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"

 

[Brogan]

Agreed siffert_fan.

I too find it difficult to believe, knowing just how different their driving styles are.

 

[teabagyokel]

There is that...

 

[F1ang-o]

If you want to quote someone, click on the Quote link on the bottom right of the post.

Sorry, I was taking a section of the post to quote, I thought I had read that this was how you wanted it done.

 

[Brogan]

If you want to part quote, click on the Quote link and just remove the content as required.

Copying and pasting like that doesn't really work as it doesn't attribute the content correctly.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Even so, if true, it's fairly damning and manifestly unfair.

I can only imagine the outcry if Red Bull stated they were favouring Vettel or Ferrari said they were favouring Alonso.

This is the year 2012

surely it cant be that one driver secures favour because of reasons outside the race track?

It cant be that one driver looks the part or is a member of the right club, or attended the right school?

I thought Ron's McLaren had actually overturned the old predjudices and represented a true meritocracy, i thought that was why so many loved Mclaren

 

[racecub]

McLaren have a responsibility to see both of their cars finish as high as possible in an attempt to win the WCC. Button is (a) more experienced and (b) more responsive to set up changes; as a consequence of those two things it is reasonable to assume that his technical feedback is slightly better than Hamilton's.

But, it is justified in the situation. Hamilton always has driven around problems that he hardly perceives. By taking the Button set-up they ensure that they have two drivable cars on the grid, which is better than one, surely.

Thats ok if Mclaren are happy to settle for mediocritry.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I think any McLaren fan would rather see one car win every weekend than see both cars in 3rd and 4th. Given McLaren's current approach, however, it seems that they would prefer the safer and lesser yielding option than the higher yield, higher risk option.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Thats ok if Mclaren are happy to settle for mediocritry.

and there is the difference between the Mclaren of before and todays version

before, get the best and fastest two drivers, risk trouble, sit back and create history

now, harmonise, equalise, 'lowest common denominator'-ise, 'poly business school'-ise, 'chesire cat grin for the media'-ise

 

[FB]

when it comes to setting up the McLaren i read this."Whenever their is a divergence of opinion on Friday, the team invariably follow Button's preference, probably secure in the knowledge that hamilton will be able to drive well regardless of the car's traits, whereas Button loses more of his performance if the car is not exactly as he needs it.

Before the paranoid and conspiracy theorist get too carried away, please read and digest the complete quote

probably secure in the knowledge that hamilton will be able to drive well regardless of the car's traits

Shouldn't you take that as a compliment to the boy you admire before damning the whole Mclaren team to Hades? Please keep a little perspective can you.

 

[racecub]

Before the paranoid and conspiracy theorist get too carried away, please read and digest the complete quote



Shouldn't you take that as a compliment to the boy you admire before damning the whole Mclaren team to Hades? Please keep a little perspective can you.

Huge compliment to the boy but still a path to mediocrity.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Got to say that i'm with Racecub on this one. There have been no conspiracy theories, accusations of favouritism or anything else of that nature. I think that the implication is that they may have another trophy on thier shelves were they not to compromise thier best chances at wins in favour of two high finishes. It's a very conservative approach that hasn't paid off for them. If they want to win either championship this year, they are unlikely to achieve it with this methodology.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

probably secure in the knowledge that hamilton will be able to drive well regardless of the car's traits

but a chance that probably might frustrate and alienate a kid previously incubated and nurtured not to be competing within the same team for popularity

 

[Bill Boddy]

..... BUT when it comes to setting up the McLaren i read this."Whenever their is a divergence of opinion on Friday, the team invariably follow Button's preference....

"I read this" What does he mean by that? Is it written down somewhere that he can see? Or does he mean that he thinks that it works this way? He simply does not make it clear, a pedant like myself would got to extreme lengths to avoid this confusion.

Nowhere does it say "This is what McLaren say". imo it is simply hoo.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Before the paranoid and conspiracy theorist get too carried away, please read and digest the complete quote

That sounds like a green light

but I don't think theories are needed here, a respected F1 insider has supplied opinions for us mere mortals to peruse

 

[ExtremeNinja]

... a pedant like myself would got to extreme lengths to avoid this confusion.

You've outdone me on that one. I managed to read straight past that little mechanism for self-excusal

 

[Bill Boddy]

I seem to remember that there are two sides to the McLaren garage, one side looking after Button's side, the other after Hamilton's. They share information with each other, but when it comes to the final setup each one will set their driver's car up the way they think will be best.

If the driver keeps getting setups that he does not like then he should kick backsides until he gets what he wants. It's part of a driver's job.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I think that's is true after a point. In finding a good baseline for the car, however, I can see how there could be an element of truth in this - albeit a speculative truth.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

If the driver keeps getting setups that he does not like then he should kick backsides until he gets what he wants. It's part of a driver's job.

Unless you are called Hamilton, in which case you are an ungrateful and disloyal, arrogant, mentally deficient miscreant

and certain posters can have a free pop at you

consider updates for the car, one driver wants the update, the other doesn't think its perfect enough for his liking, the team discard the update

 

[racecub]

"I read this" What does he mean by that? Is it written down somewhere that he can see? Or does he mean that he thinks that it works this way? He simply does not make it clear, a pedant like myself would got to extreme lengths to avoid this confusion.

Nowhere does it say "This is what McLaren say". imo it is simply hoo.

Well firstly Im a she.Yes it is written down for me to see in the article in Autosport that I referred to. Its in this weeks mag and is entitled "Inside the F1 cockpit". The article is by Hughes but has lots of quotes by other people. Its about 4/5 pages long and i just quoted bits of it. The article is by no means having a go at McLaren or comparing Hamilton favourably against Button. Its highlighting different styles of driving and saying when certain styles are better..and how much more could be done to research this area. I found the bit I quoted about how McLaren invariably follow Button when there's a dispute on set up interesting and somewhat disappointing, thats why I posted that part.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Now I'm confused. Apparently Bill is too. Maybe I wasn't before but am now. I'd better go and read the article myself. I think Bill was quoting you as if you were quoting Mark Hughes with regards to the word "read" and I have subsequently carried the error.

Is the article available online?