Nicki Lauda - Chump of the Weekend.
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Maybe so. Consistency across races seems to be lacking. Same stewards for each race would help.
It is a shame whej this kind of thing takes away from the racing spectacle.
For balance, though, if it was Lewis in Jenson place, and he had not been penalized, i think things would be very different again. It seems tha people rather than lamenting the consistency of the decisions, are sighting Jenson. Just an opinion with no real substance, but some of the comments that have been floating around lead me to think as such.
For the record, please do not think for a second that I condone, agree with or have anything but the utmost contempt for laudas words. I personally think that is bordering on illegal, and although everyone is entitled to their opinion, this is just plain stupid.
And he has the nerve to say that Lewis is mad.
And he has the nerve to say that Lewis is mad.
I think he would have been penalised though, that's the problem.
As can be seen from Lauda's comments, as well as Brundle and Coulthard, there is definitely a difference in how some drivers are treated when it comes to incidents.
Whether that translates through to the stewards' room, who knows.
As can be seen from Lauda's comments, as well as Brundle and Coulthard, there is definitely a difference in how some drivers are treated when it comes to incidents.
Whether that translates through to the stewards' room, who knows.
RevMaxPower
Banned
On occasion Lewis is too impulsive. He is a great driver but sometimes his own worst enemy. He almost expects others to make way for him - in fact something he shares with Fernando in my view.
The Artist.....
Champion Elect
Brogan.... I suspect that what might be happening is that the stewards (And commentators) are being more harsh with Hamilton as he has been involved in far more incidents than any other driver over the last 5 years.... This is of course because he is always going to go for a gap!..... I think a large number of drivers perceived that in the past, LH was untouchable (Such as 2007 - he didn't receive a single penalty), so the stewards are now more likely to try and punish Hamilton....
RevMaxPower
Banned
IMO the Stewards are between a rock and a hard place... They will never be able to please everybody. They can't possibly win - damned if they do and damned if they don't.
The Artist.....
Champion Elect
Brogan - THere was the incident in Fuji - behind the safety car... There were other issues - like when he was craned back onto the track when several commentators believed he should have been disqualified...
About every incident being judged on its own merits, - I can see the logic of that, but I suspect that the stewards are taking reputation and experience into account: Look at Paul di Resta - he's been punished in the last 2 races when he was the only driver that suffered in incidents - this feels like the stewards trying to teach him a lesson....
I thought the stewards did a good job yesterday. But I can't help but wonder, even assume, if it was Hamilton in Button's position that he would have faced punishment for both of those incidents. Button was driving like Hamilton yesterday, that's why I didn't feel the loss of Hamilton in the race.
I'm also certain Ferrari would have pushed it if it was Hamilton, not Button against Fernando there.
Hamilton gets blamed for everything and they sheepishly backtrack when they realise that he's actually just doing his job. Even Jake questioned Whitmarsh on Lewis' driving style.
So Axle, I'll fix it for you
I'm also certain Ferrari would have pushed it if it was Hamilton, not Button against Fernando there.
Hamilton gets blamed for everything and they sheepishly backtrack when they realise that he's actually just doing his job. Even Jake questioned Whitmarsh on Lewis' driving style.
So Axle, I'll fix it for you
He was cleared by the stewards for Fuji so presumably wasn't guilty of anything and being helped back on the track has been done many times in the past - Schumacher famously being pushed out of the gravel by the marshals.
So again, which incidents in 2007 should he have been penalised for, which he wasn't?
I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, when Hamilton slid off in China 2007, the whole media room erupted, getting to its feet, cheering and clapping.
Why would that be? What had he done at that stage in his career to deserve that from all of the foreign media?
Since Hamilton entered F1 he has been treated differently to most of the other drivers, from all sections of the F1 circus.
Go and read the Monaco GP thread - Hamilton is slated left, right and centre and only later do some backtrack and suggest that the incidents weren't as clear cut, even Brundle.
This weekend Hamilton is blamed for the incident with Button and Button escapes any criticism at all related to that and the Alonso incident.
I have no doubt if it had been Hamilton in both cases, the outcomes and resulting uproar in forums, blogs and websites would have been very much different.
The question is why.
I agree to be honest, he was getting everything from that McLaren and then some, and going for his moves too (for once!) I thought it was his best race for some time.
The Artist.....
Champion Elect
ri
Brogan - playing devil's advocate, you could also ask the question of why the stewards cleared him of any blame in the Fuji incident..... At the time, there were several drivers calling for his head!
(I'm also reminded of his quote -
“I just think it’s a real shame for the sport, Formula One’s supposed to be about hard, fair competition. That’s what I’ve tried to do this year, just be fair. There’s been some real strange situations this year where I’m made to look the bad person and, by the looks of it, this weekend be given a penalty.
“If this is the way it’s going to keep going it’s not somewhere I really want to be.”
- remember that this was before he had received a single penalty from the stewards all year)
Regarding Hamilton being craned onto the circuit again - there had never been an instance of a car receiving mechanical help to rejoin the track - personally, I believe that if you require any outside assistance, that should be the end of your race! (But that's just me)....
