HAMILTON OUT OF SPOTLIGHT - FOR NOW

Hamilton - has been in the spotlight.

For once this weekend, Lewis Hamilton can rest easy appreciating the spotlight that has burned remorselessly on him these past few weeks will instead be focusing on his Formula One title rivals.

Such are the vagaries of any sport, especially one as rarefied and elitist as F1, that a slip, a wheel out of place in this instance, and you are instantly catapulted into the sights of snipers ready to take a critical pot-shot.

So step forward Felipe Massa, a man who executed more spins during the rain-hit British Grand Prix at Silverstone than a celebrated over of Shane Warne's finest deliveries.

Massa had shaken the demons off his tail following an inauspicious start to the season when he failed to score a point in the opening two races in Australia and Malaysia.

At that stage, despite the fact he has the longest contract in F1 that runs through to the end of 2010, there were those willing to write off the Brazilian.

Although at the wheel of one of the best cars on the grid, it was suggested he would be ousted come the end of the season given the

drive for perfection that resides within Ferrari.

But come the start of the British race the majority of the doubters had been swatted away like flies as he stood proudly at the top of the drivers' standings, the first Brazilian to do so since the late Ayrton Senna.

But after 60 laps of spinning in the rain, and trailing home last of the 13 who managed to finish, the critics are crawling all over Massa again, questioning his ability, particularly in the wet.

And then there is his team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, who infuriatingly blows hot and cold, succeeding only in furthering the debate as to whether he will retire at the end of the season.

The countless rounds of media and sponsorship engagements, despite the fact they take up less of his time at Ferrari than at the truly corporate beasts of former team McLaren, are all so insufferable to the reigning world champion who simply loves to drive.

It means Raikkonen, even though he is steadily growing accustomed to his press duties these days, often exudes a disaffected air.

The fact he has failed to win any of his last five races, although arguably is the most talented driver in the sport at present, has added a degree of substance to the argument he will quit.

But Raikkonen is an enigma, if not enigmatic, and you know in one race he can a turn a form book on its head and dismiss out of hand the conspiracy theorists who have him pegged as walking away.

Finally, back to Robert Kubica, although not the Pole to some extent, more his BMW Sauber team who just over a month ago were riding the crest of a wave.

A one-two finish in the Canadian Grand Prix, undeniably aided by Hamilton's mistake in the pit lane when he ran into the back of a stationary Raikkonen, added credibility to the claim they had shaken off Ferrari and McLaren's dominant stranglehold.

But perhaps it was in Montreal BMW Sauber peaked because although they - Kubica in particular - had shown remarkable points-scoring consistency, they have since reverted again to being the 'third team'.

Kubica's body language and comments pre-Silverstone were of a man who knows his team were being left behind by their rivals in terms of performance, arguably sensing the title to be slipping away.

So after grabbing all the headlines post-Silverstone, Hamilton can enjoy himself at Hockenheim, but appreciating he is only as good as his last race.

The 23-year-old knows all too well from past experience this season a mistake, no matter how small, will again see him subjected to the piranhas of the press.

Instead, it is Massa, Raikkonen and Kubica who are at their mercy.

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As part of triple World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx's race weekend, what are known as 'taxi rides' are organised by his team for a handful of privileged guests.

Fortunately, I happened to be one of those at the latest round in Estoril at the weekend, with Priaulx taking up the reins of a 330 xi - except it was an automatic!

Basically, what he does with his race car, the same applies in a normal road car, except in the latter it is really not meant to do what he does with it.

To give you some idea, Priaulx hit 220kph at the bottom of the pit straight before jamming hard on the brake and sliding through turn one.

Talking to me as if he was out on a Sunday drive, Priaulx proceeded to hurl the car through various corners, tyres screeching, engine screaming.

That was before a warning light came on, to which he said: "I think I've broke it!" - and that was after less than 10 miles.

It was hardly a respectable advert for normally reliable BMWs, but boy, was it a lot of fun.

RAIKKONEN BACKS YOUTH

KUBICA SHOWS TITLE CREDENTIALS