Sat, Sep 13, 2008 page20

• Heavy rain washes out practice session at Monza

  • AGENCIES
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  Heavy rain washed out first practice at the Italian Grand Prix yesterday with Force India’s Adrian Sutil leading the timesheets before the deluge.

  With the drains struggling to cope with the downpour, mechanics wielded brushes to sweep water out of the garages.

  They had little to watch other than the rain lashing down, with drivers giving up 15 minutes from the end and the session abandoned because of the conditions with five minutes remaining on the clock.

  

  Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa drives during free practice ahead of tomorrow’s Formula One Grand Prix in Monza, Italy, yesterday.

  PHOTO: AP

  McLaren’s championship leader Lewis Hamilton was one of six drivers who did not attempt to complete a timed lap at what is normally the fastest circuit on the calendar.

  The Briton, just two points clear of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa with five races remaining after being stripped of victory in Belgium last weekend, put in an early installation lap and then watched from the shelter of his garage.

  The times were meaningless, with Massa 14th and a massive 7.3 seconds off Sutil’s fastest time of one minute 32.842 seconds.

  Sutil, whose skills are far more apparent in the wet, took advantage of being one of the first out on track and completed 18 laps before the skies darkened.

  Rubens Barrichello, a winner at Monza for Ferrari in 2002 and 2004, was second for Honda with a time 0.586 seconds behind Sutil.

  Force India, still without a point this season, enjoyed the unprecedented experience of getting both their drivers in the top three at the end of a practice session with Giancarlo Fisichella in third place.

  Hamilton said he intends to use the widespread sense of injustice that has followed his loss of victory in Belgium last weekend as a source of energy to keep him and the McLaren team on the attack in this weekend’s race.

  The 23-year-old said he had every intention of winning again on Ferrari’s home turf tomorrow.

  “I damn sure plan to make sure that it [his loss of victory in Spa] has no effect on it [his mood for this race and the championship]. I still have a two-points lead and we are going to make sure that we continue to attack and perform like we did in the last two races,” Hamilton said.

  “And knowing that we have that package makes us more and more confident. And, if anything, we can use this as our fuel to keep on pushing. I feel great. For the next few races, our car will suit the circuits just as well as it did at Spa. So we are going to make sure we do the best job we can,” he said.

  Hamilton was careful to distance himself from talk of revenge or to become engaged in any analysis of the controversial decision, taken by three stewards, to strip him of his victory, for cutting out the Bus Stop chicane.

  And he said he felt no sense of being disheartened or disappointed. Asked by reporters how he felt just four days after the astonishing decision to take away his win and give it to Massa, Hamilton admitted he had, at first, felt that one of his greatest dreams had been stolen from him.

  But, he stressed, he had moved on from that initial feeling and was not feeling, good, confident and highly-motivated.

  “I feel pretty good, to be honest. I felt it was always a driver’s dream to win in Spa especially when you win in such amazing conditions and in such an exhilarating way, Hamilton said.

  “I was so excited. My heart was racing for those last few laps. I felt really satisfied with the job that I did. Then, I came away from the circuit, for sure, in a bit of a state of disbelief, but, you know, this is motor racing and it is to be expected sometimes,” he said.

  Instead he concentrated on the weekend ahead and contented himself with a clear explanation of how he had out-driven and beaten Raikkonen. To suggestions that the Finn had braked too soon, he almost smiled.

  “Well, that’s his driving style and that’s all,” he said. “That is how he drives. If you don’t have the balls to brake late then that is your problem!”

  “At the end of the day, in those situations it is the driver who can feel the grip more and put the car more on the edge,” Hamilton said.

  “And I know I am great in those conditions. I felt the grip more than him, I knew where to place my car and I did place it in different positions to him and I found the grip,” he said.
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