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World champion Lewis Hamilton was maintaining his sunny disposition on Thursday, despite admitting his five-place gearbox change penalty was "a kick in the goonies". But the Mercedes driver was still notably upbeat, as the Spanish daily Marca quoted him as saying in Shanghai: "It's not ideal, but it happens."
"I see it as a challenge and therefore another opportunity, so it's glass half full rather than half empty. It's better to take the penalty here because it's easier to overtake than at some of the tracks that follow."
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Teammate and championship leader Nico Rosberg is also refusing to write Hamilton off, saying: "The penalty makes it more difficult for him, but we know that Lewis can always fight for victory." Rosberg's first pole and win came in Shanghai, but Hamilton is also a specialist of the Shanghai layout. "I don't know why but I feel good when I drive here," the Briton admitted.
Hamilton was nonplussed at the return of the 2015 qualifying format, saying only: "It's good for the fans but for me it makes no difference." And when asked about Wednesday's get-together of F1 drivers for dinner, Hamilton answered: "We were having dinner! There was nothing excited to write home about. We talked about food, girls, holidays ... not much about F1." (GMM)
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Replies (5)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Well, China should be a track that suits Hamilton's driving style rather than Rosberg's. But then again, china also promotes a tyre-friendly driving style, and with fragile tyres like these... I guess we'll have to see how things go. I've heard that Vettel might have a penalty waiting for him this weekend, is this true?
mclarenfan1968
Posts: 1,027
This is the strange part, why is there even a talk of penalties because this year each driver has a total of 5 engines to use and each engine is deemed to consist of 6 elements (ICE, MGU-K, MGU-H, Turbo, Battery(ES), MCU (CE)) so the driver has 5 sets of those 6 elements and he can use them in order/permutation he likes. even if some fail it is only after the 6th one for any of these elements that would result in penalties.
That's what the rules say.
mclarenfan1968
Posts: 1,027
I just re-read the reports, nowhere really is it stated he is getting penalties other than Vettel will use a 2nd engine.
Nope, no penalties for Vettel until the 6th engine and/or 6th element within the engine package
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Yeah, thats what I've understood aswell, so I was confused when I was told that Vettel was to have a penalty in China. But thats a relief, might become an interesting race after all.
f1dave
Posts: 782
Half a glass is just half a glass.....time to order the next round.