Rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton can stretch his championship
lead and add to the discomfort of McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso
in Sunday's US Grand Prix.
The 22-year-old Briton is on a high after celebrating the first
victory of a debut season in Formula One that is already exhausting
the stock of superlatives with just six races completed.
"Going into Indy, obviously I go there with great confidence,"
said Hamilton after winning in Canada last weekend. "We have to try
and continue with the performance that we have and I have no doubt
we can do that."
Hamilton has never raced at Indianapolis before but Alonso knows
the same applied to Montreal, where the youngster led from pole
position.
The double world champion is eight points behind and, judging
from comments to Spanish reporters this week, not enjoying the
experience.
Indianapolis has done Alonso no favours in the past and is the
only circuit on the current calendar where he has yet to stand on
the podium.
Last year's fifth place was the first time the Spaniard had
finished at The Brickyard but McLaren are dominant at present and
Hamilton, with six podiums from his first six races, expects his
team mate to be fired up.
"At the end of the day, he's the two-time world champion and
he'll bounce back without a doubt and I'm sure he'll be extremely
quick in the next race," said the Briton.
Indianapolis last year also heralded the start of an aggressive
fightback by Ferrari and now-retired seven times champion Michael
Schumacher, who went on to wipe out a 25-point deficit before
Alonso finally prevailed.
Ferrari finished one-two at the US circuit last year but
Finland's Kimi Raikkonen is now 21 points behind Hamilton while
third-placed Brazilian Felipe Massa is 15 adrift.
"Indy has been a good circuit for Ferrari in the past, so I am
really looking forward to next weekend," said Raikkonen on his Web
site (www.kimiraikkonen.com).
Ferrari have won the last five US Grands Prix and six of the
seven held at Indianapolis since 2000.
BMW Sauber could also be a threat, with Germany's Nick Heidfeld
second in Montreal, although they will have to wait until Thursday
to be sure of Robert Kubica's participation.
The Polish driver emerged unscathed from an horrific crash in
Montreal but must still pass a mandatory fitness test in
Indianapolis.
(China Daily via Reuters?June 14, 2007)