Fernando, by contrast, has it all to do, and he was lucky not to get hurt when he had that big accident around two-thirds distance. It looked quite nasty and could well prove critical - not that he will have given up until, mathematically, there is no chance for him to overhaul Lewis.
Kimi Raikkonen is also still in contention thanks to his third place finish, although his hopes are even slimmer, with a 17-point deficit to Hamilton.
Ferrari shot themselves in the foot a bit by starting both of their drivers on the 'intermediates' and why they were the only team not to get the e-mail communiqué from the
FIA insisting that all cars start on the 'extreme' wet is a bit of a mystery.
Whether the Scuderia were trying to pull a fast one is open to debate and is not for me to comment on. I am not in a position to know all the ins and outs on that one, but it was very strange.
What is clear, though, is that Kimi was outstanding and while - unfortunately for him - he couldn’t overhaul
Heikki Kovalainen for second, where he found the grip in the closing stages – both on and off the track – was really something to behold.
Felipe Massa also had a good battle near the end and he and Kubica were really going for it. That was great to see and, while Felipe took sixth and the extra points, both of them, as well as Kimi and Heikki, deserve a big pat on the back for giving us all such entertaining finish.
It was nice to see Heikki get his first podium finish in
F1 as, after a difficult start, he really has come on in leaps and bounds and is definitely starting to live up to what we expected from him coming into the year.
With
Giancarlo Fisichella fifth,
Renault got another good haul, although Fisi may be running out of time if he wants to impress and secure a drive for 2008. Certainly, he has been overshadowed of late by Kovalainen.
