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Featured Sport News

Hamilton tipped for struggle

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 28/03/2009

Lewis Hamilton put down a marker at last year's Australian Grand Prix after beginning a season which ended in world championship glory with a race victory.

Hamilton took the chequered flag after starting from pole position and dominating, while team-mate Heikki Kovalainen set the fastest lap on a season-opening weekend to remember for McLaren-Mercedes.

But 12 months on, the podium at Albert Park could have a totally different look if the rumblings coming out of pre-season testing are to be believed.

The myriad changes to the rules relating to the design of cars and technology they are allowed to use resulted in a series of shock results in Barcelona last month.

Instead of topping the timings, Hamilton and Kovalainen were worryingly off the pace and McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted he was concerned.

"Will the MP4-24 be as quick as we want it to be by (the start of the season on) 29 March? Perhaps not," he suggested. "Will it be quicker than it has been this week at the Barcelona test? Yes."

At the other end of the scale, the new Brawn GP team have upset the betting odds and set the pace with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello producing jaw-dropping times in the new reincarnation of the Honda team.

Button and Barrichello were at times more than a second a lap quicker than the likes of Hamilton and double world champion Fernando Alonso for Renault, so it is highly likely that the first few faces of the new season could produce some unexpected results.

"Seeing a truly competitive car again really excites me," said an enthused Barrichello. "I feel bursting with energy. After two or three not so good seasons I'm feeling positive again. And I'm back to win."

Williams also reported strong testing results and in Nico Rosberg - who was third behind Hamilton in Melbourne last year - they have genuine hope of making a flying start to the season.

Ferrari's pre-season results have been kept largely under wraps but it has been suggested that they, like traditional rivals McLaren, are struggling to get the best out of their new car.

Dramatic rule changes governing the shape of cars plus the reintroduction of slick tyres looks set to put the cat amongst the Formula One pigeons and racing fans might just be poised to witness the most keenly contested drivers and constructors' championships in years.

2009 could well be the year the smaller teams finally fight back and upset the sport's established order.

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