Current Lewis Hamilton

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"

 

[Fenderman]

Thanks, gentlemen (and gentlewomen (if one or some of your are female)). That clears it up.

Ya, FB...I got the message.

Shame he didn't get Webber, though.

Shot!

Edit: Just to avoid any confusion. When we in Blighty say "Shot!" like that we mean as in "Bulls eye", "Good shot,", "Got me!" etc, etc.

 

[Bill Boddy]

AND

The new set weren't a brand new set because he did an out lap and started what he thought was a fast lap so actually his 'new' set were only a lap younger than the others.

I think that he saw the chequered flag almost as soon as he was on the start/finish lap so he wouldn't have taken much out of his tyres, especially after his slow out lap.

Ray, since the BBC is almost certainly not the first place you would think of looking at here is the result of an interview with Hamilton.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/15232390.stm

 

[Fenderman]

AND

The new set weren't a brand new set because he did an out lap and started what he thought was a fast lap so actually his 'new' set were only a lap younger than the others.

Qualifiers in the top ten are required to start the race on the tyres they used to post their fastest qualifying lap. Hamilton had to revert to tyres he used in his first run. Hope that clears that up.

 

[Hamberg]

Qualifiers in the top ten are required to start the race on the tyres they used to post their fastest qualifying lap. Hamilton had to revert to tyres he used in his first run. Hope that clears that up.

Oh right cheers, I didn't know that! (read up the posts before mine )

 

[Fenderman]

Oh right cheers, I didn't know that! (read up the posts before mine )

Hi Hamberg. Funnily enough I'm just digging through the reg's in case what I just said is urban myth! In Lewis's case it won't make any difference since he didn't make it across the line on his newer set so technically he didn't post a run on those tyres at all, hence the definite requirement to revert to the old ones. If no-one gets there before me I'll keep you posted.

Found it.

The FIA F1 "Sporting Regulations" Article 25.4 clause d) states:

“At the start of the race each car which took part in Q3 must be fitted with the tyres with which the driver set his grid time. This will only be necessary if dry-weather tyres were used to set the grid time and if dry-weather [tyres] are used to start the race”

 

[Slyboogy]

Fenders working overtime!!!

 

[Hamberg]

Haha I know!

I was being a little bit sarcastic, I think you took my comment out of context. The discussion originated because we were talking about how Lewis had to start on a very used set of softs due to qualifying on a set that had also been used in Q2.

I was also saying that, it could be said he had an extra set of brand new softs, but as he'd done an out and in lap on them, they were only one lap fresher than the others (except Webber).

 

[Slyboogy]

Haha I know!

I was being a little bit sarcastic, I think you took my comment out of context. The discussion originated because we were talking about how Lewis had to start on a very used set of softs due to qualifying on a set that had also been used in Q2.

I was also saying that, it could be said he had an extra set of brand new softs, but as he'd done an out and in lap on them, they were only one lap fresher than the others (except Webber).

Shame on you for making Fender's work overtime!

 

[Hamberg]

Sorry Fenderman

 

[Fenderman]

Sorry Fenderman

Hey! Don't apologise!Sometimes it's handy to check back in case the memory has got distorted by reading too many conflicting ideas and, in some cases, spurious facts. It's also quite enjoyable finding the right info' and giving it to everyone else to use. so, thanks for the opportunity folk's

 

[KekeTheKing]

Looks like a determined Lewis for tomorrow. Certainly not satisfied with just breaking Red Bull's Pole run.

 

[steveg]

What do you all make of Lewis' reaction after quali ? Very quiet. It got me thinking about comments he made earlier in the week where he stated that a win would not make everything ok - which I gues it woudn't when you are still behind your teamate and the WDC is already gone for another year. However I then tied this in with earlier comments about how it would take "a long time" before his head would be in the right place again. Found that a bit strange and I'm just wondering if he was actually referring to some sort of 'broken trust' between himself and with some he calls 'family' at Mclaren - particularly Whitmarsh. It sort of reminds me of the film 'Rocky 5' when the son is pushed to one side for a new prodigy. "look Martin I've got pole" "very good Lewis - now where's Jenson I need to go thru race strategy".

