Monaco Grand Prix 2013, Monte Carlo - Race 6/19
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He's said that he has had issues with getting used to the car all year and is happy with where he is because of it. I've read it is specifically to do with the brakes, which are normally his strong point.
So while Nico is clearly performing very strongly, I do not think we are seeing the best of Lewis just yet.
Yeah he's not used to starting the season with a fast car
He's also not had the pressure of a team mate pushing him so hard in qualifying since Alonso. Jenson was consistently 3 rows back
Yeah but I'm pretty sure mclaren threw a hatful of points by this time last year.
He's also not had the pressure of a team mate pushing him so hard in qualifying since Alonso. Jenson was consistently 3 rows back
So whats his excuse in the races then?
When Nico is ahead its by several places, and when LH is ahead (and the team tell them not to race), they are right next to each other.....
The car is equally bad for both drivers, Im not sure how "Im not used to it" really makes that much difference (they arent driving different spec cars)
Yeah he's not used to starting the season with a fast car
He's also not had the pressure of a team mate pushing him so hard in qualifying since Alonso. Jenson was consistently 3 rows back
It's weird with Hamilton. He looked stronger than Nico in the first few races. He seems to have lost it a bit in the last couple of races though.
To be honest,because of the tyres, I don't know who is a good driver anymore. Monaco made Alonso look ver average :/
To be honest,because of the tyres, I don't know who is a good driver anymore. Monaco made Alonso look ver average :/
Soldato
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*warning* Drunkenmaster-esq post upcoming *warning*
I don't buy this theory. The great drivers will adapt to whatever they're given. Brabham and Moss had to adapt to mid-engined cars. Clark and Stewart had to adapt to cars from 1.5 litre to 3.0 litre and the onset of aerodynamic downforce in F1. Pederson saw the change to slicks. Andretti the ground effect. Villeneuve and Lauda the rudimentary turbo era. Senna and Prost the move to and from driver-aids. Schumacher the lack of aids and slicks to grooved tyres.
They all adapted and won races before and after. If Hamilton can't adapt his style to a tyre which wears faster than the ones he had when he came into the sport, then he's not the driver we thought. So far, he's the modern day Gilles Villeneuve. Villeneuve, while a hero to many, was never going to be a great. He was wild, exuberant and drove with his heart firmly on his sleeve, but was reckless and seldom in a race of one. A post from years ago that's always struck me:
The best thing which happened for Villeneuve's reputation was him dying when he did. Friends who saw them saw that Petersen had car control to better Villeneuve, but he was both faster and less reckless with it.
To me, that's where Hamilton is now. To prove he's not a Villeneuve and go from the status of past entertainer (as he doesn't do much out of the ordinary now compared to his debut year) to great racing driver he needs to adapt. If he can't, then he's just another Hulme, Hunt, Berger, Surtees, Graham and Damon Hill, Scheckter, Keke Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve and Button.... drivers who you know were very good and won championships (except Berger, but much was thought of him in his formative F1 years), but you knew they won because the greats they were racing didn't have equal machinery.
When I saw Hamilton in 2007 I thought that 6 years down the line he'd be a multiple world champion, the guy everyone would need to beat. While he's had a car which has won races in every season he's been in F1, I can't see him being a great any more. He hasn't done enough, and for two of those years his teammate was a driver who can't even get into F1 now, and he is now being beaten by drivers who most seem to feel are only good (Button and Rosberg). I'm beginning to feel that had he moved to Red Bull last year, Vettel would have destroyed him.
I don't buy this theory. The great drivers will adapt to whatever they're given. Brabham and Moss had to adapt to mid-engined cars. Clark and Stewart had to adapt to cars from 1.5 litre to 3.0 litre and the onset of aerodynamic downforce in F1. Pederson saw the change to slicks. Andretti the ground effect. Villeneuve and Lauda the rudimentary turbo era. Senna and Prost the move to and from driver-aids. Schumacher the lack of aids and slicks to grooved tyres.
They all adapted and won races before and after. If Hamilton can't adapt his style to a tyre which wears faster than the ones he had when he came into the sport, then he's not the driver we thought. So far, he's the modern day Gilles Villeneuve. Villeneuve, while a hero to many, was never going to be a great. He was wild, exuberant and drove with his heart firmly on his sleeve, but was reckless and seldom in a race of one. A post from years ago that's always struck me:
The best thing which happened for Villeneuve's reputation was him dying when he did. Friends who saw them saw that Petersen had car control to better Villeneuve, but he was both faster and less reckless with it.
To me, that's where Hamilton is now. To prove he's not a Villeneuve and go from the status of past entertainer (as he doesn't do much out of the ordinary now compared to his debut year) to great racing driver he needs to adapt. If he can't, then he's just another Hulme, Hunt, Berger, Surtees, Graham and Damon Hill, Scheckter, Keke Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve and Button.... drivers who you know were very good and won championships (except Berger, but much was thought of him in his formative F1 years), but you knew they won because the greats they were racing didn't have equal machinery.
When I saw Hamilton in 2007 I thought that 6 years down the line he'd be a multiple world champion, the guy everyone would need to beat. While he's had a car which has won races in every season he's been in F1, I can't see him being a great any more. He hasn't done enough, and for two of those years his teammate was a driver who can't even get into F1 now, and he is now being beaten by drivers who most seem to feel are only good (Button and Rosberg). I'm beginning to feel that had he moved to Red Bull last year, Vettel would have destroyed him.
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http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/8740199/Button-Alonso-eyeing-big-prize
Button on the .... er... button regarding Alonso's driving in Monaco.
Also:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107719
Grosjean believe Riccardo is at fault despite being penalised...
Button on the .... er... button regarding Alonso's driving in Monaco.
Also:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107719
Grosjean believe Riccardo is at fault despite being penalised...
Really good article, makes a lot of sense and I'm sure he'll crack it eventually.
Soldato
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Jenson gave two opinions on two drivers.
Alonso went backwards. Finished 7th.
Perez went forwards. Was classified as finishing in 16th, 6 laps down.
Towards the end of last season, after his move to McLaren was confirmed, Perez stated he saw no reason for not challenging for the title in 2013... the mentality indicated above shows exactly why. Arguably his driving in the second half of 2012 was evidence enough anyway. He's got a heck of a lot of maturing to do and it's starting to become obvious why Ferrari didn't take up their option on him.
Guy must have taken a knock to the head in one of his many crashes at the weekend.
I think there are very similar things that have happened to Jacques Villeneuve and Hamilton. I don't think either were/are that adaptable and where Jacques had MS who was, Hamilton has Alonso who is perhaps the most adaptable driver I have ever seen.
Jacques could race, hard and well with with the higher mechanical grip cars and tyres and then the F1 rules moved away from what he could do best. He had flashes but could never compete again for car reasons/career choice and the era of aero dominance just didn't suit what he had to offer.
I see a similar thing with Hamilton. The cars are so far away from what he does best. I think in 96/97 he would have been practically unstoppable. I think the same if he's had a bridgestone shod car like MS has for years. With a tyre he has to nurse I feel he can show flashes of what he might be able to do but gradually he will get more and more disheartened. He is still very good over 1 laps but his style suits these cars about as much as JV suited the narrow cars with grooved tyres.
F1 has always carried a degree of luck that you end up in the right car and the rules/regs go your way. Or you need a supremely dominant car and a good no 2. I also think Hamilton is in danger of having his career pass him by.
I do think though he made the right choice getting out of mclaren, I have said for years they never build the best car two years on the trot. Last year was the one year in god knows how long they started with a great car and promptly blew it. They live of this reputation of being good to make a crap car a bit better.
