Gridlock hits Hamilton’s title hopes
LEWIS HAMILTON’S grip on his world title loosened in yesterday’s sprint race and he predicted more misery awaits him today in the Italian Grand Prix.
While the seven-time champion slinked off from public view as fast as regulations permitted after finishing fifth, the sport’s bosses were considering whether to introduce controversial reverse grids to the short-format race.
The issue of more pressing concern to the championship destiny is Hamilton losing out to his only rival for the crown, Max Verstappen, whose second place behind Valtteri Bottas earned him two points, to extend his advantage in the title race to five.
The sprint format was given only its second airing here, staged in place of the usual qualifying session but determining the grid for today’s 53-lap race. Hamilton, after making a terrible start in the 18-lap dash, failed to score any points and starts the Grand Prix from fourth on the grid.
He must live with Verstappen starting from pole because Bottas’ fourth engine change of the season condemns the Finn to the back of the grid.
‘You saw the pace of the Red Bull,’ said Hamilton. ‘I don’t know if Max was faster than Valtteri, but now that he is on pole it should be an easy win for him. For me, I have just to try to get past these McLarens.’
Hamilton took to the grid full of optimism but wheelspin left him slow out of the box. Verstappen tore straight past him, before the McLarens of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, and Pierre Gasly followed suit.
The champion was sixth before Gasly ran over his own front wing, which had been dislodged in hitting Ricciardo’s rear, and slid along the wall at the Curva Grande.
Hamilton finished 20 seconds behind Bottas. He needs a quick boost, this being a low-drag track that favours his car and where he would expect to score heavily. Momentum is with Verstappen, who has so far won seven races this year to Hamilton’s four.
As for changes to the sprint format, the calls for a reverse grid are being led by some drivers. They joined F1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn in a debrief post-Silverstone, where the first of the three trials was held in July, and several of them asked for the result of qualifying on Friday evening to set the grid for the grands prix on Sundays.
In this scenario, the sprint on Saturday would be a stand-alone, reverse-grid race with an increased number of points on offer.
Brawn said: ‘The drivers were very positive in our session. Some felt there should be more reward and more jeopardy in the sprint.
‘We don’t want gimmicks or to cannibalise our weekend or affect the integrity of the championship. There is a difficult balance, but there is definitely potential there.
‘Points would go towards the championship — a decent reward. You want some battle between the guys at the front of the grid. If you move the guys back, they are fighting each other, we are not talking about a raffle or a random order, but something that could enhance the event.’
Brawn has suggested reverse grids before, only to have met opposition from the teams. Ferrari are in favour, others unconvinced.
‘It dilutes meritocracy,’ said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff last night. ‘It is ok in lower formulas where you want to test overtaking skills, but it is not something we should get close to in Formula One.’