Singapore Grand Prix 2011, Marina Bay Street Circuit - Race 14/19

[JRS]

It seems that we are the few who rate Vettel so highly. On this board, Vettel seems to come under unfair criticism and I haven't a clue why this is.

Some of the criticism has been unfair, some not. He was rightly derided when he clattered into Webber in Turkey last year, and Button at Spa (funny how much overlap there is between folks on t'internet and in the press who booed Vettel for that but defend Hamilton this year making rash moves ). This year, he can't help the fact that he's done a much better job, more consistently, than everyone else. Yes, the car has been good - Webber's had the same car, not done anything like as well. Yes, the team has had all their focus on him - same situation as Alonso has at Ferrari.

End of the day, he's utterly annihilated the rest of the grid.

 

[sunama]

For me the big deal is that he has beaten his own team-mate, with the same equipment, by a very big margin. That is scary. And unlike last year, Webber has accepted that he has been beaten by the better man.

The 2 drivers, who have gone up in my estimation over the last 12 months are Vettel and Button. In both cases, their consistency and focus on the job is what I admire.

The biggest disappointment for me, is Hamilton...for obvious reasons.

 

[Indy500]

That's a terrible misinterpretation of what happened. Most glaringly, Webber beat Coulthard handily in 2008.

Now in 2007, the RBR was so unreliable that they had a retirement in just about every race which makes points impossible to compare. Webber retired in almost half of the races, and if I remember correctly not a single one was his own fault. This is why people were calling him the unluckiest driver on the grid around that time. Qualifying on the other hand went relatively smoothly for RBR where Webber outqualified Coulthard a massive 15-2.

So why didn't Webber get into a better team sooner? Bad manager?

 

[Skeeter]

The biggest disappointment for me, is Hamilton...for obvious reasons.

There are a lot of very different reasons why people claim to be disappointed with Hamilton. Which specific ones are you citing?

 

[sunama]

There are a lot of very different reasons why people claim to be disappointed with Hamilton. Which specific ones are you citing?

Reason: The obscenely high collision rate.
In all other departments, Hamilton is top notch.

 

[Skeeter]

Someone needs to find some 'collision' statistics. I am willing to guarantee Hamilton will not be top.

 

[3dcandy]

perhaps not top, but avoidable or "silly" collisions he would be top. I'm pretty sure that Ham gets a fair amount of criticism, but it's very difficult to not be disappointed somehow with a fair few of his moves this season. The one race he tried to be calm he just got stuck behind schuey and was embarrassed by his team mate...

 

[JRS]

Someone needs to find some 'collision' statistics. I am willing to guarantee Hamilton will not be top.

Not even nearly top. But then, you'd hope he wouldn't be. He's a former champion, driving what is probably the second best car overall in the field. Not some desperate mid-grid kamikaze pilot fighting to make himself seen in order to get a better drive.

 

[NathanE]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95072

Good interview with Lewis here.

It's pretty clear from this he knows it's been a crappy year but he comes across very well and with a strong self confidence in what he is doing.

It's good that he has no intention on apologising to Massa. He is learning. I still think clearing the air with Maldonado was a mistake. He should apologise much much less than he does

 

[LizardKing]

I shall say it again...all drivers in the following list are greats...not least because they won 3 titles:

MSc
Fangio
Prost
Brabham
Stewart
Senna
Lauda
Piquet, Nelson Snr

I shall also say the following...again...there are some drivers not in the above list, who are also greats.
.

tsk, Jimmy Clark not a great?

 

[sunama]

tsk, Jimmy Clark not a great?

LOL.

Have I not made this clear...

I will do a JRS:

I shall say it again...all drivers in the following list are greats...not least because they won 3 titles:

MSc
Fangio
Prost
Brabham
Stewart
Senna
Lauda
Piquet, Nelson Snr

I shall also say the following...again...there are some drivers not in the above list, who are also greats.

I don't know how else I can word it. It's pretty explicit. I've used small words, so pretty much anybody can understand what is written.

At no stage have ever written that the "greats" are limited to those names on that list.

Oh, and for the record. I hold Jim Clark (and G.Villeneuve) in high regard. It was such a shame that they died before they could complete their careers. Statistically, Jim Clark was the man.

 

[sunama]

It's pretty clear from this he knows it's been a crappy year ...

Nathan, its all very well admitting that he has had a bad year, but what is he going to do about it. I thought that the collision rate in the last few races was just a blip, but based on the last race, it seems that he is still in that period of crashing into people.

The last race is what really got me: there was no reason to take any risk. He could easily take Massa on the straight, with DRS...why on Earth did he need to take the risk and overtake half a lap earlier. It just doesn't make any sense.

I'm hoping that he has a strong close to the season.

 

[JRS]

I don't know how else I can word it. It's pretty explicit. I've used small words, so pretty much anybody can understand what is written.

Isn't it irritating when people don't read what you've written, and then project so hard that you can see them on the other side of the world?

 

[Setroc]

I'm sure that lizard's post was a sarcastic jab.

 

[sunama]

Isn't it irritating when people don't read what you've written, and then project so hard that you can see them on the other side of the world?

 

[3dcandy]

it's being reported that Button has signed a 4 year £50 million deal with McLaren...am I alone in thinking that Lewis might be off now?

 

[NathanE]

I think McLaren may regret that. Button is certainly riding a wave at the moment and it appears they are riding it with him!

Hamilton is on a similar deal AFAIK, but that was signed in 2006-2007 before the recession and the value of everything changed.

 

[GravyMonster]

£12.5m a year is still less than Lewis.

Can't see a reason for him to leave TBH. Ferrari aren't interested. RBR will be bringing Ricciardo up to replace Webber in a few years. That just leaves Mercedes as the most likely top team, and unless they get their act together, he'd end up being more frustrated there.

He's going nowhere.

 

[NathanE]

Mercedes = Brawn = Honda = BAR. He doesn't want to go back there. It would be like getting a job in your primary school. So yep, he had no real options TBH. Which makes the sky high deal with McLaren even more confusing.

 

[3dcandy]

all valid comments...I just see him getting more frustrated! IF Button beats him this year though...