Lewis Hamilton had a virtually flawless race weekend to win last Sunday’s (October 19) Chinese Grand Prix and come within striking distance of his first Formula One world title.
The McLaren–Mercedes driver started from pole position in Shanghai and proceeded to claim victory ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen.
The 23-year-old Briton also collected the fastest lap of the race to complete a dominant triple.
Hamilton’s fifth win of the season means that he goes into the final race in Brazil seven points ahead of rival Massa, who will be looking to collect the title in front of his home crowd.
Even if Massa (87 points) was to win in Brazil, fifth place would be enough for Hamilton (94 points) to become the youngest champion in F1 history.
Future of Global Racing Venues
The sport may be gearing up for its championship finale, but it is also looking to the future with new events to appear in the coming years. Formula One Management (FOM), the company run by Bernie Ecclestone to look after the commercial interests of the sport, has had its hands full.
A circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi has booked its place on the F1 calendar, currently slated as the 17th and final race of 2009.
In addition, a Korean Grand Prix will arrive in 2010 and India will host a race in 2011 – a year after the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. And Japan’s race will go back to Suzuka in 2009 after two years at Fuji, although the two will alternate hosting duties each year.
Australia struggled to renew its contract, but it was ultimately fruitful. A seven-year deal was penned and a compromise was met whereby the race will be run at 5pm from next year. This will help increase European television audiences.
But Ecclestone has never been afraid to discard traditional races in favour of following the money in economically booming countries.
A week ago, the French Grand Prix was cancelled due to the fact that they have been losing money each year. The track’s location in a rural area away from any major city was a factor in its demise, as well as FOM’s mandatory 10 per cent fee increase year-on-year for every race promoter.
The Canadian GP was also dropped, meaning that there will not be a race in North America in 2009. It is unlikely, though, that this will remain the case as the event in Montreal was very popular. Meanwhile, the US is looking for a suitable replacement for Indianapolis, possibly a street race. Both races could be back within two years as the continent is a huge market for the sport.
Balancing the F1 calendar is a constant juggling act, but Ecclestone’s travelling circus could soon travel to as many as 20 parts of the world per season.
