. Since he dominated the trials, started in pole position and gained an eleven second lead early in the race, Hamilton couldn't risk a loss with such an advantage.
Only after squeezing past Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Renault's Nelson Piquat Jr. was the McLaren driver able to make up lost ground and capture victory. Massa attempted an outside challenge that almost overtook the eventual winner, but Hamilton held Massa off to earn his eighth victory in twenty-seven races. It was an impressive and highly competitive race, even from the viewpoint of hardcore Formula One fans.
Piquat is somewhat of a novice in the Formula One circuit. Many experts say his lack of driving expertise cost him the race. In the end, he was able to hold off advances by Massa to claim runner up for the Ferrari team. It was Piquat's first podium victory.
Going into the German Grand Prix, Hamilton was in a three-way tie with Massa and Kimi Raikkonan. After the results of this race, he leads Massa by four points and Raikkonan by seven, though it's still too early in the season to declare a clear victor. Eight races are left, and the standing could get turned completely upside down by the end of the season. Last year, Raikkonan won the title by a single point, so it could all come down to the last few races.
The next Grand Prix will be held in Hungary, and the McLaren team is excited to build upon the momentum of the last few races. Last season, Hamilton beat Raikkonan in Hungary, so he's looking forward to a repeat victory. If he can hold off his opponents, he'll extend his lead even further, since seven races remain in the season after Hungary.
The decision by the McLaren team leaders was risky. Hamilton himself feels that he needed to be directed into the pit by his team while all the other racers were pitted. But his extraordinary driving skill and extraordinarily fast car made up for any team mistakes and brought him one step closer to the Formula One championship.
As long as Hamilton keeps up this pace, he'll be guaranteed the championship. Last year, he faltered toward the end of the season, and it cost him dearly. Hamilton is too skilled a driver to let late season stress and distraction undo his achievements. Formula One legend Niki Lauda says that if Hamilton continues racing like he did at the German Grand Prix, he's unbeatable.
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