Hamilton celebrated in Abu Dhabi third win of the season

 

Red Bull on Sunday for the first time since 24 October 2010 on the podium of a Formula 1 race was missing. The man of the floodlit race in Abu Dhabi was Lewis Hamilton. The British McLaren driver won ahead of Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and his compatriot and team mate Jenson Button.

 

The season-dominators of Red Bull had to deal with the Australian Mark Webber fourth satisfied, which is already established as a world champion German Sebastian Vettel retired from the first time in more than a year. In the season final race on the 27th It's November in Brazil between Button (255 points), Alonso (245) and Webber (233) for second place in the championship standings.

"One of my best races"

"That was one of my best races," said the 26-year-old Hamilton, who dedicated the victory as a birthday gift from his mother, Carmen had traveled. "I am delighted with this victory and I see it as a step which I hope again enter," said the year crisis-ridden world champion in 2008, who a month ago, the separation from his longtime girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls officially confirmed. Hamilton will conclude the first time in his Formula 1 career, one season after his team mate (Button).

Vettel went into the race from pole position and defended his lead at the start it successfully. Already in the second turn of the 24-year-old but slipped because of a ruptured right rear tire off the track. Vettel made it though with the heavily battered cars to the pits, but then there he was forced to retire.

Vettel mystery puncture

"The launch was perfect. Receipt of the second corner, I then lost the car, I could not do anything more, "Vettel described the departure. About the cause of tire failure prevailed at Red Bull big guessing game. "We do not know why it came so far. The tire is hard to watch, because that is distributed everywhere, "said Vettel.

The rest of the race followed by Vettel Red Bull-command post. "I would obviously much rather be sitting in the car. But it was also be interesting to see the race from a different perspective, "said Vettel. Through the first loss since 2010 South Korea Vettel's attack on Michael Schumacher's record of 13 wins this season burst in 2004. Vettel holds before the season finale at eleven first places in 2011.

In addition, the series of double world champion went seven podium places and 19 races in the points at the end. And at just that place where he has a year made his first World Cup triumph perfectly. As a consolation, Vettel was his 14th Season from pole position Saturday, with which he has set the season record of Britain's Nigel Mansell (1992).

Final

1.	Lewis Hamilton	GBR	McLaren	1:37:11,886
2.	Fernando Alonso	ESP	Ferrari	+ 8,457
3.	Jenson Button	GBR	McLaren	25,881
4.	Webber	OFF	Red Bull	35,784
5.	Felipe Massa	BRA	Ferrari	50,578
6.	Nico Rosberg	GER	Mercedes	52,317
7.	Michael Schumacher	GER	Mercedes	1:15,964
8.	Adrian Sutil	GER	Force India	1:17,122
9.	Paul di Resta	GBR	Force India	1:41,087
10.	Kamui Kobayashi	JPN	Clean	Round 1
11.	Sergio Perez	MEX	Clean	Round 1
12.	Rubens Barrichello	BRA	Williams	Round 1
13.	Vitaly Petrov	RUS	Lotus Renault	Round 1
14.	Pastor Maldonado	VEN	Williams	Round 1
15.	Jaime Alguersuari	ESP	Toro Rosso	Round 1
16.	Bruno Senna	BRA	Lotus Renault	Round 1
17.	Heikki Kovalainen	FIN	Team Lotus	Round 1
18.	Jarno Trulli	ITA	Team Lotus	2 rounds
19.	Timo Glock	GER	Virgin	2 rounds
20.	Tonio Liuzzi	ITA	Hispania	2 rounds

Out: Sebastian Vettel (GER / Red Bull), Sebastien Buemi (SUI / Toro Rosso), Jerome d'Ambrosio (BEL / Virgin), Daniel Ricciardo (AUS / Hispania)

Fastest lap: Webber (51 / 1:42,612)

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Moment of truth for Hamilton in Abu Dhabi

Hamilton has never lost to his teammate

Lewis Hamilton for the penultimate round of the Formula 1 World Championship 2011 will be on Sunday in Abu Dhabi to the moment of truth. 

The Englishman has never completed a world championship behind a McLaren team-mate, this is about the 2008 World Champion but now by Jenson Button. The five-year old Briton is ahead 38 points and can even go on to the Yas Marina Circuit, the sack.

