SHOWOFF

What it comes down to is talent to win. Hamilton can win a few races but hang back in second or third place and coast to a championship. I think it's crap.

Is he talented? Yes.
Is he the next Schumacher/Senna? NO.
Can he win a championship? Yes by finishing 2nd or 3rd consistently. He will not win the most races.

I think that Kubica and Massa deserve some of the spotlight. Kubica let's face it is not a face that people want to see on the camera. He doesn't have "the look" but he races with heart. Massa despite being overshadowed by Kimi is a very talented driver and I think that he finds it a privlidge to be driving for the winningest team in motorsport. Hamilton gets shoved up our asses every weekend because he's a great STORY and that's about it.

LionZoo

There's a certain truth to that. I'm the biggest Takuma Sato fan here and if you compare Takuma's story to Hamilton's, you'll see that Takuma's is way better. Yes Hamilton's dad was super rich, but he started racing at a young age and got picked up by McLaren and basically was fasttracked into F1 from then on, with everything paid for. By comparison, Takuma didn't even start karting until 19, an age that is rightfully over the hill for starting a possible F1 career as some kids already have F1 drives by that age. Nonetheless, he sold a bunch of his stuff to attend a karting school at Suzuka and gave up a promising future in bicycle racing because F1 is where he wanted to end up at.

shaunv74

Do you honestly think that any driver or constructor out there hangs back and shoots for 2nd or 3rd if they think they can win?? They track every single lap and know exactly how hard the drivers are pushing, and they all are every day when they're out there. You don't get to be an F1 driver without being very competitive. Man you are just making uninformed conjecture just because Hamilton gets more screen time than the other drivers.

Here's an update for you chief: The drivers don't decide or control their airtime! The people that watch the races do!! If people want to see Hamilton then the TV crews cover Hamilton! If the people want to see Massa or Kimi then they cover Kimi!

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

A home country production company is usually the one that creates the broadcast. So, for the Spanish GP you will see a lot of Alonso and so on.

shaunv74

That's a good point. The video is usually handled by the local television providers so there's even less bias towards a particular driver across a whole season. If anything the bias is towards the home town favorites for each race.

Icemark

I don't think you can compare last year to this year... last year with McLaren he was the 2nd driver, and benefited from Alonso's ability to help tune a car, but Hamilton was still on team orders to let Alonso win (even though everyone says there are no team orders). It wasn't until Alonso started the crap that he was involved with the Ferrari info that those team orders changed. This year he is driving to be number one... not number 2 like the first half of last year.

But that given, Hamilton is a great driver... he just does not have the skill to help set the car up yet like Alonso, or Kimi, or Massa do.

And lets face it... if Kimi wins the Championship again this year.. I fully expect Ferrari to retire him.

alfy28

what do you mean by that? i mean TC talking about hamilton coasting at 2nd and 3rd. but kimi only won 5 races out 17 last year. so was he coasting at 2nd and 3rd also? if so why is it ok for kimi to do it then.

but we all know none of these drivers like coming in 2nd or 3rd, they rather come in 1st. to me TC is delusional to think Hamilton is happy with 2nd ord 3rd finishes.

alfy28

TC you are starting to make laugh. either you are a hypocrite, or jsut in love with kimi so much, you would ignore how many times he came in 1st last session.
total numbers of 1st place was 5
2nd place=3
3rd place=4

so by your logic, i guess KIMI just COASTED to the championship then uh, since he only came in 1st place 5 times out of 17 races.

Austraila-1st
Malyasia- 3rd
Bahrain-3rd
Spainish- didnt finish
Monaco- 8th
Canada- 5th
USA-4th
France- 2nd
Bristish-1st
EU- retired
Hungry-2nd
Turkey-2nd
Monza-3rd
Spa-1st
Fuji-3rd
Shanghai-1st
Brazil- 1st

nt5k

How many F1 races have you won?

CERAMICSEAL

It's funny how some of the experts, like Sir Jacky Stewart and others, believe that Lewis is THE most talented they've ever seen (And I'm aware of British bias) whereas you've already predicted that he WILL not be a Schumacher/Senna. Time will tell I guess. The sad thing is that, if he proves to be on that level you won't be able to enjoy it with me. I dug Senna, Schumacher, Alonso. I enjoy watching Massa, Kimi and others. Kubica is fantastic and we'll see more of him as his performances continue. Ham's story DOES sell but WOW!, some of you are highly upset about it. That's just amazing to me.

Seal.

CERAMICSEAL

You describe yourself as "The biggest" Sato fan but use words like "Hate" to describe your feelings for Lewis.You mention wanting to hit your TV whenever you see Hamilton's father. You may want to reflect on that for a moment. I doubt you want to be what you are appearing to be by your statements.

Seal.