You ask the question of why the media centre would erupt? Well, I suspect the reasons are threefold.
i) His team-mate was Alonso. It was perceived (Rightly or wrongly) that Hamilton was getting preferential treatment within the McLaren team. The Spanish press didn't like this one bit.
ii) He was still racing Raikkonen in the Ferrari for the championship - Hamilton going off the track in China gave Ferrari the chance to win in Brazil
iii) There was a perception (Again, rightly or wrongly) that Hamilton's ego was bigger than his talent - he certainly had annoyed several of his fellow drivers with some of the comments during the year (Although this may well have been to do with ITV sticking a microphone under his nose the night before every single race!)
It wasn't just the Spanish press though, according to the British media in the room at the time it was all bar them.
So unless all of the foreign media were Alonso, Raikkonen or Ferrari fans, it still makes no sense why they would all react like that.
Lauda's comments are just another example of this - the stewards apportioned no blame and even Button apologised, yet Hamilton gets accused of being on the verge of killing someone.
I obviously have no explanation for it, I'm just trying to understand why Hamilton is singled out, as he seems to have been throughout his career.
So unless all of the foreign media were Alonso, Raikkonen or Ferrari fans, it still makes no sense why they would all react like that.
Lauda's comments are just another example of this - the stewards apportioned no blame and even Button apologised, yet Hamilton gets accused of being on the verge of killing someone.
I obviously have no explanation for it, I'm just trying to understand why Hamilton is singled out, as he seems to have been throughout his career.
Just to back up my comments, here's a post I wrote last year in response to Hamilton being labelled reckless.
http://cliptheapex.com/threads/lewis-hamilton-racer-or-reckless.780/#post-9672
Considering it was his first season, his overall performance and results, and the fact that he only had 1 retirement which involved no-one but himself, you have to question why he was labelled so early on as a reckless or dangerous driver.
http://cliptheapex.com/threads/lewis-hamilton-racer-or-reckless.780/#post-9672
Considering it was his first season, his overall performance and results, and the fact that he only had 1 retirement which involved no-one but himself, you have to question why he was labelled so early on as a reckless or dangerous driver.
I think in part it's because Hamilton was the first (and so far only) ultra modern driver. Hamilton spent years in the Merc young driver programme, he was processed, groomed and presented ready for an F1 drive. Its true that he wouldn't have got anywhere near an F1 car if he didn't have the talent to drive it but I don't think anyone has a) been given the opportunities that he had to start in a top team and b) made such an impact in doing so. If you look at those WDC's that have gone before, they all were seen to have paid there dues in some way prior to getting there big break. It shouldn't really matter but I guess it did to a lot of people. Adding to that, Hamilton already came with the arrogance of a world class driver built in. From the moment he started complaining about his treatment by the team in Monaco I beleive he put a lot of people off.
As far as his penalties go, Autosport recently reviewed all the penalties he has so far received in F1 and out of them all they only found one that he shouldn't have had which of course was the infamous Spa incident and they judged one harsh which I believe was a move on Massa. I agree totally with Axle Tramp that Hamilton is impulsive and thinks that cars will leap out of his way at the sight of his yellow crash helmet.
The incident of Hamilton v Webber into turn one was no different to that of Button V Alonso later in the race. Both were investigated and I have no doubt that had Hamilton not gone off he would have not been penalised for tagging the back of Webbers car. Hamilton would not be getting Stewards enquiries if he didn't keep bumping into other drivers, it's as simple as that .
As far as his comments post race go, every driver has to do some post race media work and Hamilton is no different. Sometimes he lets his mouth run away with itself. This is not uncommon among any F1 driver such as when Rubens gave his Brawn team both barrells at the Spanish GP in 09 blaiming them for screwing his race chances. For the British media, Hamilton is good copy and therefore an important part of the post race coverage. As long as he keeps opening his mouth and putting his foot in it then the media will keep an microphone in front of him when he does.
To be honest, I think what is currently going on with Hamilton this season reminds me very much of what happened to Damon Hill in the 1995 season. Hill instead of grasping the nettle and coming back stronger against Schumacher following the contentious 94 Addelaide GP, basically went to peaces for an entire season. There was much woe is me and the world is against me quotes going on for the entire year. It took until 96 for Hill to get it all back in one sock and start putting performances that he was more than capable of.
Hamilton appears to be doing the same thing. Its normally his voice on the radio questioning the team, his voice in the post race interviews claiming "hard done by" and his name that has made the papers for other off race incidents.
riskitall
Points Scorer
who gives a damn about what autosport said?thats just a man voicing his opinion.so dont take it as fact.
and the spa punishment was disgraceful.
VanChallis
Points Scorer
Racing incident, through and through. Hamilton would have gone to the right but was so much faster out of the last corner he had to go left so he could keep his foot in. Jenson unfortunately didn't see him until it was far too late. You can't place blame anywhere here to be honest. Lauda needs to shut up, frankly, but as a result of his outburst I can see the FIA imposing sanctions on Lewis for the next race, shame 
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