How and Why did Hamilton Win The Hugarian GP?

Save on Delicious

The McLaren driver is still 47 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso, who finished fifth, but Hamilton says it shows he has the pace to close the gap.
"Game on - it's a long way to go. This shows it's all to play for," he said.

"Not enough points taken from Fernando, as he still got 10 points, but if we can continue this performance."

Hungary was the 11th race of the season and there are still nine remaining, starting with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on 2 September, following Formula 1's summer break.
Hamilton took his victory, which came from pole position, following race-long pressure from the two Lotus cars of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean and he said their pace proved McLaren still had to improve their car.
"We need to improve the car still in many areas, and that, I'm sure, we will do," he said.
"Lotus are going to win at some stage. That car looks absolutely fantastic to drive; they are doing a great job.
"It's not unexpected - they've won world championships in the past, they are a fantastic team. And they're picking their pace up.

Hungarian GP results

1. Lewis Hamilton 1:41:05.503
2. Kimi Raikkonen +00:01.032
3. Romain Grosjean +00:10.518
4. Sebastian Vettel +00:11.614
5. Fernando Alonso +00:26.653
6. Jenson Button +00:30.243
7. Bruno Senna +00:33.899
8. Mark Webber +00:34.458
9. Felipe Massa +00:38.350
10. Nico Rosberg +00:51.234

"They're that quick and yet they don't have the rear end [exhaust-influenced aerodynamics] Ferrari, Red Bull and us have. When they get that, the rest of us are going to be in trouble."

Despite Ferrari's lack of pace, Alonso actually extended his lead to 40 points over his closest rival in the championship, Red Bull's Mark Webber, who could only finish eighth.
And the Spaniard lost only two points to the man in third place, Webber's team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who finished one place ahead of the Ferrari in fourth.
Alonso said: "It was more or less what we could do and even better because, to be honest, finishing in front of Webber and one place behind Vettel is very good for us in terms of the championship.
"We were not competitive and we struggled a bit in the race, but thanks to the strategy and the consistency of the car we were able to finish in a good position."
Webber said: "Look, we've just got to stop the friendly fire. Yesterday was my fault in qually, but we have had some instances where we need to just keep doing better.
"That's how this team operates and I'm looking forward to the back part of the championship."
Hamilton's team-mate Jenson Button said he felt the team's strategy had not worked for him - he complained that they brought him in for his second and third pit stops too early.

Hungary GP wins by team

• 11 - McLaren
• 7 - Williams
• 5 - Ferrari

He said: "We decided to go to for a three-stop [strategy], but every time I pitted, even though the tyres were good, I pitted into traffic.

"I don't know why we pitted when we did. I said to the guys: 'Is this traffic quicker than the guys I'm racing?' And they said: 'No.' And I said: 'So why have we pitted into this traffic?
"I don't know, there must have been be a misunderstanding where I would come out of the pits. Hopefully we'll learn from this, because it happened twice.
"I'm not happy with the strategy, but happy where we've taken the car."

Olympic: Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen has strongly denied that she's a drugs cheat

Save on Delicious

Teenage Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen is not a drug cheat, the British Olympic Association's chairman has said, after a US coach cast doubt on her world record-breaking swim.

Lord Colin Moynihan said Ye, 16, had passed drug tests, was "clean" and deserved recognition for her talent.
Ye smashed her personal best by at least five seconds in the 400m Medley.
Senior US coach John Leonard said her performance was disturbing and hinted that doping could have been involved.
Mr Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, said the performance reminded him of the East German women swimmers in the 1980s, who were doping on a systematic basis.
"History in our sport will tell you that every time we see something, and I will put quotation marks around this, unbelievable, history shows us that it turns out later on there was doping involved," he told the UK's Guardian newspaper.

But Ye, who will compete later in the 200m Medley final, has strongly defended herself and denied that she would ever use banned substances.

China's anti-doping chief has said that Chinese athletes have undergone nearly 100 drugs tests since arriving in London, and that not a single Chinese athlete had tested positive.
Former swimmers, other Olympic champions and experts have all given their support to Ye.
Lord Moynihan told a news conference that the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) was "on top of the game".
"She's been through Wada's programme and she's clean. That's the end of the story. Ye Shiwen deserves recognition for her talent," he said.
International Olympic Committee officials also insisted that if there were any drugs cheats, they would be caught.
Former British Olympic champion Adrian Moorhouse said the rumours appeared to be a case of sour grapes.
"The Chinese might have just found this really talented kid, who can work really hard, has the perfect shape and can cope with all the pressure thrown at her," he told the BBC.

Who is Ye Shiwen?

• Born in 1996 in eastern city of Hangzhou
• Started swimming in 2003, reportedly after her teacher noticed she had large hands
• Joined the national team in 2008
• Won the 200m and 400m individual medley at the 2010 Asian Games

Suspicions over Ye's performance were heightened when it was pointed out that in the final 50m of her race she swam faster than the winner of the men's race, Ryan Lochte.

However, her world-record time was still 23 seconds slower than Lochte's winning time, and several of Lochte's competitors were faster than her over the final 50m.
Chinese officials also pointed out that Lochte was easing to the finish, comfortably in the lead, whereas Ye had to battle to the end to take first place.
China's swimming team was repeatedly hit by doping scandals in the 1990s.
Seven swimmers tested positive for drugs in the 1994 Asian Games, and four years later four Chinese swimmers failed pre-tournament drug tests before the World Championships in Australia.
Chinese officials insist they have cleaned up the sport, but earlier this year another 16-year-old swimming prodigy, Li Zhesi, failed a drug test.
All medal winners at the Olympics are drug tested. In addition, any athlete whose performance is far better than anything they have achieved before can be targeted for extra tests.