MTLbroker

The points system (as well as numerous other rule changes) was all about slowing Ferarri down. The team had become too dominant and it was actually damaging for the sport. People became Ferarri haters.

As for Hamilton, he is a phenom. Even Schumacher has conceded that Hamilton is the most exciting driver out there. I don't blame the Brits for doting on him. After all, he's a Brit driving for a Brit team. As for the rest of the press, they are sheep. They will cover whomever the others cover. So far, Hamilton is news and the other drivers aren't.

By the same token, Crosby is in the news figuring very prominently in the Penguins' bid for the cup. Also do you notice that since Tiger Woods has not played lately, you hear nothing about golf?

CERAMICSEAL

I have an interesting theory: Last year Lewis was booked to do the Letterman show and they cancelled him. They stated afterward that they had other race car drivers too close in the booking (Although they have actors on practically every day). I think that there was some major politics involved and that someone/people did not want Hamilton fever taking over the US and multiplying the F1 audience. NASCAR and INDY could have been slightly threatened.

I'm not a Danica Patrick fan, but I don't hate her. Just thought I'd throw that in.

Seal.

SHOWOFF

Now WHAT THE **** is that supposed to mean?

Here's capatin assclown at his finest. I guess if you don't think you can win you can always run your car right up Ferrari's ***... Red Light or not...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZhZG4g35nc

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

BBC SPORT
Raikkonen bemoans Hamilton crash
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Ile Notre Dame, Montreal, 6-8 June

Kimi Raikkonen was left cursing his luck after a "stupid" pit-lane mistake by Lewis Hamilton ended his race at the Montreal Grand Prix.

The Briton ran into the back of the Ferrari driver as the Finn waited at a red light to rejoin the race.

Both drivers retired but Hamilton faces a further cost of being demoted 10 grid places at the French Grand Prix.

Raikkonen said: "I'm not angry but what Hamilton did was inexplicable. More, it was stupid."

Hamilton had no argument with the punishment by Formula One's governing body, the FIA, and McLaren confirmed they will not be appealing the decision.

The Englishman will head to Magny Cours on 22 June having lost his championship lead to BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica who recorded his first Grand Prix win during an eventful race in Canada.
And the incident meant Raikkonen has failed to score points in his last two Grands Prix after the Finn drove into the back of Adrian Sutil's Force India in Monaco two weeks ago.

Raikkonen added: "I'm not the right person to talk about a shunt, given what happened in the last race but it is one thing to collide on the track in the heat of the race and another in the pit lane when you are stopped at a red light."

The punishment capped a weekend turned sour for Hamilton, who had qualified in pole position and was seemingly on his way to back-to-back wins in Montreal.

The McLaren driver had built up a 6.8-second lead over Kubica before the safety car emerged on lap 17 following Sutil's crash.

When the pit lane reopened two laps later, Hamilton took on board enough fuel to see him through to the end of the race.

But in his hurry to get back out, and not lose sight of Raikkonen and Kubica who had both refuelled first, he ran into the back of Raikkonen.

Raikkonen and Kubica had been lined up side-by-side waiting for the pit lights to turn green, signalling that they could return to the track.

"I saw the two guys in front of me battling in the pit lane and all of a sudden they stopped," explained Hamilton, 23.

"I saw the red light but it was too late to stop. I don't think it's a racing incident. It's just unfortunate when this stuff happens.

"It is a lot different if you crash into the wall and you are angry with yourself.

"I apologise to Kimi if I ruined his race. I would rather neither of us be out. I was so quick I was breezing it.

"We'd looked so strong for the whole weekend though, so at least we can leave Montreal confident that we have a package that will enable us to fight for the world championship from here on in."

Kubica, meanwhile, was happy to emerge unscathed from the incident.

"We all pitted together," said the Pole. "I saw Kimi side by side with me.

"Then I just heard a big shunt and saw Kimi's moving and realised it was Lewis. He was over Kimi's rear wing.

"I just kept concentrating waited for the green light and managed to pull away well.

"I have to thank him that he shunts Kimi and not me."

McLaren team principal Ron Dennis defended Hamilton's error but was keen to put a dismal weekend behind him as the team aim to recapture the lead in the drivers' championship.

"No racing driver would deliberately put himself out of a Grand Prix, and the plain fact is that Lewis didn't realise that the cars in front of him were coming to a halt until too late," Dennis said.

"It's difficult for a driver to decide whether to focus on the lights or on the cars ahead in situations like that.

"For a team that exists to win, today was a very disappointing day. But the fact is that we had the pace and therefore the capability to win, which is of course encouraging."
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/spo...ne/7443089.stm

Published: 2008/06/09 07:13:14 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Quote:
Originally Posted by nt5k
How many F1 races have you won?

