Hamilton on Spa: “Back into title hunt”
Lewis Hamilton is ready to renew his title race when the season resumes next week in Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix.
“Personally, I think Spa is one of the ‘great’ Formula One tracks, and one I’d really love to win,” said Hamilton.
“I’ll be going flat-out to try and get us back into the hunt again in Belgium, and it would be fantastic if we could take home another win at the end of the weekend.”
Hamilton lost his championship lead to Mark Webber and Red Bull at the Hungarian Grand Prix, leaving the McLaren driver four points behind.
He surrendered his lead after failing to finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix because of a transmission failure:
“For this year, too, I head to Spa off the back of a disappointing non-finish in Hungary. We’ve investigated the causes, and think we’ve identified the reason and are confident that it shouldn’t happen again.”
Lewis Hamilton
Team mate Jenson Button is optimistic that the team has made progress and that new flexi-wing tests introduced by the FIA will help set McLaren’s title ambitions back on track.
We come into the Belgian Grand Prix knowing that we have some catching-up do to. While we’re optimistic that the bodywork rules clarification will close the gap among the top teams, and that both Spa and Monza should suit our package better than the Hungaroring, it’s still important that we regain the momentum we’d reached earlier this season.
I love racing at Spa – it’s one of the truly great circuits, and a Grand Prix that I’d love to win. I didn’t have the best race here last year, when I was punted out at the top of the hill on the first lap, so that just gives me additional motivation to do well here.
Jenson Button
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh added:
“After a disappointing Hungarian Grand Prix, we are pushing hard to regain the performance relative to our rivals that we had enjoyed earlier this season.
“While we believe our recent upgrades have given us a downforce improvement, it appears that the package hasn’t yet delivered to its full potential, particularly in terms of providing the drivers with a consistent, confidence-delivering platform.
“We were able to carry out some useful evaluative tests during practice in Hungary, which provided us with some useful data and avenues for experimentation. And we’ll take that programme further in Spa, running floor rakes during practice to supply us with more information.
“As we’ve always stated, we believe there are some large areas of performance locked within the car and its recent upgrade, and we are confident that our solid-engineering approach will enable us to fully unlock them sooner rather than later.”
2010 Belgian Grand Prix
- Technical review: Belgian Grand Prix
- From the stands: Carol Treurnicht watches the Belgian GP at Spa
- Liuzzi: "I'd have passed Alguersuari easily"
- Button denies braking early in Vettel crash
- Hamilton "wasn't pushing" when he went off
- 2010 Belgian Grand Prix - the complete F1 Fanatic race weekend review
- Who was the best driver of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend?
- Damage limitation for Webber - but not Vettel (Red Bull race review)
- Ferrari's practice pace disappears on Sunday (Ferrari race review)
- Renault's latest upgrade gives Kubica a shot at victory (Renault race review)
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 21st August 2010, 15:08
It’s going to be a story of many parts.
The run from La Source to Les Combes will be McLaren territory. Best engine, best F-duct, sure there’s Eau Rouge but the cars have been able to go flat-out through there for years so Red Bull’s aero superiority will barely show.
From there on it will be Red Bull territory with the high-speed corners, with Ferrari just behind and McLaren a little further off. But then there will be the run from Courbe Paul Frere all the way up to the Bus Stop; just like with the run to Les Combes, McLaren’s speed advantage will dwarf the aero advantages of their rivals, with that speed compensating for less traction out of the Bus Stop.
In terms of qualifying, Red Bull will probably walk it again. But if a McLaren can get on the second row, they’ll have a good chance of being in the Top 2 or even leading after Les Combes, and if they can stay there after Sector 2 then they could be home and dry on pace.
tharris19 said on 24th August 2010, 3:01
McLaren won’t be running th F-duct at Spa.
Ron in Michigan said on 21st August 2010, 16:48
Lewis to regain WDC lead in Belgium.
Keamo said on 21st August 2010, 17:45
I am with you there mate. Can’t wait!
Matt G said on 21st August 2010, 17:35
Spa and Monza will be good for McLaren because of their F-duct. The new teams should also do well at these circuits because of their low downforce. I’m not sure what Force India’s downforce is like this year but they did well here last year.
MacaNut said on 21st August 2010, 19:15
From these statements McLaren obviously think they are in serious trouble. Whitmarsh talks of continued experimentation at Spa to try to unlock “some large areas of performance locked within the car”. Button knows “that we have some catching-up do to” and is counting on the FIA clamping down on flexi-wings. And Hamilton who is only 4 points behind in the WDC (1.6 points old money) thinks they’re out of the hunt; “I’ll be going flat-out to try and get us back into the hunt again”.
David BR said on 23rd August 2010, 6:24
Depressing, isn’t it.
Whitmarsh says ‘we’re on the verge of a significant breakthrough in pinning down the area where we have high expectations of maximizing our chances of isolating as closely as possible the areas of performance where we can make positive steps towards unpacking the car’s potential for moving forward at a slightly faster pace than we have been moving since the last time I said that we’re on the verge of a significant breakthrough in… [etc]‘
I’ll take that as a bye-bye 2010!
pSynrg said on 24th August 2010, 0:15
Excellent :) Sums it up quite nicely.
Happy said on 22nd August 2010, 0:27
It will easily be RB again, no matter how much I would prefer MC & HAM to trouble them.
David L said on 22nd August 2010, 11:15
Yes, looks like Vettel will win this one
DaveW said on 22nd August 2010, 22:37
We may see the fuel issue arise again, as in Turkey. Spa is high consumption, and this arithmetic battle helped keep McLaren in the race. Some think RBR have a small tank; Ferrari has admitted to a massive thirst. Also, an efficient F-Duct helps consumption. But who knows how this will turn out or where Ferrari will be.
Also that quotation in the title at least needs some elipses, or something.
studi06 said on 23rd August 2010, 0:27
The big question for me is will the Red Bull 2nd sector be quick enough to put them on terms with the Mclaren advantage in 1st and 3rd sectors.. After seeing just how dominant the Red Bull was in Budapest qualifying it will be very interesting..
Bullfrog said on 23rd August 2010, 9:56
what’s a floor rake?
MacaNut said on 23rd August 2010, 10:22
It’s put on the bottom of the car to trap all the experimental aerodynamic data that’s generated for later examination; it also helps keep leaves from clogging up the diffuser!
Bullfrog said on 23rd August 2010, 22:15
Yep, we’re getting towards autumn! Thanks for that.
Paulo said on 23rd August 2010, 13:55
Sorry, but if people think the F-duct is going to help make up the near 2 second deficit McLaren had in Hungary then you are, in my opinion, mistaken. Completely different circuit granted but it won’t make up that kind of gap. Sadly as I’m a McLaren fan.
Ferrari have a bigger chance of getting close to the RB6