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How The Heart Approaches What It Yearns is the title of an old Paul Simon song, about how we sometimes unconsciously act in a way that directs us to where we really want to go, even if we don't consciously know where that is. Last year in Hungary, as he ignored team instructions during qualifying, Lewis Hamilton's heart approached what it yearned - to be 'number one' at McLaren. Twelve months on, and Heikki Kovalainen was confirmed as Lewis's team-mate for another year. It's hard not to think that Hamilton's yearning has been satisfied. Here he was, leader of the world championship, clearly the main focus of the team, with a team-mate he likes but can usually beat, being confirmed and thereby keeping Lewis well within his comfort zone. Last year's line-up of Hamilton and Fernando Alonso was just too much. Too much competitive intensity in too small a space. Too closely matched a driver pairing. Too much of the paranoia that arises when those circumstances are combined with a potentially title-winning car. See also Senna/Prost McLaren 1988-89, except that last year it all conspired with an extra outside force that was tearing the team apart - that of Stepneygate. Something had to give. Lewis, whether he was aware of it or not, effectively gave the team the 'it's him or me' ultimatum. And that moment came in Budapest. Last year McLaren's meticulous method of equalising opportunities for their drivers in qualifying meant a highly intricate choreography between them in the old fuel burn part of the session. By ignoring the pre-planned sequence, Hamilton stole himself a weight advantage that unfairly increased his chances of taking pole from Alonso. © 2020 Autosport
In the magazine: Wheldon the Lionheart In AUTOSPORT magazine this week, we reflect on the life of Dan Wheldon with those who knew him best, and remember the day, just a month before his death, when he showed off IndyCar's staircase of talent Mag 
MPH: Mark Hughes on... A law that invariably applies in racing: the genie will not go back into the bottle once released F1 
MPH: Mark Hughes on... Competitors entering motorsport are getting ever-younger - but are even the youngest missing out on a crucial age in physiological development? F1 
MPH: Mark Hughes on... So, team orders failed to secure the world championship for Fernando Alonso. But neither he, nor the Ferrari team, can function happily – or truly effectively – any other way F1
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What the first look at 2021's F1 aero rules tells us As well as learning a new circuit to Formula 1, several teams used their Portuguese GP practice running to try out new aero concepts ahead of rule changes for next year - providing an interesting first insight into what 2021 F1 cars will look like F1 
The pre-race call that gave Hamilton the edge at Portimao Lewis Hamilton seized Formula 1's all-time win record with victory in a tricky Portuguese Grand Prix for Mercedes. He went wheel-to-wheel with Valtteri Bottas and won out, but a pre-qualifying decision was key to gaining a decisive advantage F1 
Why history risks repeating itself for Mercedes' star F1 junior Speculation linking Sergio Perez with Williams next year will make for uncomfortable reading for George Russell. Despite his consistently strong showings, a precedent from 2018 suggests holding onto his seat may not be a straightforward matter F1 
Why a decades-old tradition had to be curtailed The controversial 'party modes', outlawed by the FIA this season, represent the peak of a development curve which began many years ago - but it was right to put an end to it, says PAT SYMONDS F1 
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