Thursday, March 19, 2009

Jordan: Hamilton still would have won

Wednesday 18th March 2009

Former Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan believes Lewis Hamilton would have won last year's World Championship even if this season's new rules had been in place.

On Tuesday, motor sport's governing body the FIA changed the way the world drivers' champion will be decided, bringing in a new rule that the title will go to the driver with the most grand prix wins over the course of the season.

In the wake of that decision - labelled "good for the sport" by Jordan - many pointed out that had such a scheme had been in use in 2008, Hamilton would have lost out to Felipe Massa, the Brazilian having won six races to Hamilton's five.

However, Jordan told talkSPORT radio station on Wednesday that Hamilton would have approached the last race in Brazil much differently had he and Massa gone into it level pegging on five wins each. As it was Hamilton led Massa by seven points at that stage and only needed to finish in the top five at Interlagos.

Jordan said: "People say he (Hamilton) wouldn't have won the World Championship last year as he didn't win as many races as Massa. But that's not true.

"You're racing under a different set of rules and occasions and who knows about his mindset? I believe it was negative as Lewis went in to the last race knowing he just had to finish fifth, which was wrong. He should have gone in there knowing that he had to win because, in my view, he would have won."

Asked if he agreed with the new points system, Jordan said: "We've had too many occasions where a guy sitting back in second or third place because the people in front of him weren't in a position to win a championship, he was on a bit of a cruise, just jockeying around for position, this doesn't happen any more.

"It's like horse racing, first across the post, and I think that's a good thing.

"It will mean a different strategy. The team principals, people like myself in years gone by, will have to think again about how you approach a race because the mindset will be 'we have to win the race'. Not 'let's see how many points we can get'. It's a good thing, you'll see a lot of different strategies and drivers will be 'on it' a lot more and they'll be more honest.

"By that I mean that if you don't have to pass someone and it's only two points you'll say 'why put myself in jeopardy? I'm going to get eight points for finishing second so if I don't pass him it doesn't really matter'. It's good for the sport and you'll see a lot more action at the sharp end of the race."

Source : Planet F1

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