Lewis Hamilton Larbalestier

[Hampus Andersson]

From my understanding it was Button that wanted to come into the pits to mix it up a bit (switching to slicks while everyone else stayed on the wets, I think).

The real story behind that one was that Button went in, changed to slicks, went off in one corner, fooled everyone in the pits into thinking it was to early to change to slicks when in reality it was just that corner that was too wet.

thanks for considering me as sort of an F1 head here on RD but i can´t be politically correct just because.
Or change my opinion on what i really think because it won´t go well with the masses.

You don´t have to agree with me, i don´t really expect anyone to do so but i´m going to be true to myself and say what i think about the matter.

We just have to see what happens this season, i´ll eat my hat if Button comes out on top at the end of the season. I will literally eat a hat you can keep that quote

I´m predicting Hamilton for the Championship if the car is capable of wins, i expect him to outclass Button pretty much everywhere except for maybe tire management.

 

[Danny Asbury]

That´s what i´m saying.. In order for Vettel to win he needed Alonso to come no better then 5th i believe and Webber no better then 3rd.
Both of which is so unlikely that there would probably be a bigger chance the earth gets wiped out by our own moon.
All Vettel could do was to win the race, then it was all about LUCK, hoping that Webber AND Alonso destroys their races.

I see it as Ferrari throwing a championship away based on an idiotic decision to pit him at the wrong time.
RBR had lots of technical failures, Vettel did lots of mistakes and this was the year to steal the title but they fell on the finish line.

My point is that Alonso and Webber put a foot wrong, yet Vettel didn't. Therefore I don't think luck has anything to do with it.

But, I suppose you're right, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. But that's what's cool about sports debates, it's all bananas and gravy in the end!

 

[Chris Butcher]

Yea but again, it was one year... not every year..

You should learn from the first time. You shouldn't have to hit a driver 5 times before you know there's a problem

 

[Hampus Andersson]

You should learn from the first time. You shouldn't have to hit a driver 5 times before you know there's a problem

It was an odd year Both drivers were under pressure due to their teammates getting the upper hand which led to both guys desperately wanting to overtake/defend each other and from that you get collision after collision.

The fact that they met so many times on track that year is insane in of itself.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

My point is that Alonso and Webber put a foot wrong, yet Vettel didn't. Therefore I don't think luck has anything to do with it.

But, I suppose you're right, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. But that's what's cool about sports debates, it's all bananas and gravy in the end!

Yea Vettel did an awesome job in that race, he did what he could and had to hope for the rest, all respect to that without a doubt.

True hehe Should also say that i think Button is a terrific driver even though it might not seem like it.
I just think pound for pound, Hamilton is a level above when things go well.

 

[Luke McVicar]

Mclaren had a similar situation to Redbull in 2010.

The faster driver was making all the mistakes which allowed the other to reel ahead, thankfully for Vettel he pulled hes head together in the last few races when the car was faster then the rest by miles.

 

[Scott Webber]

Lewis Hamilton believes it's only a matter of time before things start falling into place for him at McLaren this season, following a string of errors.

The 27-year-old hasn't put a foot wrong so far, but mistakes during his pit-stops in Bahrain, strategic errors and under-fuelling in Spain, have cost the 2008 world champion a handful of points.
Despite this, Hamilton remains upbeat and says he can't really complain considering he's just a few points behind the championship leaders.

"Looking at the bigger picture, I can't really complain because despite the setbacks I've had this season I'm still only eight points behind the leader of the Championship,"

he told the Telegraph.

"The team has been working extremely hard and our car is quick, so when things go right I think we'll be in a great position - and it'll come to us before too long."

Speaking about his penalty, in which he was excluded from qualifying for a fuel infringement, Hamilton said didn't expect such a severe response from the stewards for what was a minor offence.
"I was surprised because the team told me I would have my best lap taken away from me," he said. "So I thought 'OK I can have a [good] race from seventh.' I never had it in my mind that I would start from the back.

"I saw people saying that I would have gained time by having less fuel in the car because 10 kilos is worth three tenths here. I only needed a kilo more, maximum, to get back to the pits to provide the sample.

source

 

[Chris Jenkins]

What's the conversion of kilos into litres of fuel?

 

[Ho3n3r]

What's the conversion of kilos into litres of fuel?

