Revealed: The trump card Ferrari are set to play in Shanghai that could make-or-break Lewis Hamilton's audacious bid for an eighth world title
Will Shanghai again be Lewis Hamilton's city of false dawns and broken dreams or this weekend prove itself a launchpad for his last great hurrah?The vast and increasingly handsome metropolis is already established as a significant staging post in his long career, going back to his debut here in 2007, when his title hopes ended up in the gravel on the pit entrance.More recently, his win in the sprint here a year ago was an unreliable harbinger in what turned out to be a first season at Ferrari as enjoyable as measles.Nothing went right. He struggled with the ground-effect cars that came in 2022 and, it was argued here, with the passing of the years.Ah, but after the opening race in Australia last week under new regulations, he was smiling again. A fourth-placed finish acted as balm, even though Ferrari's strategy call, failing to call in either the seven-time world champion or his team-mate Charles Leclerc under a virtual safety car, cost him a likely first podium in red overalls.Sitting in the cold, windswept grandeur of the Shanghai International Circuit yesterday, he went so fair as declare himself 'in a happier place in my life' than 12 months ago. Lewis Hamilton's season could be made or broken by a key change in Shanghai - here he is pictured on his scooter at the Shanghai International Circuit on ThursdayHe added: 'We are going to try to catch up Mercedes (winners in Australia through George Russell) and I believe we can.'An eighth world title, then? Steady on, but there are signs of a better spirt within him. Two ladies may have contributed to this - though the upturn his car's performance may represent the principal boost, who knows?Reports of his relationship with American TV star Kim Kardashian have made huge headlines. And more quietly behind the glamour trap, Hamilton is buzzing after spending some quality time with his mother Brenda.She, a self-effacing lady who shuns the limelight, was with him in Melbourne and they travelled together to Shanghai.They visited Juizhaigou National Park. He eulogised it, from its turquoise lakes to its cascading waterfalls. He breathed in every drop of fresh air.'It is not easy getting my mum to travel,' said Hamilton. 'We have not had a lot of time one-on-one recently, but we managed that in the last few days and it was special.'He has visited the Great Wall of China before, and would like to revisit it. He has his own high walls to conquer, too. And one of them is his former team-mate Russell, who is showing steely composure and leads the nascent championship for the first time in his life.The pair of them then shared the flight to Shanghai - 10 hours from Melbourne - with plenty to talk about. Hamilton shared pictures enjoying some adventures in China alongside his mother, Brenda Ferrari will introduce their new-fangled upside down rear wing at the race this weekend Before the season started, the number-crunchers had Leclerc down as the superior Ferrari performer in testing. George may be talking up his travel buddy now, but, regardless, Hamilton was the quicker of the scarlet pair during the second stint in Melbourne. And that represents a serious break from recent tradition.Russell said: 'Lewis was really happy and positive after the race. He deserved to be on the podium if only the strategy was in a slightly different direction.'Both of us think is that it can be a close fight between us and Mercedes.'Everybody expected us to storm away. In the last stint Ferrari were basically doing the same lap times as us. I am not convinced they would have won if they had both pitted when we did but it would have been a battle.'With a sprint race here on Saturday, curtailing practice running, throws up imponderables as the whole field contends with the new regulations of half-electric engines.One thing we do know is that Ferrari will introduce their new-fangled upside down rear wing, its convex side facing upwards - a striking emblem of an arms race that may shape whether Hamilton takes an eighth title as profoundly as what might be left in his tank.
