07/05/2006
NEWS STORY
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Lewis Hamilton has claimed the first double win of the season, storming his way through the pack from eighth on the grid to win race two at the Nurburgring ahead of Nicolas Lapierre and Jose Maria Lopez.
The dominant display has thrown the championship wide open, with the Briton now just one point behind championship leader Nelson Piquet Jr, and Hamilton's performance will have team bosses all along the pitlane biting their nails as they work on matching his speed.
Hamilton's job was made easier before the start of the race when Ernesto Viso and Alex Premat, third and seventh on the grid respectively, stalled as the grid moved off for their warm up lap. Both men were pushed into the pits to get restarted, and Hamilton had two less cars to contend with before the lights went out.
At the start polesitter Hiroki Yoshimoto made a perfect getaway, his new clutch mapping working to plan as he led Lapierre, who blew past Xandi Negrao at the start, into turn one.
Behind them Adam Carroll had also made a strong start, pushing up to third ahead of Lopez and Negrao, with Hamilton the next man by. Further back Andreas Zuber was tapped into a spin, while Javier Villa was pushed into the pits after stalling at the start.
Yoshimoto had the bit between his teeth and was using everything he had to build a gap at the front, pulling away from Lapierre as Carroll was pushing hard behind the Frenchman. Hamilton, starting as he meant to go on, was easily by Negrao on the first lap and into fifth position, while his teammate Premat set the fastest lap after getting out of the pits, sending an ominous warning of the potential of the ART package.
Negrao was in the wars after his poor start from the front row, with Michael Ammermueller climbing all over the rear of the Brazilian's car. The inevitable came on lap four when Negrao ran wide, and the German was through and into the points.
One lap later, in what was fast becoming a habit, Hamilton was easily through Lopez on the inside approach to turn one, putting himself immediately behind Carroll in just half a lap.
The Ulsterman was determined to bring home another podium after picking up his first points of the season, and was masterful in defense of his position. For four laps Hamilton was on the tail of Carroll, and for four laps Carroll held him at bay by holding a perfect line through every corner.
But it wasn't to last: running just inches wide on the second last corner meant that Carroll lost a fraction of speed down the front straight, but that was all Hamilton needed. Carroll had the inside line but locked his tyres into turn one, and Hamilton was on the podium.
Further back Piquet was up to eighth position from twentieth on the grid, and was monstering his teammate ahead of him. Inevitably the Piquet Sports team leader found a way past on lap nine, and was now just one place outside the points as he searched for something to take home from a miserable weekend.
All the effort Carroll had put into defending his position had clearly hurt his tyres; he was dropping like a stone in comparison to Hamilton, which put him into the clutches of fierce rival Lopez. The Argentine was through on the inside of turn one on lap 12 for fourth place, and was off up the road looking for more.
Two laps later Hamilton, who had been taking chunks out of Lapierre's time, was up to and past the Frenchman at his favourite corner, with Lapierre looking invisible as the Briton powered by. With only Yoshimoto ahead of him, the double win was looking a certainty.
But the Japanese driver is made of sterner stuff, and was looking mighty at the front of the pack. Yoshimoto had said he'd rather retire than not win after yesterday's race, and fireworks were on the way. For four laps Yoshimoto was as solid as a rock, holding his line and doing enough to frustrate his pursuer, who had Lapierre right behind him, and small puffs of tyre smoke were the outward signal that Hamilton was getting irritated behind him.
It was clear that his usual trick wasn't going to work on the Japanese driver, who ran the perfect line lap after lap through turn one. So on lap 18 Hamilton tried a new line through the final complex to see if a different track position would work where all of his other moves had failed.
And it did: Hamilton got a strong tow through the final corners and drafted Yoshimoto to the line, approaching turn one side by side before pushing left and braking, leaving his rival nowhere to go but behind him. The bitter frustration was too much for Yoshimoto: after working so hard to maintain his lead he ran wide a few corners later and the pursuing pair of Lapierre and Lopez were eagerly through for the final podium positions.
And that's how they finished: Hamilton saluted his adoring team as he was greeted by the chequered flag, crossing the line a second ahead of Lapierre, with Lopez further back in third.
Yoshimoto, inevitably gutted to see what he felt should be his first GP2 win stolen from him, was a bitterly disappointed fourth, with Carroll and Ammermuller closing out the points positions.
Championship leader Piquet was left empty handed as Gimmi Bruni claimed the point for fastest lap, and to add insult to injury the Brazilian was forced into the pits with one lap to go to retire.
With Barcelona just a week away, Piquet will have to redouble his efforts to stay ahead of Hamilton in the championship standings after the pair had a weekend of hell and heaven respectively at the Nurburgring.