Paphos People

Hamilton wins Australian F1 Grand Prix


MELBOURNE (AFP) — Britain's Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren won the season-opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park here on Sunday.

German Nick Heidfeld in a BMW-Sauber was second with fellow German Nico Rosberg in a Williams in third.

It was the 23-year-old Englishman's fifth win in his 18th GP after losing the world championship last season to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen by a point.

In a race full of incident, the Ferraris of Raikkonen and Felipe Massa failed to complete the race, leaving the constructors world champions without a point after the first of the 18-race season.

Renault's dual world champion Fernando Alonso just held off Hamilton's teammate Heikki Kovalainen for fourth place.

It was a frustrating day for Raikkonen, who came off the worse in a duel with Kovalainen on the 30th lap and later spun off after clipping the grass verge in another overtaking manoeuvre on German Timo Glock.

But Raikkonen's race ended four laps from home when his car came to a stop at the top of the pit lane.

The safety car was used three times during the 58-lap race, with only seven of the 22 cars finishing in the sweltering heat.

In a dramatic race with on-track temperatures hovering around 51C (124F), Red Bulls' David Coulthard and Toyota's Glock had spectacular collisions, but both walked away apparently uninjured from their mangled cars.

The next Formula One race will be in Malaysia next weekend.

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REACH 1000`s of PAPHOS CUSTOMERS EVERY DAY FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT THE OTHERS CHARGE
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Whilst the optimist and the pessimist argued that the whisky glass was either half full
or half empty ? .
I drank it .....
The opportunist..

I'm gutted as I wanted to watch that but it was on at like 2am this morning

If ou boy carries on in this form, he'll be world champion by race 9

Go Hamilton Go

I got up early and watched qualifying yesterday and the race this morning. Brilliant Going to watch replay this aft. 5.00 pm local time.

(They tell me he is only coloured gentleman in a "posh" motor that doesn't get "pulled" regularly)

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Mal

You can watch replay this aft Pete, see post above

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Mal

Hi Mal,

Yeah its on at 5pm our time but I already know who's won now

But I'll try to watch the rest live

Pete it's really worth watching, not boring at all!!

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Mal

I can imagine it is Mal, as I've seen quite a few clips on the News & Sports channels but I prefer not to know who's won

So I'll leave it for this week & watch the rest

OK Pete have a look at this:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 299130.stm

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Mal

So 1st in Australia & 5th in Malaysia due to blocking someone on their test lap

I thought he was going to be completely professional this season after what happened last

He & his team didn't look like they wanted to win, he couldn't even pass the Redbull car & his team looked like amaturs taking 20 secs to change his wheels

If he's hoping to win this season, he need to pull his fingers out & stop being a premadonna

Pete,

Think you being a bit harsh on the McClaren team.

The regulations will be "adjusted " now so all drivers will have to keep to a racing speed on deceleration lap afer qualifying.

Still another 16 races to decide the 'Title'


Hamilton penalty sees calls for change

Eurosport - Mon, 24 Mar 12:12:00 2008

Formula One's governing body faced calls to modify qualifying procedures for safety reasons after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were penalised in Malaysia at the weekend.
FORMULA 1 2008 Malaysia GP McLaren Hamilton - 0
More Stories

* Raikkonen wins Malaysian GP

Championship leader Hamilton and his team mate were demoted five places on the starting grid at Sepang for impeding rivals when they slowed to save fuel after completing their final qualifying laps.

The rules have changed this season, preventing the 10 drivers who take part in the third and final session from refuelling between the end of Saturday's qualifying and the race on Sunday.

The final session has also been shortened by five minutes, allowing enough time for each driver to do only two laps with new tyres.

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Mal

Hi Mal,

But none of what you have said should excuse the hash his team made of changing his tyres or the fact he got a penalty of 5 positions on the starting grid for getting in the way of other drivers

If I was being harsh, I would have said he wasn't driving as well as last season but I didn't has its the start of the new season & still 16 races to go

Hi Pete,

S**t happens sometimes. All caused buy "NUTS"
"It did cost him a podium place, definitely," he said.

"The wheel nut wouldn't come off the mechanism. The guy on the gun did a fantastic job. He had to switch to a different gun, and that sheared the pins to get the nut off.

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Mal

Mal,

You seem very well informed on this matter you got inside info or something

Well thats what happens when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys doing the job

I don't think the mechanics/engineers will be paid 'peanuts' Pete and look at all that round the world "free" travel they get

My home page is Yahoo and they have a very good Yahoo/Eurosport page:-
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/24032008/ ... anged.html

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Mal

Update on change of rules for next weekends Bahrain GP Qualifying


Qualifying rules changed for Bahrain

Eurosport - Fri, 28 Mar 22:06:00 2008

Formula One qualifying will be modified to prevent the danger of drivers suddenly slowing to save fuel after their final quick laps while others are still at full speed.

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Mal