by Russell Atkins
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Formula 1 legend Sir
Stirling Moss has waxed lyrical about
Lewis Hamilton's sensational form so far in his maiden grand prix season, but warns it could prove to be something of a double-edged sword for his McLaren-Mercedes squad.
Despite the presence of reigning double world champion
Fernando Alonso alongside him as his team-mate at Woking, Hamilton has nevertheless stolen the lead in the drivers' standings with the opening four races now out of the way. It is a debut the like of which has never been seen before but one not, Moss advises, without its potential pitfalls.
“I'm staggered quite frankly,” he told
Crash.net at last weekend's inaugural
GPlive event at
Donington Park. “I would never have given you odds on that – to be leading after his first four races is unbelievable. It's never happened before, and I'm sure it will never happen again either.
“I must say I feel very sorry for Alonso though, because there's no doubt Fernando has done a terrific job. Winning those two titles the way he did was tremendous, but to go along to a team which I presume said to him ‘we can get you the championship again' and then suddenly find you've got a guy you've never heard of alongside you and leading the world championship after four races would really shake anybody.
“I think Alonso is certainly still as good as he was, but the interesting thing I think is that Lewis is clearly of the same type. Who is going to win? People often say you're not allowed team orders anymore, but I think Ron Dennis is in a very difficult position. Normally
McLaren let their drivers race each other, but we will see. Ron convinced Alonso to come across by promising him he could get him another title, but now he has someone else in the team too he can't really control.”
