Formula 1 - F1 - Current Season Discussion

[idfnl]



I like him as a racer, and I find most of the criticism of him to be mostly projection. I probably wouldn't want to hang out with him, but I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.

The issues you raise above are selective. He clearly interacts with other drivers in a friendly way, but maybe he doesn't pal around during the parade because he's focusing on the coming race? Kimi would frequently do the same, but no one called him a douche for it. You say he's smug in interviews, but couldn't that also be seen as being matter-of-fact? He and Nico do act like dicks in the cool-down room, but only to each other. Which is lamentable, but they are both friendly with the other drivers there. His showing disappointment/irritation on the podium: Aren't you always saying you want to see real emotion from the drivers? Who cares if he brings celebrities to the races? And his dogs? Really, that bothers you? I watch nearly every session broadcast in the US, and I can't remember seeing the dogs in the paddock. I'm also not interested in old money vs new money displays of wealth. It's his money, and if he wants to wear flashy jewelry, who cares?

He's clearly different than when he came into the sport.

Below is a photo of the dogs, on that uni-thing. That's douche.

Kimi's not a douche, he's an asshole.

I like seeing real emotion because you can then know who a guy really is. From there I can make a judgement call on whether I like the guy as a person or not. He doesn't lose graciously. Not many guys get to the top of racing, show some gratitude.

 

[sugarbutch]

Dude. Come on. Gratitude? To whom? And why? In as much as anyone earns a place in F1, he has. He took a flyer on an unproven team (and was ridiculed for doing so, you may recall), and it paid off.

 

[idfnl]



Dude. Come on. Gratitude? To whom? And why? In as much as anyone earns a place in F1, he has. He took a flyer on an unproven team (and was ridiculed for doing so, you may recall), and it paid off.

Gratitude for leading among the easiest lives its possible to live on the planet. For not working in a salt mine, or deep sea oil rig. Gratitude for the sport that has been build around you that has enabled you to become elite level wealthy. Acknowledging that you had nothing to do with it's growth, and gratitude that you were born in a country that enabled your talent to be witnessed.

Lewis loves to flaunt his adoration of Senna. There are many drivers before that lost their lives and trail blazed the sport he personally profits handsomely from. Every time I see Lewis brood, I think about dead Senna. He won't understand the disrespect until he's older.

 

[chobochobo]

I haven't been watching F1 much since Schumacher. But this year, I 've been watching a lot more, basically tracking McLaren to make sure that Hamilton didn't win. He may or may not be an arsehole, but I don't like him. He's probably the best driver talentwise, if you can quantify that, but he also has the best car. What I used to like in the old era were the drivers who used to win even when they weren't in the best car.

 

[idfnl]

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24...eaten-to-quit-mercedes-after-spanish-gp-crash

 

[Joffrey]

Lol, for all the Lewis hate, Ayrton Senna was probably the whiniest driver. Don't get me started on Gilles Villeneuve who threw a tantrum because his teammate wouldn't let him win! "No fair, he lied!"

I don't really root for Lewis and I know he has placed himself in a position where it's impossible to be indifferent about him. But I seem to recall 2010, 2012 championships where the best car nearly lost the whole thing. Think what you will about the Mercedes dominance but you actually have the two drivers racing - hence Lewis brooding obviously frustrated when the 2nd faster driver outperforms him.

Now, if the Red Bull is championship winning material next year what the **** is Christian Horner gonna do with Verstappen and Ricciardo?? They are both damn fast. I think it would make the Mercedes rivarly look like a catfight.

 

[idfnl]

Verstappen spun and was at the back in the last race and finished ahead of his teammate, add that incredible performance in Brazil? Game over. Verstappen is clearly faster than Ricc. I would say he's the fastest driver in F1 now.

Senna, for all his faults, was an incredibly interesting person, and did very special things in a race car. Senna was more committed to the craft than Lewis, he was obsessed with racing and every single possible detail that could be refined. Lewis? He likes taking photos with rappers and swapping spit with Bieber. To even compare them is an insult to Senna.

