Formula 1

[zebredy]

Never been a big fan of Lewis Hamiltons and always said along with my husband, that if Jenson Button was given the right car he could knock the socks of Lewis (so to speak)

 

What do others out there think of the it all so far?

 

The last race was very interesting, I havn't been watching the sport for that many years, unlike some I didn't get into it because of Hamilton, but because my husband watches it all the time and with him explaining stuff to me like the teams, and the rules etc, it actually made it more enjoyable to watch.

 

Also I do enjoy the fact that he enjoys it so much, as well, if that makes sense. Seeing him happy always makes me happy visa virsa, plus the last race of the year is on his birthday which is a big plus...

 

So who do you want to win, who are you rooting for, and what did you think of the last race with the rain and half points being awarded etc. Should they have started the race an hour earlier?

 

 

 

 

 

 

LLAP

Edited April 6, 2009 by zebredy

[MojoeDark]

I have watched it for a good few years now and always used to be a mclaren fan for DC and Mika/Kimi (like fin drivers for some reason) But when Hamilton came to the team i went with Kimi to. I did not mind Hamiltoon to start with but really dont like him after around his 3rd race.

 

I have always liked Button from the start he just seems like a nice guy in general. Mind you Kimi is not the niceist of people but what a funny guy, he only needs to say one word and itv stopped interviewing him. Also a driver that like to have fun and get drunk.

 

The race last weekend was good even the whole rain stopping thing i still watched it. Hope Button keeps up the good work and Kimi can finish a race.

[Will Jones]

Always been a huge Ferrari fan, but followed Michael Schumacher pre Ferreri as well. I haven't stopped laughing since the Australian GP when LH lied (they told me to do it...grow up doofus and take it like a grown up) about the Safety Car incident.

 

Malaysia was something that doesn't happen that often. They tried for a 2/3 race to hand out maximum points, but that oviously wasn't possible. Starting earlier wasn't an option due to TV agreements, race times already agreed with the local authorities etc etc. From what has been said, a race can start later but not earlier due to Health & Safety issues that may arise. I guess if it started early and the approachign fans started to hurry, you may get problems. All in all, they did what they could in Malaysia.

 

Kind of disappointed with Ferrari's start, but it is a long season. Brawn GP are doing brilliantly and I hope Jenson can go the whole season there or there abouts. It will shut a lot of people up about him bottling it.

[Charmer]

I've been watching since the late 80's. I tend not to follow a particular team and just cheer on all the Brits, eg; Mansell, Hill, Coulthard, Irvine (technically not British but close enough, lol) and more recently Button and Hamilton! I think LH is a bit nieve sometimes though, it may have helped if he'd started out in a worse car and proved his skill then worked up.

Jenson definately deserves his time in the limelight now though, I hope he carries it on for the whole season, would be nice to see him as Champ after some tough years. Brawn GP looks pretty awsome along with having two of the nicest drivers in JB and RB! I just hope the appeal over defusers goes ok next week or it'll ruin the first two races for me. I think it'll be ok though personally. Good luck to Jenson for the rest of the season, nice to see him happy

[cyberdrunk]

I've never watched F1 since 1996, I used to love watching it but now it seems they have too many rules.

 

It would be better if they all had the same cars, so then they could decide who the best driver actually is!

[TommyT]

I haven't stopped laughing since the Australian GP when LH lied (they told me to do it...grow up doofus and take it like a grown up)

I think that's rather harsh. Hamilton is a young and therefore somewhat impressionable fellow. His main mentor Ron Dennis is no longer team principal, or I'm sure he would have sorted this out with him before the hearing. As it is, he's an emp[loyee of McLaren, a team without whom he knows he almosy certainly wouldn't be where he is today. He was instructed by their sporting director, a man of 35 years standing in the sport, to engage in deception for the team. If you were a young and impressionable lad with a large debt (emotionally at least and probably morally) to a team, and your boss, a wise and respected guy, who was going to be sat right next to you at the hearing, (which wouldn't have made it any easier to whistleblow on him) told you to lie for the team, would you? Could you at least understand why he might.

