Lewis Hamilton wants to end a spell of damage limitation in recent races with an improved performance in qualifying to secure a top-five place on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton wants to end a spell of damage limitation in recent races with an improved performance in qualifying to secure a top-five place on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver has found himself having to fight his way into the points in the last two Grands Prix having qualified 11th and 20th in Australia and Malaysia respectively.
McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain drives into the final
straight during the first qualifying session of Formula One's Chinese
Grand Prix in Shanghai yesterday. PIC/AFP
Hamilton went on to drive superbly in both races to claim successive sixth-place finishes and consequently finds himself in touch with the leading pack in the drivers' championship. The 2008 champion is sixth in the standings with 31 points, just eight behind leader Felipe Massa.
And, after clocking the fastest lap in practice yesterday, the 2008 champion is hoping for a trouble-free qualifying session so that he can finally challenge at the front.
"You have seen our pace in the last two races," said the Briton.
"It's been pretty good. But we've come from the back. We've come from 11th up to the front and from 20th up to the front.
"Ideally we would like to get into Q3 and have a top-five start in the race, which would enable us to be competitive for the win."
Hamilton last tasted success on the Shanghai International Circuit in his championship-winning season in 2008 which banished memories of his first taste of the track the previous year when he beached his car in the gravel.
And the 25-year-old believes the MP4-25 feels as good as the car he claimed victory in two years ago. "The balance, as always at every track I go to, feels fantastic. It feels completely better than last year. It is great to have the car beneath me that I can push into certain corners and it is kind of reminiscent of the 2008 balance and hopefully that will enable us to be competitive in qualifying."
Sutil 7th fastest
Force India's Adrian Sutil suggested he could be competitive once again this weekend with the seventh fastest time.
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