I am not getting younger, says Lewis Hamilton: F1

Save on Delicious

Lewis Hamilton says a decision on his future will depend on McLaren's ability to deliver him a title-winning car.

His McLaren deal ends this year and he says loyalty to a team who have backed him since he was 13 only goes so far.
He said: "There are a lot of things to take into account. These people have supported me; they got me into F1.
"But I want to win. I'm not that young any more so I want to make sure that whatever I do I make the right decision so I maximise my career."
Hamilton, 27, has had a frustrating season at McLaren so far this year.

The team started 2012 with the fastest car - the first time they have done so for some years.

But a series of operational problems have blunted Hamilton's championship charge and they have slipped from the pace in the last two races.
Hamilton, who was talking in an interview with Russia's R-Sport agency, said: "I've been ready all year to win. We should have won a lot more races than we have, but there's many more races to go. We still have a lot more chances to get some wins, and I think it's possible.
"Up until now we've not developed as fast as other people. Other people have brought some more upgrades in the past than we have, but we have a big upgrade coming for the next race, so let's hope that it does the job and gets us in a fighting position."
He added that he would not let such short-term problems affect his decision.
Hamilton said: "To be honest, you have to base your decisions on much, much longer than such a short period of time.
"Only half a year cannot decide six years of partnership, or actually 13 years of partnership. I've been with them since I was 13, so it's 14 years, so it's much more than these small details. It's a much, much bigger picture."
He said he would like to settle his future over the month-long summer break in August.
"We haven't sat down and discussed anything yet but I'm sure over the summer break it would be nice to get something in place," Hamilton said.
"That would be a time when we can be more relaxed and make the most sensible decision for the future."

Hamilton in 2012

• Australia - 3rd
• Malaysia - 3rd
• China - 3rd
• Bahrain - 8th
• Spain - 8th
• Monaco - 5th
• Canada - 1st
• Valencia - 19th
• Britain - 8th

Hamilton's options are limited. He has been talking to Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari, but only Mercedes appears to be a viable option if he was to leave McLaren.

Mark Webber re-signed last week for another year at Red Bull, where Sebastian Vettel is under contract.
And although Felipe Massa's future at Ferrari is in doubt, Fernando Alonso is said to have vetoed Hamilton as his team-mate.
Equally, Ferrari want a driver for only one year as they hope to attract Vettel for 2014 - they have a non-binding pre-contract with the German for that season.
Vettel's contract with Red Bull runs to the end of 2014 but the team's adviser Helmut Marko has said it has performance clauses - the details of which are unclear - that could leave him free to leave at the end of next year.
Even Mercedes is not necessarily open to Hamilton. Nico Rosberg is under contract and the team say they have yet to make a decision on the future of Michael Schumacher.
The German legend is 44 in January and has been lacklustre for much of the time since he returned to F1 in 2010, but he has showed an upturn in form this season.
Team boss Ross Brawn said at the British Grand Prix: "When it comes to the right moment, the team and Michael will sit down the jointly decide. He enjoys himself but we haven't discussed it, and it is some time until we've agreed to discuss it."

Brett Lee: Australia fast bowler retires from international cricket

Save on Delicious

The 35-year-old returned home early from the recent one-day tour of England with a calf strain, the latest in a long line of injuries. Lee quit Test cricket in February 2010 and exits the one-day arena with 380 wickets - one short of Glenn McGrath's record for an Australian - at an average of 23.36 from 221 matches.

"You get to the point in life where you say enough is enough," Lee said.

"The last two or three nights I thought about it a lot. I woke up this morning and just felt like I was ready."
He told Australia's Channel 9: "I think in a team environment you have to have 100% commitment, mentally and physically.
"I guess, looking at the next few months, I just didn't have that desire any more. It wouldn't be fair on me or my team if I went with that attitude."
At his peak, Lee was arguably the finest quick bowler in the world, and bowled the second-fastest recorded delivery of all time at 99.9mph in Napier, New Zealand, in 2005.
Born in New South Wales, Lee made his Test debut against India in 1999 and his one-day bow the following year.
Only six players have bettered Lee's tally of 380 ODI wickets. He also took 310 wickets at an average of 30.81 in 76 Tests, and 28 wickets at 25.50 apiece in 25 Twenty20 internationals.
He was a central figure in the Australia sides that dominated world cricket in the 1990s and 2000s, and won the World Cup in 2003 as well as three of the four Ashes series he took part in.

An ankle problem kept him out of Australia's triumphant 2007 World Cup campaign, while he also suffered toe, back, elbow and side problems throughout an injury-plagued career.

Lee was not offered a central contract in Cricket Australia's latest round of agreements, and turned down a deal with NSW  last month as he felt he would be available for only a handful of one-day matches.
He will continue to play domestic Twenty20 cricket for NSW and in the Indian Premier League.
Lee had hoped to play in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka later this year, but his final appearance for Australia came in the fourth ODI against England at Chester-le-Street last week, when he took 0-12 off 2.2 overs in an eight-wicket loss before injury forced him off the field.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted  : "Congrats on a great career @Brettlee_58  ... Would love to say it was great playing against you but it was frightening most of the time..."
Australia national selector John Inverarity said: "Today one of Australia's most outstanding fast bowlers announced his retirement.
"The statistics only tell part of the story. On top of this, and this is a significant part of his legacy, Brett inspired young Australians to play cricket and bowl fast."