Button with pace on way to the runner-up

Button is even on the best way to be runner-up behind the towering double champion Sebastian Vettel. At 240 points, Button is looking for his three wins this season, so he has 13 points ahead of third placed Ferrari star Fernando Alonso and 19 on the second Red Bull drivers Mark Webber, go for the second place in the championship probably only hard is.

Hamilton followed with two races to 202 points first to fifth place and is aware that such a clear defeat against the moving material with the same teammates quite a shame. Button sees the left, at least outwardly. "More than to lie in the championship ahead of Lewis are what interest me more wins," said the 31-year-old champion of 2009 in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton: "If you want to double my quota of victories"

Hamilton in the year so tired of Red Bull and Vettel dominated the world championship just two wins and most recently also been struggling with personal problems because of the separation of celebrity girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. With further wins will the pain be alleviated. "I want to double my quota of wins," the 26-year-old has made to win the remaining two races.

Quite as far-fetched is not at all. Button and Hamilton were the two most recent race in Abu Dhabi on each platform, Hamilton started from pole in 2009 and went last year with the fastest lap of the race in second place. "I was the driver who most recently was most tightly tuned to Vettel. So we are better than last year at this time. And the track in Abu Dhabi is very contrary to our car, "team-mate Button is convinced.

In the race for the vice-world champion Alonso is also what interested the double world champion but not much. "If you no longer fight for the title, everything else is irrelevant," said the Spaniard.

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Formula 1 driver Hamilton in crisis

 

Accidents, fines, disputes and excuses: Ski bully Lewis Hamilton has to fight in the Formula 1 season sprint to the left of his reputation as a super talent. The 2008 World Champion is after a series of stupid things from just a sad figure, looking desperately for the way back into the fast lane. "Every race, every obstacle in life is important," philosophized the McLaren driver. 

Before the Grand Prix of South Korea on Sunday, he declared: ". I always come back, try it again and again and hope it gets better" Last but it got worse. Since his victory at the Nurburgring in late July, the 26-year-old collected especially embarrassing entries in the breakdown statistics. Low point was the collision with Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, Italy, Singapore and Japan, for the Hamilton earned head shaking. "He does not listen, he does not know how he does not learn it," thundered the Brazilians. "I was in the last race more often in the wrong place," said Hamilton.

The Briton feels like the wrong movie. Once hailed as a prodigy, then revered as exciting Überholkünstler - and now derided as a fraction pilot. And even then team-mate Jenson Button moves into the spotlight. The cool man could be the first country house rival, the brilliant Hamilton since his Formula 1 debut in 2007 defeats in a season.

In the last five races Button won whopping 101 points, second is World Cup. Hamilton missed the podium five times, however, went only 44 meter and slipped to fifth place overall. "I'm obviously not as good as he is," said Hamilton. But his self-image corresponds to the not entirely sure. How much he added to the situation that Hamilton is clear to see. Time he has offended, sometimes frustrated, sometimes aggressive.

Anthony's father but is worried if his son get out of the track gets the right advice. "It has several causes. Mostly it's up to me, "confessed Hamilton in Yeongam. Then he turned his gaze to the seated next to him a double world champion Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. "I want to emulate them. So I have to catch them, "he said.

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Hamilton dominated Hungary Practice

 

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed his current form after winning last weekend at the Nurburgring. The ex- World Champion was on Friday in both free practice sessions for the Formula 1- Grand- Prix ​​of Hungary, the fastest. On the afternoon of the day's best of British pointed with 1:21,018 minutes Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari and his McLaren- Team mate Jenson Button to take two and three.

The Red- Bull Drivers Mark Webber and WM Leader Sebastian Vettel came out with about half a second slower than the ranks of four and not five. Here, the "cops" had been considered whether the characteristics of the track at the Hungaroring as favorites. The definitive starting grid for the qualifying is on Saturday from 14.00 clock on the Program.

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"Hamilton new" Focused, yet outsiders

 

A victory will change much - even with Lewis Hamilton. The former Formula 1- World champion appears before the summer break, waiting for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, again in full possession of his faculties.

A few weeks ago the Englishman had spoken publicly about the threat of burnout, he now has in addition a purpose- his sporting creative crisis overcome.

