McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton says only he can challenge Vettel in the 2011 season – Formula 1 news
British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton thinks that only he, in his MP4-26, can stop Sebastian Vettel who is on his way to an almost unbruised championship title defence.
Hamilton also added that the first step in stopping Vettel’s glory in the 2011 Formula 1 season is to win the Monaco Grand Prix. The Brit is 41 points behind the German in the drivers’ championship table despite a race win in the Chinese Grand Prix.
However, Hamilton thinks that only he can compete with Vettel in the 2011 season.
He said, “At the moment the only person who has an answer to Sebastian is me, and in a car that is not as good as his, and I'm quite happy with that.”
The Brit added that although the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel has the maximum amount of downforce available, the Monaco Grand Prix is not a race of aerodynamics but tactics.
The street track in Monte Carlo does not have high speed corners and from what the statistics have shown in the previous races, Red Bull’s blown diffuser gives them an extra tenths of a second advantage in the corners.
In the Spanish Grand Prix which is mostly an aerodynamic battle, Hamilton tried hard to beat Vettel but it seemed that the German always had an upper hand in the corners.
However, as Hamilton looks ahead for a challenge to Vettel, some of the other drivers are rising for a challenge including Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton realises the fact but more as a challenge from these drivers, he thinks that Alonso actually saved the day for him.
“If Fernando had not been there they would have gone, and then it would have been hard for me to close a gap of 10, 15, 20 seconds. But because Fernando was in front he kept that gap there so I was able to attack and in the next couple of stints I was quickest,”
added the Brit.
The season continues with the sixth Grand Prix of the season in Monaco on May 29, 2011.
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