About 0.75kg per litre.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

So that just proves that McLaren screwed up.
As they had 1.3 litres left in the car, so roughly 1kg

 

[Ho3n3r]

So that just proves that McLaren screwed up.
As they had 1.3 litres left in the car, so roughly 1kg

Yes, which is about 1.75km's worth. So say he had another kg fuel, which would give him 3km worth, minus a litre, which is about 750m worth. Was he less than 2.25km away from parc ferme?

 

[Victor Ivanov]

The track is 4.655 km. Hamilton stopped his car after T9 almost at the end of S2 so he had 1/3rd of the lap left or 1.55 km. Basically he had enough fuel to go back to the pits but he wouldn't have enough for the sample. One kilo more would be enough but this was very harsh penalty. I know it's a bit of a conspiracy but considering Alonso took the first row against the Williams his chances for the win were huge and it looked like Hamilton would be the only one who could stop him

 

[Ho3n3r]

The track is 4.655 km. Hamilton stopped his car after T9 almost at the end of S2 so he had 1/3rd of the lap left or 1.55 km. Basically he had enough fuel to go back to the pits but he wouldn't have enough for the sample. One kilo more would be enough but this was very harsh penalty. I know it's a bit of a conspiracy but considering Alonso took the first row against the Williams his chances for the win were huge and it looked like Hamilton would be the only one who could stop him

Nothing pointed out by you in this post has ever been disputed

 

[Scott Webber]

NEW CONTRACT ?
McLaren to offer Hamilton £20m year contract

Lewis Hamilton looks set to close the gap to the highest paid driver in Formula 1, currently Fernando Alonso, if he accepts McLaren's latest deal to retain his services post-2012.

The Woking outfit are keen to re-sign the revitalised Hamilton, who has been driving in a much more mature and error free manner compared with previous seasons.

The 2008 world champion currently earns around £15 million per season, but his current contract expires at the end of the year.

In a bid to keep him, McLaren are reportedly offering him £20 million per season, based on a three-year deal. Though the contract would likely contain release clauses after 2013.
XIX Entertainment boss Simon Fuller, who represents the 27-year-old, is believed to be pushing for fewer promotional responsibilities in a bid to allow Hamilton to promote brands outside of F1 - this may result in a smaller salary, but allow him to explore other projects.

source

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

That should be enough money to buy a few razor blades to get rid of that weird beard.

Ridiculous salary of course, but that's sports nowadays. He'll probably make even more with advertising.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

A bit to early for me this. I´m not so sure if he has matured, I would like to see how he is halfway through the championship at least.

 

[Scott Webber]

A bit to early for me this. I´m not so sure if he has matured, I would like to see how he is halfway through the championship at least.

I agree Ole, but with the Contract Ending this year he could well be in talks with other teams, when i say talks i mean "rumours" aparantly, whoever has the better offer and a good enough car to be at the top they will take it, however for instance let's say he got offered £25 million from Ferrari... would he take it? knowing they are struggling and not as strong or as consistent like Mclaren in each of their races.

Personally i think Mclaren are going the safe way and want to keep him, let's face it, when it all comes together he is amazing, when everything clicks (the car, his mentality, the strategy) he's very good, but when one thing falls out of place it can have disastrous consequences, like with any driver, i think he is realising now he must be alot more consistent and alittle more safer then usual, going full pelt for the win at all costs "attituide".

he's maturing but not there yet.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Agree, it's good that McLaren tries to put him under contract for a longer period of time. The combination Hamilton & Button is a good one and to be honest who should replace them?

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Ye, Hamilton is on the right way. I´m just not convinced that he can keep himself there. It´s a bit like the Busch brothers in NASCAR. They looked like they had matured as well. But...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

He seems to be in a very good place mentally. Just a thing you can notice on press conferences he is the only one saying "First of all, good afternoon everyone"
He went to what was it? Phillipines or Thailand and saw that poverty and probably made him realize that his problems in this world is nothing to the problems other humans have.

I´m convinced he´s fully recovered mentally. 07-08-09-10 he was good, it was only 11 where everything went downhill.

Will never forget his first race, first corner When i saw that i just knew this was a different kind of driver.
Sure we knew he was good in GP2, F3 but just the way he executed it in his first ever F1 start was incredible.
The races after he actually gave each and everyone lessons in attacking and defending your position.
He opened up a totally new way to drive an F1 car in that sense.