 

[sugarbutch]

Verstappen was ahead of Ricciardo in Abu Dhabi because RBR fucked up the strategy. Literally everyone was mystified when they called DR in so early. If MV is clearly faster, why was DR ahead of him in quali? I like Max, but let's see how things play out.

I loved Senna. But you're telling us more about you than about Hamilton. How many hours a day do you think a driver needs to spend on racing-related activity? I guarantee there's plenty of time left to take selfies and hang out with people without affecting preparation. I bet Senna wasn't nearly as fit as at least 75% of the drivers today.

 

[idfnl]



Verstappen was ahead of Ricciardo in Abu Dhabi because RBR fucked up the strategy. Literally everyone was mystified when they called DR in so early. If MV is clearly faster, why was DR ahead of him in quali? I like Max, but let's see how things play out.

I loved Senna. But you're telling us more about you than about Hamilton. How many hours a day do you think a driver needs to spend on racing-related activity? I guarantee there's plenty of time left to take selfies and hang out with people without affecting preparation. I bet Senna wasn't nearly as fit as at least 75% of the drivers today.

I don't usually follow too much post race stuff, but I was also surprised at the timing of the stop.

Look, you have to give credit to Max regardless. Would you rather have a spin and be at the back after a couple of corners or an early pit stop? You're also not giving credit to the work Max did to get thru the field. Many drivers sit behind slower cars for 3 laps, Max is special because he dispatches them in 3 corners. He was in front of Ricc largely because of his own work. Vettel and Nico would have finished 6th.

I loved Senna too. I watched him die. Lewis is no Senna. Senna would have been 125% more fit than any driver today were he faced with modern fitness regimes.

You might think there is time left for wealth flaunting, but Nico won the WC. If Lewis was focused like Senna would have been, he would have won it. I know you like to say that Lewis lost because of mechanical problems, but I (yes, its just speculation) think that if Lewis was focused instead of wishing he was a rapper, he would have won it.

 

[sugarbutch]

I do give credit to Max. But it is unlikely he would have beaten Ricciardo without the strategy cock-up. Had he not spun at the beginning (his own fault, BTW), he very well may have beaten him on merit.

Toto Wolff agrees with me: "This year, clearly Malaysia cost him the championship."

That's putting it mildly. Read this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-...een-desperately-unlucky-and-should-be-leadin/

That's conservative because it doesn't account for the mode issue in Baku—where Rosberg was undeniably faster, but Hamilton surely would have done better than 5th place had he been able to access full power from the car. Even with the Malaysia failure, if he had been on the podium there, he would have won the championship.

Considering the deficit that Hamilton faced at the beginning of the season, his rise in the middle, then the nut punch of the Malaysia failure, I don't see how you can interpret his season as unfocused given that the championship was only decided in the last couple of laps of the last race. He won more than half the races!

And, @chobochobo, let's not be nostalgic. How many championships did Senna win in the second-best car? Zero. McLaren won the WCC all three years, winning 15 of 16 races in 1988. He did manage to win races in the second-best car, though, but so have others since. Looking at the current crop of drivers:

Alonso, Button, and Hamilton in 2010 and 2011
Alonso, Button, Hamilton, Raikkonen, and Rosberg in 2012
Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen, and Rosberg in 2013
Ricciardo in 2014
Vettel in 2015
Ricciardo and Verstappen in 2016

 

[idfnl]

I'm shocked

Nico Rosberg retires: World champion quits Formula 1

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/38185846

 

[prozach1576]

wow

 

[prozach1576]

I like Nico. He's awkward and cerebral and has never really figured out his persona as a driver but he seems like a good person. Perhaps lacks that extra something that the true greats have, but is obviously extremely skilled and deserving of the championship.

Maybe he'll eventually come back when he doesn't have to be partnered with Lewis. Can't blame him for not wanting another season of that rivalry.

 

[chobochobo]

Woah.

 

[Texasmade]

Wow. So who is Mercedes going to put in his seat?