The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Lewis Hamilton eyes a rare record

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Friday, Apr 13, 2007
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Lewis Hamilton eyes a rare record

SAKHIR (Bahrain): Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of setting Formula One history.

No driver — not Michael Schumacher nor Fernando Alonso, or any of the other drivers in the series dating back to 1950 — has ever started his F1 career with three consecutive finishes in the top three.

Hamilton, a 22-year-old Briton in his rookie season with McLaren-Mercedes and F1's first black driver, has surprised many by finishing third in Australia and second in Malaysia.

But heading into this weekend's Bahrain GP, Hamilton is thinking of recording his first F1 victory.

``It may be this weekend, it may be the last race of the year, it may be next year. It is difficult to know,'' Hamilton said of winning.

``There will be some major challenges for me this year. They might take me by surprises or I might be fortunate to be prepared for them and it might go smoothly. ``I have had two podium finishes, but I still have a lot to learn. There is a huge amount to learn from Fernando, from the team,'' he added.

Another Briton

The last driver to take two F1 podium finishes in his first two races was Britain's Peter Arundell in 1964. However, Arundell, after thirds in Monaco and the Netherlands, overheated his car at the Belgian GP and came in ninth.

Schumacher started with a clutch problem in his first race for Jordan, the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Alonso began his career in a Minardi with a 12th at the 2001 Australian GP behind a Schumacher win.

Hamilton is still humbled by his start, losing only to Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in the first two races, despite a good record in winter testing.

Reigning world champion Alonso has won the last two driver's F1 world titles and Raikkonen has finished second twice.

``I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't think I would be here twice on the podium already in the first two races and still in contention with these two guys,'' Hamilton said of Alonso and Raikkonen. There is practice on Friday and Saturday morning with qualifying Saturday afternoon. — AP

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