Or is your attitude that standing up afterwards and saying "it wasn't my fault, somebody made me do it" the act of a whiner, of a despicable and worthless coward? Seems a bit harsh to me.

[Lambourne]

I've been a huge F1 fan my whole life as my family is F1 mad. I'm supporting both Hamilton and Button but Damon Hill will always be my favourite driver. I'm so glad Button is finally doing well, just shows what a good car can do! He deserves a chance to finally do well. I don't think the whole situation over the defusers will come to anything.

 

I can't stand Ferrari, I never have, it's how I was raised LOL.

 

 

 

Never been a big fan of Lewis Hamiltons and always said along with my husband, that if Jenson Button was given the right car he could knock the socks of Lewis (so to speak)

 

I honestly don't think that is the case. In my opinion Hamilton has proven time and time again he is the better driver.

[Will Jones]

I read your post several times before answering as I wanted to get it just right. I don't come on here for any other reason than to chat to like minded fans etc etc etc. Therefore, I gave great thought as to how I worded my response so as not to have someone jump in and think it is saying something it isn't.

 

In response TommyT, I feel that some of your comments are unwarrented as I have not in anyway mentioned or hinted at Hamilton being a coward, despicable, worthless or a whiner. However, you are in the ball park of what I was thinking to a certain degree.

 

Putting to one side that the person who allegedly instructed Lewis to mislead has been suspended, I personally feel that Hamilton was very foolish in his actions prior to the hearing and following it. He may be young, but I do not think he is that naive. His Father is a strong driving force - Lewis's words - and I would be quite surprised if Anthony Hamilton allowed this to happen.

 

Whether Lewis feels he has a moral or emotional debt to a team who has supported him for many years prior to F1, I think he was foolish to agree to the deception. If you listen to the radio logs that have been broadcast on news reports, all he and McLaren had to do was say that Lewis was told to let Trulli pass him and nothing would have happened.

 

Even the deception to one side, nothing can explain why he then went on to do a website interview where he admitted that he was told to let Trulli past when he was asked by the interviewer. That to me is completely mad. If not for that comment then McLaren would have had a chance to get away with the deception as the FIA have said that this interview lead them to re-open the investigation into the whole incident.

 

So, after all this mess he then says that he was told to mislead Stewards. This isn't the sign of someone who is worthless, a coward, despicable or a whiner. To me, it is the sign of a doofus. A plonker. Someome who got caught with his pants down and is pointing the finger elsewhere. Lewis chose to follow an instruction to mislead Stewards - an act I would be shocked if he ever claimed to not know the downside of if caught. And, on top of that, he provided the FIA with the proverbial "smoking gun" by admitting he was told to let Trulli past in an interview not long afterwards.

 

Roll on Race 3.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Will Jones

[TommyT]

Putting to one side that the person who allegedly instructed Lewis to mislead has been suspended,

He's actually been sacked. Which is either McLaren accepting he was the man behind it all, or trying to draw a line under it and save Hamilton, depending on how cynical you feel.

I personally feel that Hamilton was very foolish in his actions prior to the hearing and following it. He may be young, but I do not think he is that naive. His Father is a strong driving force - Lewis's words - and I would be quite surprised if Anthony Hamilton allowed this to happen.

It would be interesting to know the timeline as to quite when the deception idea was put to him. I would agree that it was presumably at a time where he couldn't get to his father to discuss it.

Whether Lewis feels he has a moral or emotional debt to a team who has supported him for many years prior to F1, I think he was foolish to agree to the deception. If you listen to the radio logs that have been broadcast on news reports, all he and McLaren had to do was say that Lewis was told to let Trulli pass him and nothing would have happened.

It smacks of somebody at McLaren figuring they could have Trulli's 3rd place and pressuring Hamilton to agree with it. Like i say, it would have been difficult and intimidating to be sitting right next to your boss who tells one story to the stewards and then say "actually my employer in the form of this experienced and respected fellow right next to me is talking utter lies"

Even the deception to one side, nothing can explain why he then went on to do a website interview where he admitted that he was told to let Trulli past when he was asked by the interviewer. That to me is completely mad. If not for that comment then McLaren would have had a chance to get away with the deception as the FIA have said that this interview lead them to re-open the investigation into the whole incident.

