And Lewis Hamilton matches Michael Schumacher's 7 titles!

[Kenai]

I didn't even know that was a thing.

Everything is a record these days.

Football is the worst for it, now Opta have stats for everything, it's every other match

"Wow! This is the first time a team playing in blue against the wind have scored in the 14th minute against a goalkeeper whose name begins with W since 1976!!"

 

[this_is_gav]

So does Prost...

Indeed - TAG (Porsche), Honda and Renault.

As did Piquet - Ford, BMW and Honda.

Fangio holds the record though with four different engine manufacturers - Alfa, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari. Indeed for his second title he actually won it with driving both Maseratis and Mercedes.

 

[bazzabear]

What if Schumacher stuck it out for another couple of years at Mercedes. He would have had at least another couple of championships to his name. I would also put Alonso, Button, Raikonen all being multiple world champions if they went to Mercedes instead of Hamilton.

This assumes that Hamilton had nothing to do with Mercedes resurgence. I don't know either way, but generally speaking I think drivers don't always get enough credit for their part in the development of the car they drive - and the Merc was not a good car when he joined them.

As an example, I seem to remember Damon Hill being heavily involved in the Williams being such a good car - first as their test driver, then as their race driver.

 

[iamtheoneneo]

Vettel summed it up best in the post race conference. There is no doubt Lewis is the greatest of this era, but emotionally Schumacher will always be the greatest F1 driver.
Lewis could go on to win another 5 world championships, but it will be hard for him to ever eclipse what Schumacher managed to do in his era.

 

[adam cool dude]

This assumes that Hamilton had nothing to do with Mercedes resurgence. I don't know either way, but generally speaking I think drivers don't always get enough credit for their part in the development of the car they drive - and the Merc was not a good car when he joined them.

As an example, I seem to remember Damon Hill being heavily involved in the Williams being such a good car - first as their test driver, then as their race driver.

Merc would still not be a good car if the rule changes hadn't come in. Also Damon Hill was a decent driver but nothing more. The Williams was fantastic because of Adrian Newey not Damon Hill.

 

[adam cool dude]

Interesting suggestion, given Rosberg beat him in all three of his return series - i'd say it's more likely Rosberg would have picked up a couple of titles if the pairing had stayed Schumacher/Rosberg

Schumacher that returned wasn't the same as the one that left. Especially after his injury but I am sure he would fight it out if he was in that 2014 car. You can have speed but you also need the mental strength. I do not think Rosberg would beat him at mind games. He retired when he did because he knew he lucked out a championship.

 

[this_is_gav]

I rated Rosberg highly before he moved to Mercedes but even then he managed to up his game an awful lot when Hamilton joined, and I think it surprised people that he challenged and beat Hamilton as regularly as he did.

I have doubts a returning Schumacher could have matched Rosberg, but if anyone could have upped their game if a title was up for grabs then I can think of few people who would be better suited than Schumacher.

He was never going to be as good as the Schumacher of old, but it would have been interesting to see just how resilient he could get with the new era - in terms of driving style it was after all a reset for all of the drivers, not just Schumacher.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Schumacher that returned wasn't the same as the one that left. Especially after his injury but I am sure he would fight it out if he was in that 2014 car. You can have speed but you also need the mental strength. I do not think Rosberg would beat him at mind games. He retired when he did because he knew he lucked out a championship.

Rosberg also had to put absolutely everything he had into beating Hamilton (and then relied on a little bit of luck too). It was also during a time when Hamilton would switch off at the end of a championship season and Rosberg capatalised on this at the start of the next - Hamilton seems to have learnt from this. Along with factoring in his family, no wonder Rosberg ran.

 

[Akagi]

I couldn't care less given that the bloke is a tit.

Plus I think it is nicer for Schumacher to retain the record given his current state.

 

[adam cool dude]

I rated Rosberg highly before he moved to Mercedes but even then he managed to up his game an awful lot when Hamilton joined, and I think it surprised people that he challenged and beat Hamilton as regularly as he did.

I have doubts a returning Schumacher could have matched Rosberg, but if anyone could have upped their game if a title was up for grabs then I can think of few people who would be better suited than Schumacher.

He was never going to be as good as the Schumacher of old, but it would have been interesting to see just how resilient he could get with the new era - in terms of driving style it was after all a reset for all of the drivers, not just Schumacher.

Jenson Button also matched and beat Lewis at McLaren. He wasn't as fast but far more intelligent a driver. Even still Lewis is far and ahead from Button who I love to bits. Rosberg might have beaten Schumacher in situations but how many of them were due to retirements or racing incidents? Schumacher still managed to place an underwhelming Mercedes on pole at Monaco so obviously still had it even though perhaps the hunger wasn't 100%.