That was a flippant remark, by nt5k, that doesn't warrent a reply. We also don't deserve that type of language in a post. Everybody, let's keep this respectful.

MTLbroker

Did you watch the race? Hamilton wasn't riding on Ferrari's coattails....... He was riding on their rear spoiler......

SHOWOFF

"I saw the two guys in front of me battling in the pit lane and all of a sudden they stopped," explained Hamilton, 23.

"I saw the red light but it was too late to stop. I don't think it's a racing incident. It's just unfortunate when this stuff happens.

"It is a lot different if you crash into the wall and you are angry with yourself.

"I apologise to Kimi if I ruined his race. I would rather neither of us be out. I was so quick I was breezing it.

I'm such an arrogant ***** I didn't pay attention to anyone else...

SHOWOFF

Unfortunately I missed this race and it enfuriates me. My Tivo didn't switch to FOX HD it usually does when the FOX broadcast comes on. I'll catch the rebroadcast on SPEED this Wed.

Kudos to Kubica! That guy races with all his heart and it's about time he won a race. The guy has talent, but a face for radio.

alfy28

Oh please, what hamilton did was stupid indeed. but to call him arrogant is uncalled for.

I find it strange you keep igorning my posts. this thread was about hamilton so called coasting, but yet i show you that Kimi didnt win alot of races last year .

but we all know what this thread is for. You are secretly in love with Hamilton, but hamilton doesnt feel the same for you. so now you want to bash him, by calling him arrogant, etc.

any how , yes hamilton was dumb for sundays mistake. yes we still have like 11-12 races to go, yes your precious kimi still has a chance to win the championship, yes you can pray to your kimi shrine everday, and draw hearts pictures with kimi pic pasted to your drawing.



oh Massa was just owning ppl left and right during the last 10 laps or so. awesome driver he is.

SHOWOFF

I guess when somone just doesn't make sense, and I ignore them I'm hoping they'll just go away after realizing that they aren't going to get the reaction they're looking for out of me.

Kimi won more races than any other driver in 2007. Not a lot, but more than anyone else.

Now if you'll excuse me I have an appointment in the bathroom with some hand lotion and a headshot of Raikkonen.

alfy28

what did i say didnt make any sense to you? you said hamilton is coasting because he comes in 2nd and 3rd and only won 2 races out of 5 for 2008. but yet you came to a conculsion out of 5 races that hamilton is coasting. but i showed you that kimi only won 5 races out of 17, so does that mean he just coasted to the champioship title last year?

maybe what you should of done is waited to make this thread. you should of made this thread after like 10 -15 races. then maybe your views will hold. but after 5 races, this thread =fail taht is the only reaction i got out of you, a failed thread.

any how showoff good luck to your kimi this year, i hope he does well (which doenst take alot), but jsut not the driver im hoping to win. but may the best driver win.

LionZoo

What? A passionate F1 fan that has his own opinions? I've had a number of opinions over the years that were different from the prevailing fashionable opinion. I've always liked Schumi; thought he was picked on by the British press because he was German. I thought Hill was a gentleman, but never warmed up to Jacques. Irvine I just could never take; he seemed to take every opportunity to annoy me and remains the driver I can't stand the most out of all current and former F1 drivers. I always thought Mark Webber was a little bit overrated and Felipe Massa very overrated, but Webber's season is giving me pause and Felipe's podium celebrations are a joy to behold since he's always so happy. I think Kimi Raikkonen sounds like a child molester in his interviews. I hated Fernando Alonso initially as he is very selfish, but seeing him drive the wheels off a poor Renault has me being somewhat sympathetic to him. I hated Jenson Button when he first came into F1, especially when he started to become very arrogant, but the last few years have turned that opinion around. We all have a level of passion for F1, sometimes in spite of itself.

Oh yeah, I always cheered for Zsolt Baumgartner.

SHOWOFF

Kimi does sound creepy in his interviews. His personality is that of a brick. It's funny that when he wins and shows any emotion at all the press makes a big deal of it.

This year as always, the best driver will win. If is was Narayan Karthikeyan coming back to drive for Vijay Mallya and he won more races than anyone else this year I would consider him the best driver.

I would imagine that the driver that wins the championship won't be a driver that is apparently blind in one eye and can't see a flashing red light at the end of the pit exit out of the other.

rglbegl

Who cares if Hamilton does not win this year. He has MANY more years to win.

One of the reasons that they want to call him 'the next big thing' is not because he is perfect right now, but rather because he is coachable and young. Being that talented and that young makes him worth the money. Just think how good he will be in the 2015 season!!!



BTW - Horray for Kubica. He has been having a great year, and it is good to see BMW doing so well in the points standings. I would love to see BMW ahead of either Ferrari or Mercedes (or both) at the end of the year