It strikes me as the actions of a guy who is regretting what he did and wants to confess. There's no way Mclaren would have got away with it; those radio logs are too public; somebody would have come across it, and then he would have been revealed as being somebody who conspired in a lie rather than somebody who was pressured into one which he then regretted. To confess now is basically saying "yeah, i did the wrong thing and I shouldn't have, let's let this get sorted." To have kept shtum about it would have meant being unveiled later as a rather more unrepentant cheat. Strikes me as him having done the decent thing, not a mad one.

So, after all this mess he then says that he was told to mislead Stewards. This isn't the sign of someone who is worthless, a coward, despicable or a whiner. To me, it is the sign of a doofus. A plonker. Someome who got caught with his pants down and is pointing the finger elsewhere. Lewis chose to follow an instruction to mislead Stewards - an act I would be shocked if he ever claimed to not know the downside of if caught.

I suspect that he knew the downside of being caught but was persuaded it wouldn't happen. And I suspect he's pointing the finger because it really was somebody else's idea and somebody else's fault. I'm assuming here that it wasn't his idea and he certainly wasn't the only one who lied. I just think you're being a bit harsh and a bit holier-than- thou. OK, maybe you've never done something wrong and then stood up and said "it wasn't my fault, somebody else made me do it", but I reckon you'd be in a minority in the human populace.

Anyway, looks like being the most interesting season for a long time; I swear i saw more overtaking this weekend than I've seen in some entire seasons recently.

[Will Jones]

I only saw the news report regarding the sacking of the aforementioned Sporting Director, and this could be an attempt by McLaren to avoid further punishment at the FIA extraordinary meeting later this month where it has been stated that "exclusion from the 2009 season" is an option as punishment.

 

I came home from work on Sunday to see the footage of a Ferrari driving though a mini lake and water lapping half way up the car.

[user-sf061]

Ahhh i have been watching Formula 1 since I was a little Kid !!

I Have HUGE love for the sport !!

 

It's a shame to see it so much effected by politics these days, when all it should realy be about is the drivers in the cars, and the teams striving to make those cars as good as they can!!

 

It's BRILLIANT to see Jenson Button in the right car at last !! He's deffinitly my tip for the top this year!! He is a Brilliant Driver who deserves the best, because god knows he's worked for it and didn't give up when the going got tough!!

 

I think no matter what peoples personal oppinion of him is Lewis revived interest in the sport in the UK, he bought a new generation of fresh fans. I know alot of my friends had never watched a race before, but most of them tuned in when they heard of "that Lewis Bloke from Britain who won't stop winning".

And in my oppinion: he's pretty dang awesome!!

 

Glad to see the start of a New Seson

[Will Jones]

A person from your own country winning usually brings in new fans. But, alas, when Lewis or anyone else starts losing, they will disappear again. Sigh. A shame really.

 

As regards Hamilton, when he first came into F1 I was very excited and wille dhim on to win. However, I saw a change in his attitude and the way he handled himself during the second season as I felt he made comments or got into situations he didn't need to. I felt he was becoming a little cocky at times. I think he is a great driver, but the changes I feel have happened - and there are people who agree with me - have soured me a little towards him.

[user-sf061]

A person from your own country winning usually brings in new fans. But, alas, when Lewis or anyone else starts losing, they will disappear again. Sigh. A shame really.

 

As regards Hamilton, when he first came into F1 I was very excited and wille dhim on to win. However, I saw a change in his attitude and the way he handled himself during the second season as I felt he made comments or got into situations he didn't need to. I felt he was becoming a little cocky at times. I think he is a great driver, but the changes I feel have happened - and there are people who agree with me - have soured me a little towards him.

 

I completely agree with this

[Psychosis]

I don't think Button, given another ten years even, could "knock the socks off Lewis". With a bad car, Button managed to finish precisely nowhere. Now he's got a dream car he can win. With a bad car, Lewis is challenging for podiums. Put Lewis in a Brawn (although please don't, I love Rubens) and I almost guarantee he'd trash Button.

 

I find Button immensely overrated. I can't remember a single drive he's had that stood out.

