Planet-F1

Dennis: Hamilton performance faultless

Tuesday 18th March 2008

Team principal Ron Dennis hailed Lewis Hamilton's performance as "faultless" after the McLaren driver produced a dominant performance to take the opening Grand Prix of the season in Melbourne on Sunday.

Having qualified on pole, Hamilton led for the majority of the 58-lap race around Albert Park before crossing the line 5.4 seconds ahead of Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber with Williams driver Nico Rosberg back in third as only seven cars made it to the finish.

But it was the manner of the 23-year-old's victory that so impressed team boss Dennis as Hamilton negotiated three safety car periods that twice saw a comfortable advantage erased.

Each time, the seemingly unflappable Brit set about the task of re-establishing his authority with the minimum of fuss and admitted afterwards he was also driving well within himself.

And Dennis was quick to pay tribute to Hamilton's measured approach.

"It was faultless because even with the most experienced people in Formula One, it's the most difficult place to be leading the race," he said.

"That's when a mistake costs you so much.

"To lead a race and pace yourself, look after your tyres and all the other things, that is when you really have to drive so carefully - not driving 100% on the limit.

"And it's when you're not at 100% that you make mistakes, we know that from the past.

"It's the discipline that makes the race so good for him, doing what we have to do to win."

Although Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen saw hopes of a podium dashed when he was forced into the pits for fuel shortly after the final safety car was deployed - the Finn eventually finished fifth - it was still a pleasing start to the season for the Woking-based team.

But while McLaren were celebrating, it was a disastrous weekend for rivals Ferrari as both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa retired with engine failures, although the former did subsequently gain a solitary point after Rubens Barrichello's Honda was disqualified for a pitlane infraction.

However, Dennis was not about to dismiss the Italian marque with just one race of the season completed.

"It's too early," he said.

"They had to compromise their race with things that happened yesterday - we know they're going to be a very competitive team, they're well run.

"We're under no illusions they can be a very strong team for the remaining races and we need to be slightly stronger than them.

"Our true pace was really very good here but I think even if in the next two races we maintain the competitiveness, the true strengths of everybody's cars will not be known until Barcelona."

Dennis also revealed he will not be attending next weekend's race in Sepang but stressed it was down to personal issues rather than any hint he was about to relinquish his position at the head of McLaren.

"I'm not going to be in Malaysia but it's not for any motor racing reasons," he said.

"It involves going to England for something I'd rather not be doing but it's nothing to do with motor racing."