Is Hamilton likely to match Vettel with 4 WDC wins?

OR, even surpass it with 5?

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that it's in the bag for Lewis this year, only, what, 5 races to go? That'll make 3 championships for him. Assuming Mercedes build on their current form next year and still keep ahead of the competition, there's no reason he can't get WDC number 4 and match Seb.

THEN, there's of course 2017 to potentially make it five WDC wins. I know he COULD but does anyone think it's probably unlikely? Wouldn't that make him second to Schumacher in terms of multiple championships?

It seems likely hell get 4, can see merc being just as far ahead as this year.
Then it depends if and who has the dominate car after that.

Surly Riccardo has a good chance of throwing spanners in the works, if rbr get Ferrari engine. Especially 2017.

I think Ferrari will be more competitive next year but I can't see any team leapfrogging Merc into a dominant car, on par at best or more realistically just within striking distance. Problem then is you've got Hamilton in a great car against for me, not as good drivers in a equal or slightly less good car.

2017 will be interesting. Ferrari have basically done this cheating with wind tunnel/cfd testing through Haas. They'd be incompetent if they didn't have both next years car in there testing as well as several 2017 prototypes. Even if the final car isn't exactly the same the basic data and knowledge gained from doing testing with wider tires/lower rear wing/ground force increased, that will give them a ridiculous advantage.

Looks to me like Ferrari, RBR, Mclaren and Renault are building towards 2017. They may all **** up again, entirely possible, they might all be brilliant and Merc may suck, who knows.

The combination of top car and top driver looks pretty unbeatable at the moment. Even without the very best car if Merc are competitive then Hamilton will still be in with a chance.

drunkenmaster said:

I think Ferrari will be more competitive next year but I can't see any team leapfrogging Merc into a dominant car, on par at best or more realistically just within striking distance. Problem then is you've got Hamilton in a great car against for me, not as good drivers in a equal or slightly less good car.

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Agreed with most of that, but they need to sort out their inconsistency with tyre compounds to mount a title challenge. They're just too 'peaky' at the moment.

I disagree that Hamilton is better than Vettel - for me Vettel is a match for Hamilton, and would be able to take the battle to him in a way Rosberg seems incapable of doing. I think Hamilton lost a bit of the edge he had in 2009 - he was better as a raw driver in my opinion.

Moses said:

Like you say, third looks on, fourth looks likely, but beyond that it's down to Mercedes remaining competitive (likely for a few years more, given there won't be big changes, right?) and not signing a better driver to partner him... if that happens he'll have a good chance competing with the likes of Vettel and Ricciardo (and Alonso ).

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Is there any news or rumours about Rosberg for 2016, is he likely to stay with Toto?

I think, barring the new engine being unreliable or Ramming Speed Maldonado getting in his way, Hamilton has this championship sewn up.

Even if RedBull had this year's Ferrari engine in their current car for 2016, I expect this would put them in contention for podiums alongside Ferrari and Williams.

Simple answer is yes. Merc currently have the best everything so this year is a forgone conclusion. Next year? I cannot see anyone realistically challenging them. 2017 onwards? maybe. It is looking likley Ferrari are going to have an advantage through Haas so may be able to challenge Merc. I would like to see it; Hamilton and Vettel fighting for the championship.

this_is_gav said:

Agreed with most of that, but they need to sort out their inconsistency with tyre compounds to mount a title challenge. They're just too 'peaky' at the moment.

I disagree that Hamilton is better than Vettel - for me Vettel is a match for Hamilton, and would be able to take the battle to him in a way Rosberg seems incapable of doing. I think Hamilton lost a bit of the edge he had in 2009 - he was better as a raw driver in my opinion.

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I really would not like to choose between Hamilton or Vettel in equal machinery. Though I disagree that Hamilton has lost his edge, I think he has only gotten better. He has controlled aggression now, he seems to be able to use it when he needs to but the rest of the time isn't so on the edge.

Hamilton will definitely get 4. Even if it's not with Merc he always has an open door at every other team on the grid. Who would refuse a driver of his talent?

His weakness was qualifying last year and this year he's obviously sorted that out. He's got that hotlap edge that Vettel was known for.

Hamilton has matured enormously over the last year. On top of his ability to pull a hot qualifying lap out of his hat at will, he can drive inch-perfect laps all afternoon long.

Hamilton Vs. Vettel in equal cars in 2016 would be something to behold.

Don't write Ricciardo off too early as putting anything but a Renault (or Honda) engine in the back of their current chassis will give them a car possible of getting in the podium.

Terminal_Boy said:

Hamilton Vs. Vettel in equal cars in 2016 would be something to behold.

