Hamilton eyes Belgian GP booster
LEWIS Hamilton will be out to show his victory in Hungary could be the launch pad for a title challenge as the Formula One season resumes following a fourweek break with the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The summer holiday came at perhaps the wrong time for the momentum of the Briton, who has given himself an outside chance in his maiden year with Mercedes of winning a second drivers’ championship following his 2008 title with McLaren.
However, Mercedes sports chief Toto Wolff said there was no point in thinking about what might have been as the teams move to Spa-Francorchamps and the longest circuit on the F1 calendar.
“The break is the same for all the teams, and although we won (the last race) in Hungary it is a good thing and also important to let all the workers enjoy this rest,” he said.
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel holds a 38-point lead at the top of the standings with 172 points after 10 of 19 races. Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen has 134, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso 133, and Hamilton 124.
“It feels like I have been out of the car for a very long time since the win in Hungary and I can’t wait to get going again,” Hamil- ton said. “Spa is a fantastic circuit and it’s so much fun to drive. We’re all looking forward to the second half of the season and the opportunity to bring home some more good results.”
Can Hamilton really be in the mix for the drivers’ title — an unlikely scenario when he left McLaren last year to join Nico Rosberg at the team?
“That’s a difficult question,” said Wolff. “If you had asked me that six months ago I would have said, ‘that’s unrealistic’. To get out of this way of thinking is not so easy.
“I would say at the present time: the team has developed really satisfactorily in the first half of the season.
“We have got to grips with some problems; we have a very good atmosphere in the team. We now want to build on this and to deliver the best possible performance, race for race.
“We have just reached the halfway mark and to start speaking about the title — if you take into account where we have come from — would be simply presumptuous.”
Team principal Ross Brawn said both Rosberg and Hamilton were ”raring to get back into the car again.” He added: “As usual, we will have a unique aerodynamic package adapted to the Spa layout. We finished the first half of the season on a high and will be aiming for an equally strong second half.”
Vettel’s chief rivals still appear to be Raikkonen, who is looking for his fifth victory at the demanding 7.004km circuit in what is one of the classic grands prix of the season, and Alonso, who is yet to win in Belgium.
The race at Spa also highlights how McLaren have struggled this season after Jenson Button gave the team victory last year from pole position.