Current Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton MBE

A place to put all the posts from all the other threads primarily but love him or hate him, and even for the indifferent amongst us this is the place to discuss the marmite that is Lewis Hamilton, to learn a thing or two about his rise, talk about those controversial, genius or mad moments and something that i am bemused by, the recent articles that suggest something quite different to my perception of what's going on. Any experiences of meeting LH?

Brundle had to write a Lewis Hamilton article recently and in my tweets (which were probably ignored) I asked him to talk about LH the driver not LH the personality. It seems that you can't have one without the other.

So as a starter for ten, here is a fairly recent LH article. Posts should not be limited to this link but it can get some discussion going. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13755883.stm

The only banned topic as it is clearly ridiculous involves these four things "Glock" "2008" "Brazil" "conspiracy"

 

[KekeTheKing]

I could easily envision a McLaren reunion down the road. Nobody knows what the landscape will look like 5-8-10 years from now.

What I do know is that the switch to Mercedes last year looks like a pretty good one at this point.

 

[FB]

Am I the only one who feels a sense of disappointment with Hamilton's career to date? I know he has won a World Title, and there aren't too many F1 drivers who have done that, but the level of expectation I had after his rookie season, for me at least, was so high and then through a combination of dodgy cars and external effects his career has stalled. I for one would have expected him to have won more than one title by now.

It would be great to see the Lewis Hamilton of 2007 re-emerge at Mercedes this year.

 

[KekeTheKing]

It's true that Hamilton could feel slightly disappointed. A stone machined its way through the rim at Catalunya 2010 with 2 laps to go and the points lost there were more than the margin to Vettel at the end of the campaign. He was nearly flawless in 2012 with reliability and team mistakes holding him back. By the same token, millions of people consider him lucky to have won in 2008. If's and but's right?

But as for the expectations part...I'm not sure they were ever attainable. When you finish on the podium in your first 9 GP, beat your 2x defending WDC teammate, and come within a delayed pitstop and a mystery engine glitch from the title in your Rookie season, the expectations were beyond astronomical.

 

[FB]

Exactly my point, then some bloody German comes along and wins 4 titles on the bounce which was what most of us probably expected of Hamilton. Vettel has eclipsed all in the last few years but Lewis, from my perspective, probably has had the biggest burden of expectation to carry.

 

[KekeTheKing]

No doubt. In all realms of sport it is almost always easier to achieve something when relatively little is expected.

And as I've said to Brogan many, many times, barring unforeseen circumstances, Lewis Hamilton still has a long career ahead and I would be extremely shocked and disappointed if he doesn't collect another crown along the way.

 

[RasputinLives]

I hope he does have a long career left but I'll point out that Button is only 5 years older and people have been talking about his retirement for the last 2 years now despite his good form.

I think Lewis will have a seat in F1 for as long as he wants one but can't help feeling this is a make or break year for Lewis for how his career is viewed.

I hope in 30 years time I'm not watching a movie about Lewis that ends with him winning the title in 2008 and saying he never reached the same heights again ala Hunt and Rush.

 

[downforce]

To think he could have won 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012 and only won 2008 is gutting.

2012 is perhaps the most annoying as he was perfection personified and lost in the region of 150 points through sheer luck and wasn't even it it by the end.

I still firmly believe him to be the fastest driver in Formula 1 though. If the Mercedes really is as good as it seems this should be his year.

 

[RasputinLives]

I don't remember him being that good in 2012 if I'm honest.

Hamilton's seasons since 2010 seem to go the same way every year. A slightly bright start with a few podiums before start to score great results and wins from around race 6 or 7 onwards. This is followed by a massive peak where he gets on the top or the near the top of the championship and everyone gets excited about him taking the title around Hungary/Spa time. This is followed by an unexplained downturn in the car pace or a few errors and collisions or just general reasons that are amazingly debatable as to if he is to blame or not through Monza/Singapore/Suzuka which results in Lewis being very unhappy/in a dark place/fallimg out with Nicole etc and being pretty much out the title race. Then we get the US and Lewis brightens up and starts to hit form and showing a lot of promise for the next year. He finishes 4th in the championship and everyone says he'll be a title contender next year.

I hope for him this season has a different story.

 

[Plutus]

I don't see a reason why McLaren should bother re-signing Hamilton as a driver. They have Magnussen and soon Vandoorne will be ready to go, if both prove to be fit for F1, I don't see any room for him in the team. Didn't Hamilton sign a five year deal at Mercedes, he'll be close to his mid- thirties by the end of it.
They might re-sign him, only if he has grown up by then...........
To me, he made a fatal error when he posted confidential data on Twitter such breach of confidence is a reason why I as a TP would personally never want him in my team again. No matter what value that data had.