This has the 26 - Year-old last weekend with his impressive victory at the Nurburgring proven. Wiped off the speculation about Hamilton's departure from McLaren, wiped away even those on a possible relationship crisis with pop singer Nicole Scherzinger. "I'm focused again and fresh in your mind," said the Briton, the front of the home- Grand- Had Prix at Silverstone in early July made even his busy schedule partly responsible for his problems.

Between the races in England and Germany, Hamilton had taken a break - with success. "People will laugh when I say I have recovered, but it's the truth," said the Briton. His aggressive driving style over the course of the season Hamilton had introduced all sorts of criticism, the racing commissioners, he was a regular customer.

Meanwhile, the exceptional artist can speak again to his deeds on the track. Pressed at the Nurburgring, the 16 - time Grand Prix Winner, who has already won in Hungary, at the decisive moment in the leading Ferrari Star Fernando Alonso past. So Hamilton is 82 points behind defending champion Sebastian Vettel's first World Cup Runner-up to Red Bull

Yet he had to wait for a serious attack on the World Cup probably by 2012. "I think we have to wait until next year, until our car is as good as theirs," said Hamilton. "We'll see."

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Hamilton wins German Grand Prix

 

An emotional Lewis Hamilton produced one of the finest wins of his career on Sunday, when he confirmed McLaren's Formula One renaissance with a dazzling victory in the German Grand Prix.

It was the Briton's second win of the year and 16th of his career and not only revitalized McLaren, but also proved once again that runaway leader Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull team are not invincible.

The 26-year-old, who started from second on the grid at the Nürburgring, took the lead from the start and delivered a well-judged race and some flamboyant passing moves, supported by excellent strategy, to resist strong challenges from his rivals.

"That was one of the best races that I have ever done," said a delighted Hamilton, after winning for the first time since the Chinese Grand Prix in April. "We didn't expect to come here and be so fast and really I just could not be feeling any better.

"It was just great and we have to keep pushing. These are the results that we can get - the car was really nice to drive. A fantastic job and fantastic win."

The 2008 champion controlled the race almost entirely, but had to fight at times to retain his advantage as he came home 3.9 seconds ahead of second placed Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.

Two-time champion Alonso, who won the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, finished a strong second ahead of third-placed Australian Mark Webber, the pole-sitter, of Red Bull and his team-mate defending champion Vettel, in fourth, after a brilliant final pit stop saw him move up from fifth in the pit lane.

Vettel remains out in front of the title race by 77 points with 216 ahead of Webber on 139 and Hamilton, now third, on 134. Alonso is fourth on 130.

In the constructors' championship, Red Bull lead with 355 points ahead of McLaren on 243 while Ferrari are third on 192.

McLaren team chief Martin Whitmarsh was delighted with Hamilton's performance, despite seeing Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, forced to retire with hydraulics problems.

"What a fantastic race," he said. "You had three teams, three drivers, really battling it out. Lewis just drove a fantastic race. We were very nervous all the way through to be honest."

Alonso said: "I am extremely happy with today's result. We had a weekend that probably was not the easiest one. We struggled a bit on Friday, in qualifying we were fourth, half a second from pole so no doubts that we struggled a bit more with the weekend.

"But even with the difficulties we are second and fighting for victory, so this is a fantastic achievement. Second in Valencia, first at Silverstone and second here."

Webber, beaten from pole for the second successive race, said: "We weren't quick enough. I did everything I could. I'm happy with the way I drove, but these guys had a bit of an extra margin, especially in the back part of the stints. That made us a little bit exposed on strategy."

It was runaway leader Vettel's worst finish of a dominant season and signaled that, at last, the Red Bull team may have a battle on their hands in
the second half of the year.

"We have to accept that today other people were quicker than us, and sure, I'm not happy, I'm not satisfied," said Vettel. "I didn't feel too good all weekend, I never got to the pace Mark (Webber) had in his car."

Felipe Massa came home fifth for Ferrari ahead of Germans Adrian Sutil of Force India, Nico Rosberg of Mercedes and his team-mate, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher.

Japanese Kamui Kobayashi was ninth for Sauber, after starting 17th, and Russian Vitaly Petrov 10th for Renault.

AFP/mry

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