Hungarian Grand Prix: Hamilton has the appetite for a hat-trick of wins

Formula One / Thomas Cowie / 29 July 2008 / Leave a Comment

As Hungary hosts the next instalment of an increasingly unpredictable Championship battle, Lewis Hamilton's rivals need to rediscover form fast, says Tom Cowie.

After victories at Silverstone and Hockenheim, Lewis Hamilton finds himself back at the summit of the Driver's Championship, and very much the man to beat. As well as his form on track, there is another reason to suggest that this could be the young Briton's year.

Hamilton has a quick car, and the full support of both the team and his teammate, who presents no threat to him whatsoever. The momentum is with him, reflected by his Championship odds which have him installed as the new Championship favourite at [1.89].

Contrast this with the situation at Ferrari. Famous (or infamous) for adopting a no.1 and no.2 driver policy over the years, Ferrari decided not to enforce this when Massa was joined by Raikonen last year. With more than half the season gone, neither Ferrari driver has established himself as the team's main Championship contender. The result is that they have started to take points from each other, blunting each other's title challenge in the process.

Germany was a case in point. Raikonen's mysterious slump in form continued - qualifying and finishing 6th, leaving him third in the Championship. He has gone six races without a win, the equivalent of a third of the season, and has fallen behind Hamilton in the betting, currently trading at [3.55]. The reigning World Champion must rediscover his form fast.

Massa on the other hand, was offered victory in Germany on a plate, and blew it. Inheriting the lead after Mclaren waited too long to bring Hamilton in for his second pit stop, he was far too easily brushed aside by the ramapaging Englishman, who later felt that Massa made a poor attempt at defending the corner. His Championship odds grow longer by the week, currently standing at [6.2].

On a brighter note for the Italian team, they are still 16 points clear in the Constructor's Championship, and remain strong favourites at [1.24]. Mclaren are 3 points behind BMW, but with odds of [3.75], the market suggests that this won't be the case for long.

In the midfield, just two points separate Toyota, Red Bull, and Renault, who rather embarrassingly trail the team they supply engines to. There is very little to separate these three in terms of performance, and it may well be individually motivated driver's performances which decide who comes out on top.

Red Bull's retiring David Coulthard will want to go out on a high while Toyota's Trulli needs to prove that he has still got what it takes at 34. At the other end of the age spectrum, Piquet Jnr needs to prove to Renault that he is more than simply the son of a three time World Champion.

Dubbed the "Monaco of the East" due it's lack of overtaking opportunities, The Hungaroring has been ever present on the F1 calendar since 1986. The circuit also suffers from a high amount of dust, which settles on the track, making it slippery in the faster sections.

This has also been the scene of many British triumphs in the past - it was here that Nigel Mansell sealed his long awaited World Championship in 1992. The circuit also provided maiden grand prix victories for both Damon Hill and Jenson Button, and last year Lewis Hamilton added to the list of British winners.

At [2.26] Hamilton is the strong favourite to triumph again and become the first driver since Damon Hill to achieve a hat trick of wins.

Raikonen and Massa are second and third favourites for the win, trading at[ 3.1] and [4.6] respectively. Both men will be desperately seeking a return to form and a morale boosting victory to get their season back on track.

This is also the point of the season when team owners begin to evaluate the performances of their drivers so far, whilst keeping a quiet eye on potential replacements. All the drivers will be aware of the rewards that a string of solid drives could reap, starting here in Budapest.