 

[Mr Jack]

Rosberg also had to put absolutely everything he had into beating Hamilton (and then relied on a little bit of luck too). It was also during a time when Hamilton would switch off at the end of a championship season and Rosberg capatalised on this at the start of the next - Hamilton seems to have learnt from this. Along with factoring in his family, no wonder Rosberg ran.

As time goes by, I have more and more respect for Rosberg's decision. He achieved the amazing against incredible opposition, looked at what it cost, and went "sod that for a game of tin soldiers". He seems to be deeply happy doing what he is doing now.

 

[this_is_gav]

Rosberg also had to put absolutely everything he had into beating Hamilton (and then relied on a little bit of luck too). It was also during a time when Hamilton would switch off at the end of a championship season and Rosberg capatalised on this at the start of the next - Hamilton seems to have learnt from this. Along with factoring in his family, no wonder Rosberg ran.

In 2016 who knows what would have happened had Hamilton won in Sepang. Certainly Rosberg was happy to sit back and finish behind Hamilton after Suzuka, but before Sepang he was already ahead in the championship having won 8 in total (including each of the previous 3 races and the race after Sepang) to Hamilton's then total of 6.

Worth remembering that Rosberg was running last and finished 3rd in Sepang, so it's not like Rosberg picked up maximum points by default.

As time goes by, I have more and more respect for Rosberg's decision. He achieved the amazing against incredible opposition, looked at what it cost, and when "sod that for a game of tin soldiers". He seems to be deeply happy doing what he is doing now.

Yeah same. He achieved all he wanted to achieve and didn't want to put himself through the wringer any more. Those two were good friends when they were teamed up and it must have been hard to keep having public fallings out so in hindsight it wasn't a surprise he'd had enough.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I couldn't care less given that the bloke is a tit.

Plus I think it is nicer for Schumacher to retain the record given his current state.

You care enough to comment though

 

[adam cool dude]

As time goes by, I have more and more respect for Rosberg's decision. He achieved the amazing against incredible opposition, looked at what it cost, and went "sod that for a game of tin soldiers". He seems to be deeply happy doing what he is doing now.

I just don't think he was as driven as the top top drivers. Much like his father. Which isn't a bad thing as Rosberg has his family. Lewis is pretty lonely in that respect.

 

[mmj_uk]

I've just read he lost a 3 year legal battle to stop a watch company that's been around since the 19th century from using the name 'Hamilton', as much as I rate his racing ability he comes across as a few peas short of a pod. How many "Black Lives" could he have improved with those legals fees if he really cared beyond virtue signalling?

 

[MM-Seat]

Some good points in this thread... I have a ton of respect for Rosberg being self aware that Hamilton was on another level to him and he wouldn't have had the motivation to do it again.

On Button, I think Hamilton learnt a lot from having him as teammate. Button was known for being smooth (which I think Hamilton is now) and at the time had better race smarts. I actually think Hamilton's biggest strength is that he keeps reinventing himself as a driver.

From aggressive, exciting and fast youngster to the tyre whispering, consistent and fast 7 time world champion!

 

[Mr Jack]

I've just read he lost a 3 year legal battle to stop a watch company that's been around since the 19th century from using the name 'Hamilton', as much as I rate his racing ability he comes across as a few peas short of a pod.

He didn't try and stop them from using the name; he tried to stop them from trademarking it, and the case came about because they're trying to stop him trademarking the name "Lewis Hamilton" for a range of jewellery including watches.

 

[jonneymendoza]

I've just read he lost a 3 year legal battle to stop a watch company that's been around since the 19th century from using the name 'Hamilton', as much as I rate his racing ability he comes across as a few peas short of a pod. How many "Black Lives" could he have improved with those legals fees if he really cared beyond virtue signalling?

I think you should read the full story..

 

[this_is_gav]

On Button, I think Hamilton learnt a lot from having him as teammate. Button was known for being smooth (which I think Hamilton is now) and at the time had better race smarts. I actually think Hamilton's biggest strength is that he keeps reinventing himself as a driver.

From aggressive, exciting and fast youngster to the tyre whispering, consistent and fast 7 time world champion!

That's his key now, his consistency.

Like Vettel, I don't think Hamilton is quite as at home now as he was with the relatively small and light V8s, and doesn't have quite the same explosive pace he once had, however, largely unlike Vettel, Hamilton has found a consistency which goes a long way to more than make up for it when it counts. He's not too different to how Alonso was throughout his career - fast enough, but mostly relentless and supremely consistent.

 

[mmj_uk]

My bad.

He was essentially arguing that a 130 year old company shouldn't be able to trademark the name it's always used though just because it happens to coincide with his surname.