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Damn straight. All through the Vettel years the argument reigned over who was better, Vettel because he was dominating or Hamilton because he would do exactly the same with a dominant car.

Well, now we know given a dominant car both of them can rule the roost so I would love to see what would happen if they had similar machinery.

The ultimate test would be both in the same team, but I can't see that happening. Neither driver would agree to it.

He will easily match it I reckon. He has this years in the bag and I don't see anyone challenging him next year. He is in the best form he has ever been and has a good head on him now.

Who knows after that, things can change dramatically in F1. I would be surprised if Merc weren't still near the top though.

Terminal_Boy said:

Hamilton has matured enormously over the last year. On top of his ability to pull a hot qualifying lap out of his hat at will, he can drive inch-perfect laps all afternoon long.

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So could Vettel when he was driving the best car on the grid, last years car was the most dominant or one of the most dominant cars ever built. This years is again. I can't see anyone catching them next year.

I don't think he's matured, he's just driving by far the best machinery he has ever had. Put him in a car like some of the mclarens he had and the lack of consistency will rear it's head again.

As every Hamilton fan on here said of Vettel, it's easy to drive mistake free when you are miles ahead of the rest and a journey man team mate.

MooMoo444 said:

Hamilton will definitely get 4. Even if it's not with Merc he always has an open door at every other team on the grid. Who would refuse a driver of his talent?

His weakness was qualifying last year and this year he's obviously sorted that out. He's got that hotlap edge that Vettel was known for.

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Hmm, not so sure he'll definitely get 4 if he's not with Merc. Unless however, he times his move to another team as well as he did when he moved from McLaren, which was indeed perfect timing. If he moves to another team when that team has a better car than Merc, then yeah, definitely.

He's an awesome driver with a special gift, and would do better than other drivers in the same specced car. But even so, you still have to be in the best car and coupled with your talent to be the ultimate winner. The best talent on the grid alone without the best car is not enough as Alonso and several others have proved.

Given what we saw today, Mercedes package isn't as good as it seems. If Ferrari and RBR get engines next year which can match them, it'll be close.

Track which needs good aero and grip, and Mercedes got shown up.

You can't base it off just one race. They have dominated most of the rest of the year.

Clearly Vettel is now a shoe in for his 5th title this year, so Hamilton will never catch him.

/SkySportsF1Mode

Skeeter said:

Clearly Vettel is now a shoe in for his 5th title this year, so Hamilton will never catch him.

/SkySportsF1Mode

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Sky Sports F1 mode would be discussing how Hamilton deserves the title more than anyone else.

As for the topic; yes. Although I wouldn't count 2017 in the bag so far as there's plans for a big rule change then.

Ferrari made massive leaps from 2014, and we all know it's not going to be easy for them to do the same going into next year, but I hope, for the sake of the sport, they are even closer than they have been this year.

dannyjo22 said:

So could Vettel when he was driving the best car on the grid, last years car was the most dominant or one of the most dominant cars ever built. This years is again. I can't see anyone catching them next year.

I don't think he's matured, he's just driving by far the best machinery he has ever had. Put him in a car like some of the mclarens he had and the lack of consistency will rear it's head again.

As every Hamilton fan on here said of Vettel, it's easy to drive mistake free when you are miles ahead of the rest and a journey man team mate.

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Maybe I didn't get my point across very clearly...

Hamilton isn't doing anything Vettel can't do all day long in a well set-up car. My point is that a year ago, Hamiltion let his emotions get the better of him at times which made him inconsistent.

I don't see why people get caught up in the number of Championships a driver has won, it's a pretty meaningless stat when you consider the car and team influences/orders are often the primary reasons for a drivers success. Look at how Red Bull ruined Vettel's final season when they knew he was going to Ferrari, Ricciardo was obviously given the treatment that Vettel had received against Webber all of those years.

I believe that Hamilton & Alonso are the best drivers in F1 regardless of what they or others have won, Hamilton is very aggressive and can make stupid mistakes but he is a natural racer and Alonso is a very composed and reliable driver a bit like Button but actually fast.

dannyjo22 said:

So could Vettel when he was driving the best car on the grid, last years car was the most dominant or one of the most dominant cars ever built. This years is again. I can't see anyone catching them next year.

I don't think he's matured, he's just driving by far the best machinery he has ever had. Put him in a car like some of the mclarens he had and the lack of consistency will rear it's head again.

As every Hamilton fan on here said of Vettel, it's easy to drive mistake free when you are miles ahead of the rest and a journey man team mate.

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imo if he was still in mclaren he would do better then alonso and button at present. he always find an extra 5% on a crap car