McLaren: Hamilton's German strategy 'valid'.

"McLaren: Hamilton's German GP strategy 'valid'."

Only cos it worked.(Despite the FIA's attempt to sabotage McLaren [again]by keeping the safety car out and allowing lapped cars to regain the lap..... Has anybody else noticed that the safety car only seems to appear when McLaren are in front??)

It's a bit ironic that the Safety Car is a Merc. Perhaps it should be painted red and given points for leading so many laps!

I'm suprised anyone thinks McLaren/Hamilton would have won if he'd actually pitted with all the others? Lewis hadn't used the soft tyres yet, whilst most the others would be switching back to hards (having run softs in the v short 2nd stint). Hamilton on softs for half a race (which he/the car dislikes) with Massa/Heidfeld on hards (which those cars prefer) running behind him? I don't Hamilton would have won, therefore an *excellent decision/strategy* by McLaren...

They won - thats the best test. Agree with Rich about the tyres, although that said when he stuffed Massa the Brazilian was back on hard rubber, so who knows? A longer stint would have eventually seen degradation and a loss of race pace, probably.

This is the second time I've caught Hamilton saying 'for sure'. When was the last time you heard someone who wasn't a racing driver use that phrase? I used to think it was just the ones who weren't native English speakers (especially the Spanish/Portugese speakers), and that it was some kind of artefact from their language training, but now Hamilton's doing it too. What gives?

Rosby,

Can forgive the drivers who do not have English as their first language but "for sure" it really grates me

Robsy, Shirley,

Forgive me, but with no prejudice at all, I'm just trying to understand why this may be significant...

They got extremely lucky. When Lewis went by pit lane I said to myself that they blew it. Trust me, I see this happen in Indy car and NASCAR all the time. Whoever misses pitting during the last round of stops under caution is the odd man out - everytime. The McLaren was just that much faster than the others in Lewis' hands. It came down to Lewis' speed and ability to overtake. McLaren is blowing smoke up our a** if they say "yeah, we had a stratagy for Lewis to pit last under green while the others do it behind the saftey car, be about 5 secs a lap faster than everyone, and for him to overtake everyone in a matter of laps." Yeah right!

Their is NO SCENARIO where pitting under green flag conditions save more time and positions than pitting under caution/safety car. NONE.

@ Shirley

The safety car hurts the leader - not help him. Hamilton had a pretty good size lead that was erased when the safety car came on track. The safety car bunches up the field - so no advantage for the leader. But I was shocked to see cars unlapping themselves and being told to go around the SC. I've been watching F1 for over a decade a can't recall seeing this - even though they may have been doing it. Seems that I would have noticed something as ridiculous as that.............

The strategy was correct regardless of the bias comentry ITV and others think. To do the last stint on a full tank with the inferior rubber would not be a wise move. With a little sporting help from team mate Heikki McLaren got it right this time and the reasult proves that. I'm still not sure how Nelshino ended up 2nd yet only passed one car all race from 17th on the grid. The safety car rule is the real problem. It's not really motor racing when that happens it's more like Lotto.

@Ali B

No significance - just an observation. Crash are extremely unlikely to have a story headlined "Lewis: 'For Sure'" and I've been wanting to get it off my chest for a while - and blow me there he goes and says it again.

Trust me - racing drivers are the only people in the entire world who say this, for sure.

for sure, you're right robsy. it really grates doesn't it!

ps it just occurred to me, maybe they are saying "for Cher"

for my benefit rich_ard...what is "for cher"???...