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"

 

[gethinceri]

I've been beating myself for years.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Thats loser talk!

Well, I mean retrospectively. If I knew and believed I could beat everybody obviously that's what I would want to achieve.

 

[teabagyokel]

Ninja is right. You can't say that Hamilton achieved his potential in 2011. He was too near Massa too often, he was wildly inconsistent and he suffered for it in the tables. Vettel and Alonso don't achieve the same performance every race, but they seemed to achieve an excellent level 9 times out of ten last year where Hamilton was on about 6.

The biggest criticism of Hamilton possible would be that he had a good year in 2011, because that implies that he has far less talent than we are led to believe.

Anyone who believes Hamilton is the best driver on the grid must surely contend that 2011 is an off-year, because quite frankly he should have challenged Vettel for the title and came nowhere close to ever doing so.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

2011 was a big off year for Lewis, he admitted to distractions off track, he made silly mistakes, he misjudged other drivers several times not least Massa

To take this year and decide that it shows a lack of mental strength, and that it suggests he is unable to achieve his full potential in future is something I take umbrage with

Here's why;

2007, not a hint of mental weakness
2008 overall the same, some inexperience but no hint of mental weakness
2009, bad car but no crumbling mentally, the opposite could be argued
2010, chasing too hard, frustration, few errors, in contention last race
2011, car unable to deliver WC again, by his own admission a d standards lost focus, messed up, distracted,

He has promised not to repeat this abberation of a year ( look at his whole racing career)

So to take last year and decide that he has mental weaknesses that need to be addressed if he is ever to win again is pure sensationalism and irritating to say the least

Where is the evidence that he has mental deficiencies preventing him from fulfilling his potential? One bad year? And that negates his 2097 and 2008?

This is a classic example of one rule for Lewis and one for the rest

Alonso demonstrated some odd behaviour and decisions in the period 2007 - 2010. He wasn't always focused, he lost the WC on the last day to Seb, he has one extra WC than Lewis with double his experience but is he judged by one poor season?

Come on guys, 2012 has barely begun and we are already hearing about Hamiltons poor mental strength and how he is in danger of under achieving.

It's gonna be a long season and as I said before one swallow does not a summer make

unless its Lewis and then all our preconceptions can come alive in technicolor

2011 was a bad year by his standards, he has taken steps to prevent this, he has said he is not bothered by the results of his competitors as his blip can clearly be explained quantified and corrected

But we don't believe him, he is weak mentally because of last year, the previous years don't matter

Let's hope this Coton chap doesn't allow him to read the British press or forums, he might believe reports of his mental state as he can't think for himself

 

[teabagyokel]

He was pretty inconsistent in 2008 as well; fortunately so was everyone else.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

All second year rookies are inconsistent

and we don't link it to mental weakness

 

[racecub]

Thats loser talk!

Not if you know you're the best

 

[RasputinLives]

He was pretty inconsistent in 2010 as well

 

[Viscount]

Whether he's there for an actual purpose or just for the cameras, the new member of Hamilton's management, Didier Coton, does appear to be slightly more hands on joining his driver at testing yesterday.

 

[FB]

That's Mike Gascoyne - Lewis to Caterham you heard it here first!

 

[racecub]

Are

Whether he's there for an actual purpose or just for the cameras, the new member of Hamilton's management, Didier Coton, does appear to be slightly more hands on joining his driver at testing yesterday.

Are they holding hands!!

 

[Josh]

Are they holding hands!!

Yes, Lewis was jealous of Martin and Jenson's relationship so now he has someone to cuddle with in the garage too!

 

[racecub]

Yes, Lewis was jealous of Martin and Jenson's relationship so now he has someone to cuddle with in the garage too.

Excellent! Now eat your heart out Martin

 

[Cookinflatsix]

He was pretty inconsistent in 2010 as well

Who wasn't?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Come on guys, 2012 has barely begun and we are already hearing about Hamiltons poor mental strength and how he is in danger of under achieving.

Cookin'. This dicussion is mostly down to you, to be honest. The conversation likely would not exist, or be half as lengthy it weren't for your overzealous defence of Lewis. Nobody is slagging him off and nobody is trying to take him down a peg. I'm not sure what you are trying to prove.

 

[Road of Bones]

At the risk of agitating the ordure, his Eccleship has chosen to air his views on the matter:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17146175

Worth noting, if only for the fact that Bernie is rarely misinformed about these things...

 

[canis]

Ahhhh, Bernies traditional controversial announcement of the future prior to the season starting. We hav had in previous years the medal idea, randomised sprinklers on track, shortcuts and anything else he could say to generate headlines in the run up to the season.

What better way to generate headlines than forecasting the break-up of the only "British" team (i.e. based in the UK with only UK drivers etc etc).

Will people please stop taking Bernies statements of fact or intent in the run up to the season so seriously? In fact the only one he has made that came true was that he would like Vettel to win the championship a few years ago, and it is not like you are saying he knew that before the season even started are you? Or maybe he did....

 

[Cookinflatsix]

The conversation likely would not exist, or be half as lengthy it weren't for your overzealous defence of Lewis.

I guess if we were in a bar the conversation might have gone like this:

You: He has the talent, for sure, but unless he learns to access it and harvest it at will he's doomed to underachieve.

Me: Everyone can have a bad season, lets give him a chance this year, your round isn't it?

 

[RasputinLives]

Pfft. as if Ninja would buy a round!

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Pfft. as if Ninja would buy a round!

Went out for 1 beer last night and came back £150 lighter. The likelihood is that I'll buy you a drink before you have finished the last one I bought you.