RasputinLives

I wrote an article on Hamilton's career stats compared to others and was his ultimate F1 legacy will be recently but to be honest I'm too scared to post it as if I'm not ripped apart by oneside I'll be burnt at the stake by the other.

Are you ever going to post the article, I am sure many of us would like to read it.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I hope he does have a long career left

According to some an F1 driver is finished when he reaches the ripe old age of 34 which means Lewis has only got 4 maybe 5 years left at best so he had better get a shift on with those championships...

 

[RasputinLives]

Plutus I'll sort it this weekend but I have made a lot of the points regarding his comparrison with James Hunt and lasting reps.

 

[Hamberg]

According to some an F1 driver is finished when he reaches the ripe old age of 34 which means Lewis has only got 4 maybe 5 years left at best so he had better get a shift on with those championships...

So he's only c50% of the way through his career then

 

[Mephistopheles]

I guess so Hamberg according to some that is, not me mind you I advocate that a driver can go on for a good 5 or 6 years beyond 34 it isn't me who says that 34 is old if you could be bothered to read or take note of any of my previous posts on the subject of age.

 

[Lewywo4]

The only year that I was disappointed with Lewis was 2011, because of some of his antics on social media. Downforce was right when he said in 2007, 2010 and 2012 that Hamilton stood a reasonable chance of securing a WDC.

In 2012 Lewis had pit stop problems at a few races, losing a pole position in Spain as a result of a fueling error by Mclaren, and during the start of the race at Spa, being taken out at the first turn by Grojean, also losing 2 races at Singapore and Abu Dhabi because of mechanical failures while comfortably leading, are just a few of the things which dashed his championship run for that year. I believe that Lewis drove very well in 2012, and circumstances beyond his control cost him a possible championship.

The highlight for me in 2012 was his win at the U.S. GP at Austin, during that thrilling duel which he had with Vettel from the start of the race to the end.......... good stuff from both drivers.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I can understand why people say Hamilton's career has stalled since 2008, but I don't understand why some people attribute it to his performance. In my mind his only bad seasons were 2011 and perhaps 2013.

2007 - In terms of a rookie season it was brilliant. But the fact is that the other car won the same amount races, opportunities were missed.

2008 - Not his best season with mistakes in Bahrain, Monaco and Canada. However he redeemed himself with some superb drives.

2009 - Can't think of any mistakes he made? Except lying (not the first driver to do so) in Oz and ruining an amazing podium.

2010 - Nearly won the title in the 3rd best car, people often say this was one of Alonso's great seasons but fail to recognise what Hamilton did just because he didn't finish 2nd, in the end Hamilton made one mistake in Italy/Singapore (can't be wrong in both...) and reliability decided it (Vettel had his fair share admittedly).

2011 - Some great drives (China, Germany) but overall a really poor season.

2012 - Flawless season? Reliability robbed him. To those that don't think he was that good in 2012, I would go and re-watch the Canadian GP, taking the top step while the sister car is lapped.

2013 - Not at his best, new team and says he wasn't comfortable with the car but still. Probably his 2nd worst season but he still beat Rosberg while moving into a new team.

That's how I would summarise Hamilton's F1 career to date, one poor season and one season that was below par. Otherwise I don't see what else he could really have done.

 

[Hamberg]

The only year that I was disappointed with Lewis was 2011, because of some of his antics on social media.

That was 2012 wasn't it?

 

[Lewywo4]

I'm quite sure that it was 2011....

 

[mjo]

2012 was when he tweeted the Mclaren telemetry and it was 2011 with the Ali-G remark, so you're both right I think.

 

[Hamberg]

Lewis has only got 4 maybe 5 years left at best so he had better get a shift on with those championships...

I guess so Hamberg it isn't me who says that 34 is old if you could be bothered to read or take note of any of my previous posts on the subject of age.

The fact you've brought up an annoyance about JB and made a snippy comment on the LH thread suggests otherwise. But hey ho.

Back to LH (-vs JB) I'm thoroughly disappointed for most of the reasons mentioned. Not always in Hamilton (although there have been a fair few times) but mostly missed opportunities. I have a feeling this year is make or break. Which is a personal dilemma as I feel the same about Rosberg.

 

[Lewywo4]

That was 2012 wasn't it?

Hamberg....you're right it was 2012.

I hardly think that this is a make or break season, for either Lewis or Nico.