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"

 

[Slyboogy]

No disrespect to Hamilton, I do think he's better than Villeneuve, but to compare wins, podiums, pole positions etc. is a little unfair, as Hamilton's had a car capable of winning races every season he's competed in (apart from the current one, but we will see), while Villeneuve has only had a capable winning car for 2 seasons, unlike Hamilton's 5.

 

[Fenderman]

if I'm not very much mistaken that's another bunch of reasons not to call him another Villeneuve then.

 

[Mephistopheles]

He's great isn't he...

Edit

That's joke by the way, I just thought I'd mention that before I get slagged off...

 

[Mephistopheles]

Thanks fenders I knew you'd get it...

 

[Brogan]

Sounds like the environment at McLaren was a bit stifling to say the least: http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...my-own-man-after-leaving-McLaren-for-Mercedes

 

[RasputinLives]

The Mclaren situation is an odd one. Berger, DC, Kimi and now Lewis have all come out after leaving and talked about how restrictive it all was yet all of them extended their contracts to stay there at least once with at least two of them insisting they'd be happy to see their career out there which indicates they must have not felt constricted for a good portion of time unless we're considering Stockholm syndrome.

 

[FB]

I think most drivers will put up with a lot if they're given a winning car. Perhaps the deciding factor for Hamilton was the pups McLaren have produced since his title win? Based on the season so far looks like a good choice both personally and professionally.

 

[siffert_fan]

I have to admit that whenever I see drivers stating how difficult it was for them to find motivation, it indicates to me that they are largely prima donnas.

How would they cope with life as most of us know it--designing widgets for 10% (or less) than they make? Their attitude, quite frankly, makes me want to .

 

[RasputinLives]

I think that is probably correct FB

I'm still also very sceptical of "my new team is so much better than my old team" driver comments from anyone and especially wary of this Mclaren were holding Lewis back momentum that is building.

Lewis needed to move on and its awesome that he seems to have settled in and hit the ground running with Merc, and yes his last couple of years at Mclaren prob did see him feeling restricted but lets remember the same environment that restricted him in the last two years also hrlp shape him, bringing him into F1 and create the talent he is (I'm very much including Martin Whitmarsh in all this by the way) and therefore this anti Mclaren vibe (not from Lewis) seems a little uncalled for.

 

[Incubus]

Of course the environment at McLaren was restrictive. It always was. You only have to look at the way drivers who signed for the team were made to keep their hair short and tidy and the singular lack of personal sponsorship stickers on drivers' race-suits.

 

[RasputinLives]

Whilst I don't argue against Mclaren being restrictive I think that example is pretty poor as I bet 8 out of 10 of us who post on here have a job or had a job with a dress code policy especially anyone in a customer facing role. If you represent a business they have the right request you dress your best. Thats just the way the world works.

Plus if any F1 driver feels restricted because he's not allowed to grow his hair long then he prob needs a reality check.

 

[F1ang-o]

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...a-compatible-partnership-with-Fernando-Alonso
I don't htink LH & FA would ever work....Kimi with Lewis would be awesome...no underhand behaviour.....play by the rules & if you win....the ultimate...You Deserved to...

 

[Incubus]

I didn't say whether it was a good or bad thing. Just simple observation. And as far as dress codes go that is definitely not the way the world works. It's just the way McLaren works. F1 drivers aren't exactly supposed to be in a customer-facing role.
Ron Dennis was a self-confessed obsessive/compulsive maniac when it came to certain aspects of how the organisation works and any journalist who ever visited the factory at Woking were full of tales to report about Ron's obsession with the utmost spotlessness antiseptic levels of cleanliness at the office, to the point of extreme fastidiousness.

Like I say It's not for me to give an opinion on, it's just an observation on the way they appear(ed) to work under Dennis.

 

[RasputinLives]

Its not the way the world works? I'll throw off this tie I'm wearing then and fully expect to see all the newsreaders in their tracky bottoms tonight. Also F1 drivers are the definition of customer facing! They are filmed and interviewed nearly 24 hours a day and are the face of the team they drive for so I don't think its unreasonable a request to have a neat and tidy haircut. ALL teams have a dress code for their drivers appearence whether it be their hair, the name on their shirt or even the watch on their wrist so I doubt very much thats the restrictivee being refered too just media tittle tattle.

 

[Incubus]

F1 drivers aren't newreaders. Not every job the world over have a strict dress code. This is 2013 and the definition of one "looking their best" may be stuck in the fifties when it comes to certain jobs but not so when it comes to others. Plenty of F1 drivers in other teams have/have had long hair. Did their respective team's PR suffer as a result?
Somehow I doubt it.

 

[The Artist.....]

Based on the article in Autosport, it sounded to me like there were certain aspects of his private life that McLaren (or aspects at McLaren) were trying to prevent; certainly he talked about a time (3 years ago - so 2009/10?) where he was depressed and was crashing all the time, but the last couple of years have been a lot less restricted (Surely he doesn't mean that; I thought it was common knowledge that he was depressed in 2011?)

My guess is that someone, along the way, has suggested that it was a bad idea to have a long distance, and potentially explosive relationship across the Atlantic with Nicole Scherzinger... (The only reason that I bring up explosive is that she seems like a forthright character, and so I could imagine rows being loud - this is not necessarily based on fact, only my impression). - certainly if my workplace started telling me about whether I could see my fiancee or not, then I wouldn't be happy there!

EDIT
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""I have been in a very controlled environment since I can remember and it's not until the last couple of years that I've come out of that control," Hamilton told theDaily Mirror." (Autosport, http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107243)
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My take on This sounds like more of a veiled attack on his Dad, rather than, necessarily, an attack on McLaren; certainly that would tie with the dates, as he sacked his Dad in 2010, and then got Fuller in as a manager in 2011....

 

[RasputinLives]

F1 drivers aren't newreaders. Not every job the world over have a strict dress code. This is 2013 and the definition of one "looking their best" may be stuck in the fifties when it comes to certain jobs but not so when it comes to others. Plenty of F1 drivers in other teams have/have had long hair. Did their respective team's PR suffer as a result?
Somehow I doubt it.

I'm not arguing that long hair creates bad PR I'm arguing that having to follow a company image dress code is not restrictive but just part of having a job. Mclaren like a neat and clean image and ask their drivers to represent them as such. I don't see why that is restrictive or a problem. It would be very naive to think that other teams don't have their own policies regarding this and as its something faced by everyone at somepoint in their working life its rather silly to be considered as an example of a controlling Mclaren.

Now telling someone who they can be in a relationship with. Thats a good example.

 

[F1ang-o]

Well Perez certainly had a hair cut...Hey .......this seems like McLaren thread ....not LH?

 

[RasputinLives]

On topic.

We're discussing why he felt restricted at Mclaren.

 

[FB]

RD's obsession with the team image does go above and beyond. For example, most drivers (used to) go from the podium to the interview room and are (were) interviewed in their champagne soaked race suits. The McLaren drivers were obliged to put on a dry short jacket that looked like their race suit so it showed off the sponsors logo's at their best. Either good customer service on McLaren's part or a bit OTT depending on you perspective and level of OCD (other TLA's are available).

Didn't Ron get upset when Fernando turned up a GP looking like Wolverine? (exaggeration for comic effect) I don't mind my employer to ask me to dress smartly but, unless it's in my contract, I'll shave when I bloody well please.

Anyway, happy Lewis = fast Lewis. Go Seb!