F1 News
Date: 24/March/2012
Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix from pole position, having been fastest in all but one of the four track sessions so far this weekend.
It was the McLaren driver’s second pole in a week, having also started from P1 in last weekend’s Australian season opener.
On that occasion Hamilton was pipped by team-mate Jenson Button on the run to turn one, and later lost out to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, leaving the Englishman a dejected third on the rostrum.
After such a strong weekend, nothing less than victory will suffice for Hamilton on Sunday, when he will be concentrating on keeping Button - again starting alongside him - at bay into to turn one, then maintaining his tyres for as long as possible.
“It’s been a good weekend so far,” said Hamilton. “It’s a long haul down to Turn One and I think there are going to be interesting strategies tomorrow. The key is looking after your tyres. They are having a seriously hard time around here, especially under 150 kilos of fuel. I’ll do everything I can to make sure we’re as competitive as possible.”
Button, just 0.149sec slower than Hamilton, applied a little further pressure by highlighting the fast-starting form of third on the grid Mercedes star Michael Schumacher.
“I think it’ll be an exciting start and not just for us two on the front row but the Mercedes is renowned, especially Michael, for getting good starts so it’s going to be a fun Turn One I think,” he said.
Seven time world champion Schumacher, without a podium since coming out of retirement in 2010, stands an excellent chance of spraying champagne for the 155h time in his career on Sunday.
“I think it’s quite an achievement to be third, particularly knowing that we have chosen a car that should work much better in the race. I would rather be compromised for qualifying; that’s a situation which I hope will pay back tomorrow,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, Mercedes is one of the few teams not thought to yet be included in a surprise statement released by Formula One Group Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday:
"I am very pleased to announce that we have reached commercial agreements with the majority of the current Formula One teams, including Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, about the terms on which they will continue competing in Formula One after the current Concorde Agreement expires at the end of this year."
Once a new Concorde Agreement is in place the stability it brings will cause the value of the sport to increase and thus be the ideal time for the rumoured floatation of some shares by CVC Capital Partners, which owns F1’s commercial rights.
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