Heading into his home Grand Prix, there was no doubting that Lewis Hamilton was under severe pressure as his title bid appeared to be faltering. Come Sunday evening, the pressure valve had been somewhat loosened as the Brit, in typical Hamilton style, delivered a faultless and imperious weekend performance running both Ferrari’s into the ground in the process.
In one fell swoop, the Mercedes driver had managed to cut the deficit at the top of the Drivers’ Standings to a single point and heads to one of his happiest hunting grounds this weekend, looking to claim top spot from rival Sebastian Vettel. You’d be hard pushed to find many Formula One aficionados who will be backing someone other than Hamilton this weekend, such is his dominance at the Hungarian track. Vettel’s solitary victory at the Hungaroring in 2015 is dwarfed by Lewis’ quintuplet of successes. More so than his previous performance at the track, it was the steely focus that Hamilton demonstrated at Silverstone a fortnight ago that will have his counterpart’s most concerned.
For someone who is often criticised for his supposedly relaxed approach and lavish lifestyle – there is no doubting that when Lewis is really on his game, few can get even close to him. I would like to think that we are at the start of another of Lewis’ dominant spells that he so often puts together in championship-winning seasons.
Elsewhere on the grid, few drivers are under as much pressure as Jolyon Palmer. When your team boss comes out and calls it “critical” that you achieve a double-points finish ahead of a weekend, it doesn’t leave much room for failure. You always empathise with drivers in situations such as this and it’s clear that Jolyon has had more than his fair share of bad luck so far this season. That said, there comes a point where your results have to do your talking for you and I would like to think that the Brit will be able to deliver a stark reminder of his true abilities this weekend.
The pressure on Palmer has been somewhat increased by the return of Robert Kubica for the grid’s in-season test. The Pole’s comeback from the career-changing injuries he suffered in 2011 has been nothing short of remarkable and there will be plenty of emotion in the air when he returns to the seat next week. His performance at the test will be telling and the Formula One fraternity will all be hoping that it is the next step in a extraordinary comeback to the sport.
Perhaps though the biggest news emanating from the sport between the two race weekends has been the confirmation that the ‘halo’ head-protection system will be in place from the 2018 season. It’s fair to say that the decision has not been universally accepted. What gnaws me slightly is that when a change is proposed that will drastically improve the overall racing product, it seems to take an age for it to be delivered and enacted. The safety of the sport’s drivers will always be paramount but there is a delicate balance here that must be noted in terms of retaining the sport’s glamour and appeal, of which danger, risk and excitement will always be a part.