I'm probably reading too much into it but it would explain a few things.

 

[Brogan]

Considering his performance in qualifying, his, and the team's reaction was strange to say the least.

I would have expected a bit more congratulating from the pit wall at least; considering it's the first driver other than a Red Bull driver to be on pole this season.

Lewis' demeanour I guess is just a consequence of the season he's had, with everything he's had to deal with on and off track.

 

[teabagyokel]

Unless, of course, they believe that Red Bull have outmanoeuvred them.

 

[Quintessentially]

I thought the folks in the garage were visibly pleased for him. It was just one of those moments akin to Turkey last year. I'm very happy for Hamilton. If anyone was going to break Redbull's monopoly on pole, it was going to be him.

 

[Fenderman]

Lewis's demeanour was understandable in a way from all that's happened to him this year. Maybe he just doesn't want to get too excited for fear of everything going pants again.

What I find really intriguing is the subdued atmosphere in what little we saw of the press conference and the body language generally of people we saw on screen. I've only ever seen that in race weekends where there has been a tragedy. I can't work it out and I've been scouring motor sports media to try and find an answer. I can't believe it's just down to Lewis getting pole position. I for one have been buoyed up and enthused about the race. I would have thought that this actually a good thing for F1. I just don't get it.

 

[Fenderman]

Whitmarsh tries to diffuse questions about Lewis's mood:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95414

That answers that one then. We can also explain Seb's demeanour as he was probably surprised and very disappointed whilst Jenson seemed, well, 'okay'.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

I think the reason for the response being relatively subdued after getting Pole is multi-fold:

1. The Pole was expected for McLarens; (Often at my place of work, when things are "expected" and you deliver on that "expectation", then there are no High Fives. It's "This Job's Done...So Let's Keep Going...It's Not Finished Yet". Perhaps this is their approach now, especially Lewis' approach. Perhaps?)

2. Lewis ought to have had Pole last week in Suzuka ... so getting only one Pole when you should have had TWO poles isn't good enough for a driver and team like Hamilton and McLarens;

3. Points are handed out on Sunday...so it's an air of "unfinished business"...It's probably a mindset of "we WANT to win the Grand Prix" and, more importantly for Lewis, "I WANT to win the Grand Prix";

4. So, from Lewis' point of view, Pole in only the 'begining'. There's Vettel and Button still to contend with over a race where the tyre deg is going to be high...and there might be a concern he(/they, including Button) doesn't(/don't) have the same fresh set of Primes that the Red Bulls have;

So...it ain't over.

5. Lewis is still going to be behind Jenson in the WDC after this race and he'll only be happy when that gap has been cut materially;

6. Button's reaction might have been more celebratory. Why? Because he's ordinarily (and on average) not the faster driver in the team over 1 flying lap when all things are equal (like both having the same number of 'clean' Q3 laps); Plus he would also feel like he had another good shot of extending his WDC lead over Hamilton.

So, for these 6 reasons, I can perfectly understand Lewis' reaction.

As I said, if something good is expected at my work in the first phase of a situation ... and you do what's expected, you still keep your head down and try and extract the maximum to the very end. You especially do this if it's been a "bad run" up to know.

At the level Lewis is in his specific profession and at the level McLarens are in this sport, i'd keep quiet and only yell and scream if I'm crossing the line first tomorrow.

The Grand Prix hasn't been one yet. It's a good start. A very good start. But it's not Job Over yet.

 

[Slyboogy]

It might be due to his friends passing away before the Singapore GP which might still be affecting

 

[Jen]

It's just a young man growing up - nothing more, nothing less - and I hope he wins tomorrow