Formula 1 - Hungary - Luck for McLarens
Formula 1 - Hungary 2008 -
In order to finish first, first you have to be Finnish
“Welcome to the world of winning, the first of many.” That was how McLaren boss Ron Dennis greeted Heikki Kovalainen as the Finn scored a surprise victory on Sunday in a Hungarian Grand Prix that should actually have been Felipe Massa’s race.
The Brazilian took his chance with both hands and thrust his Ferrari past the front-row McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Kovalainen at the start, and then dominated proceedings.
Life got easier for him when Hamilton suffered a deflated front left Bridgestone tyre on the 41st lap and dropped back to 10th place, and in truth Kovalainen never looked likely to challenge Massa. But gradually the McLaren moved closer and closer to the red car as the final laps were reeled off. Massa completed the 67th of the 70 in the lead, but then a spectacular engine failure stopped car number two just past the line. As Massa was clambering out, Kovalainen swept past en route to a triumph that made up for all the poor fortune he has had to endure this season as Hamilton’s partner.