Hamilton Lost 2Kgs in Catalunya, but Gained Vital Points
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DAILY NATION | Wednesday May 17, 2017 Sports | 65 RACE TRACK Hamilton lost 2kgs in Catalunya, but gained vital points ast Sunday’s Spanish lead and knowing that Mercedes manoeuvre on Bottas. Grand Prix in Catalunya would fret if Vettel pitted seeking The Finn did Hamilton a Lwas everything Formula to extend his lead by using an huge favour by holding back the One fans had hoped for in the undercut, Ferrari called Vettel German for a while as Hamilton quest for highly competitive in on the 15th lap. closed the gap on the Ferrari. racing between different True to their plan, Vettel was Vettel had to make one more teams. out again and began to close the pit-stop to put on mediums The fact that Mercedes and gap to Hamilton. while Hamilton would have the Ferrari were separated by less But Mercedes’ engineers softs for the last stint, a reversal than four seconds after 66 laps, had other ideas. They kept of fortunes for the Italian team while deploying different race out both Hamilton and Bottas, towards the end of race. strategies, points to how narrow Hamilton came in under the the gap is in the performance virtual safety car on lap 37 and of the cars. had the huge task ahead of Third place went to Red ALEX MWANGI nursing his softs for the next Bull, though with more than 29 laps. a minute separating second- Hamilton lost Ferrari responded soon after placed Sebastian Vettel and about two kilos the Brit’s pit-stop by having Daniel Ricciardo, there is a sense during the race, a Vettel come in for mediums. that Mercedes and Ferrari are in a league of their own and the sacrifice borne out Wheel-to-wheel action championship race is between of the demands of the Gripping action soon followed the two. 2017 F1 vehicles which as Hamilton cruised on the It was a disappointing Sunday have drivers facing speed trap past the pit-stops for Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and greater G-forces while which Vettel was exiting. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who Hamilton stayed on the went out seconds into the race in racing than previous left side of the track into PHOTO | AFP the first corner when Raikkonen models.” the right turn attempting to Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton (right) celebrates with his team after winning the Spanish For- sought to hug the inside lane as sweep past the German but mula One Grand Prix last Sunday at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona. though the Mercedes of Valterri Vettel was already up to speed Bottas was non-existent, taking and managed to hold up his advantage of having the system tyres hold for the remaining facing greater G-forces while out Verstappen in the process. with permutations before them position to the delight of the at his disposal. 22 laps? racing than previous models. The race blew wide open when indicating that Hamilton had a Ferrari pit crew and courtesy Luck was not on Vettel’s side After opening a four-second It’s a loss which he no doubt Vettel overtook the Mercedes good chance of winning the race of wheel-to-wheel action which for long however as he could not cushion, Hamilton only needed feels was overcompensated by of Lewis Hamilton right at despite Vettel’s early pit stop. saw Hamilton forced to use the have traffic up ahead for the to keep the Ferrari at bay despite winning, now that he is just the start. Hamilton dived into the pit- run-off area. rest of the race and fittingly Vettel having more durable six points behind Vettel in the There were nervous faces at stop on the 22nd lap, in part to The chase was on! on the 44th lap, (Hamilton’s tyres, a task which proved well race for the title after five races. the Mercedes paddock but it limit the damage of the precious Vettel had the advantage of car is no. 44), the three-time within his grasp. was game on when it became seconds that Vettel was adding traffic ahead which enabled him champion swept past the four- Hamilton lost about two kilos Alex Mwangi, a business obvious that Hamilton would between the Ferrari and the to engage the Drag Reduction time champion in a move that during the race, a sacrifice borne reporter at NTV, is an avid not let Vettel disappear down Merc. One of the highlights of System to keep Hamilton at the Ferrari had little defence out of the demands of the 2017 Formula One follower. the road. With a comfortable the race was Vettel’s overtaking bay, cancelling out the Brit’s against. Would Hamilton’s F1 vehicles which have drivers [email protected].