[Will Jones]

So far this season, Lewis has been just off the challenge for a podium finish. If this season carries on as it has doen for McLaren, I don't think LH will retain his title.

 

JB is good in a good car. That's it. Nothing more.

[nosfer2]

I first got into Formula 1 around the time Damon Hill started racing. I supported him while he was driving, but ever since then I've been a McLaren fan because they are based in the town where I grew up. I was delighted to witness Lewis Hamilton's victory at Silverstone last Summer, and extremely happy when he won the World Championship. However this season with the lying incident I feel horribly let down by both Lewis and the team. At least he admitted his mistake, but it's going to take a long time for him and the team to regain my trust. It's actually put me off watching the first couple of races - I had been planning watching via the iPlayer as I didn't wake up in time for the first one, and I was on my way up to Liverpool to watch Everton when the second race took place.

[TommyT]

Just to wrap an old thread...

Never been a big fan of Lewis Hamiltons and always said along with my husband, that if Jenson Button was given the right car he could knock the socks of Lewis (so to speak)

Well, one can argue whether it was the "right" car, but at least the two of them have had the same car all season, and no obvious favouritism...

4 GB L Hamilton 240

5 GB J Button 214

 

which might suggest that Hamilton is about 12% better than Button.

[BigSi13]

Disappointed that Alonso (I am a Ferrari man) or Webber didn't take the title. Have found Vettel a tad unlikeable this season. Well, onto next season and another race.

 

Driver's spaces around playing musical chairs with Hulkenberg leaving Williams. Pastor Maldonado is tipped to replace him.

 

Toyota have severed tied with the Hispania Racing Team.

[TommyT]

Disappointed that Alonso (I am a Ferrari man) or Webber didn't take the title. Have found Vettel a tad unlikeable this season. Well, onto next season and another race.

Wouldn't have minded Webber (or either of the Brits) winning. Vettel I can allow some slack as a young man who is very enthusiastic. Alonso has too much baggage for my liking.

Still, as you say, onto next season.

[TommyT]

Just to wrap an old thread...

Never been a big fan of Lewis Hamiltons and always said along with my husband, that if Jenson Button was given the right car he could knock the socks of Lewis (so to speak)

Well, one can argue whether it was the "right" car, but at least the two of them have had the same car all season, and no obvious favouritism...

4 GB L Hamilton 240

5 GB J Button 214

 

which might suggest that Hamilton is about 12% better than Button.

Having remembered this old thread, thought it might be interesting to compare stats over the whole 3 seasons that Hamilton and Button had the same car

 

Driver Season Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position

Lewis Hamilton 2010 19 3 1 5 9 240 4th

Lewis Hamilton 2011 19 3 1 3 6 227 5th

Lewis Hamilton 2012 20 4 6 1 7 190 4th

Totals 10 8 9 22 657

 

Jenson Button 2010 19 2 0 1 7 214 5th

Jenson Button 2011 19 3 0 3 12 270 2nd

Jenson Button 2012 20 3 1 2 6 188 5th

Totals 8 1 6 25 672

 

(Apologies, it's an absolute s*d to get the table to format correctly...)

 

 

The figures would suggest that Hamilton is the fastest driver, but Button might be a better finisher - although Hamilton finished above Button in two of the three seasons.

From memory of the seasons, I would say that Hamilton is probably a harder driver, and given a stronger/more relaible car, would have been well out in front of Button. On the flipside you could argue that Hamilton didn't learn to temper his driving to keep it within the limits of the car (although if he had, would he have scored so many pooints on those occasions when his car didn't break?)

Edited March 17, 2013 by TommyT

[Luther West]

Hamilton still bores me with his ego. His recent appearance on Top Gear was a tad on the arrogant side.

[Luther West]

Great race today in Malaysia.

 

Kicking off at Red Bull with Seb Vettell ignoring team directions to maintain formation and thus overtaking Mark Webber after touching wheels. I am a big fan of Seb's driving, but this was naughty.

 

Also kicking off at Mercedes with Ross Brawn not having "a set" and bowing to the Team Bosses by making sure Nico Rosberg did not pass Lewis Hamilton who had fuel issues.