In the unpredictable world of Formula One, where hype can make or break a driver's career (just ask Jenson Button), is Lewis Hamilton the next truly great driver or a one-hit wonder? With Hamilton taking his maiden victory after all of six races, the media, the fans and former racing legends have gone into a state of frenzy. Charismatic commentator Murray Walker and former triple world champion Jackie Stewart have already announced that young Lewis can re-write the history books. Britain's last world champion Damon Hill believes Hamilton has a very strong chance of winning the championship in his rookie year - a view supported by the fact that the British newcomer leads the board by eight points. Under the current points system, that values consistency above everything else, and with McLaren being the team to beat, Hamilton's' competitors Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikonnen are facing an uphill struggle to overhaul the patient Englishman's lead. It is true that in Formula One, those who go on to achieve a higher level of success announce their arrival with verve rather than a slow build-up. It took Button some 100 races to win for the first time and even that was achieved mainly because of the many retirements during the unpredictable race in Hungary last summer. Cast your mind back to Michael Schumacher's first year, qualifying seventh on the grid in Spa on his debut and generally showing his legendary team-mate, Nelson Piquet, that there was a new kid on the block and he was not willing to sit patiently and wait for his turn. The late, great Ayrton Senna and four-times world champion Alain Prost also destroyed the competition in their first season before moving on to destroying each other. Hamilton has all the makings of a hero worthy of joining that elite group. He is calm, consistent and hard-working but also has an edge about him that has already caught the attention of F1's biggest spoilsport Jacques Villeneuve. On the eve of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton was accused by the son of the local hero of being too aggressive at the start and employing tactics that have been fondly named 'Schuey Chops' after that great one's fondness for closing the door on his competitors. It is interesting to compare Hamilton's career at this stage with that of Villeneuve. As impressive as the new boy has been, one must remember that Villeneuve won the world championship in his second season under similar circumstances - by driving a car that was the benchmark. However, JV failed to capitalise on his success and instead opted for joining new team on the block BAR. Whether the move was for financial gain or for the challenge of starting over with a new team, that gamble did not pay off and he found himself battling for points from the back of the grid. Villeneuve eventually parted with BAR under acrimonious circumstances and became an 'also ran', F1's term for those drivers who never quite feature in a race and are there mainly to make up the numbers. His last team, BMW, sacked him mid-season and replaced him with the promising young talent Robert Kubica, who is recovering well after his horror smash at the Canadian Grand Prix.. Villeneuve's example illustrates that even winning a world championship is no guarantee that you will receive a place in F1's hall of fame. Just ask Alonso, double world champion and now second fiddle to the biggest sensation since Schumacher.
