It certainly has been his worst season, by a long chalk, some his own doing, some circumstance, some big lessons and a lot of growing up to do. He has bags of ability but just needs to put it to full use again. As for Jenson... I'd say he's at his very best at the moment. He seems like he could pull a rabbit out of the hat at any given moment and is doing it without a lot of fuss. McLaren has been fantastic for him... He just seems to keep on developing his own skills. If only the team could quit buggering up strategy on both sides of the garage.
Sgt Bhaji, I think you're right about Lewis being vilified but it's not a popular opinion on here I have seen similar though in the past for Alonso, Schumacher, Senna... There may be more who escape me. And I do think he's being more measured now too but the damage was done in Monaco and people are unlikely to forget in a hurry. And he is accident prone. I didn't think it was particularly Lewis's fault today, not in any intentional way certainly, neither did the stewards but he held his hand up himself. I like him and don't have a problem with his so-called attitude but I live with an F1 non-fan, i.e. not partisan, who gets extremely irritated whenever Lewis comes on the TV screen so I suppose he just has that effect on some people, I don't feel it myself but he just winds them up the wrong way. Me, I just wish he'd be sublime more of the time.
Thanks, Max... If nothing else you've made me feel like I'm not going completely bonkers. I am a Hamilton fan but I hold respect for the other drivers out there. Above all, I'm a fan of F1, because when thess guys are long gone, the circus will keep on trucking and new battle lines will be drawn.
lots of opinions on this 'racing incident'. At the end of the day Koby was 'behind' Hamilton and should be prepared to take avoiding action at all times. Because Hamilton may have intended to brake late and move right to complete the overtake, that does not excuse Koby for running into him. You have to accept the car in front has got past you...... 70% Kobi's fault.
I'm confused by Eddie jordon and some of the posters on here, how exactly can someone be in front , and yet tag the back tyre of someone? I mean last time I checked, and I'm anearly passed driver, is that if there is a car in front, and they are moving in front of you, you break, rather than than tag their back tyre BTCC style or has that changed ??
Yeah, I was a bit irritated by that stuff too. There's a camera angle (from in front of both cars) which makes it 'appear' that Kamui was alongside. But Kamui's front wheel onto Lewis's rear gives the lie to that and other camera angles show Kobayashi behind. Still, it's all over now and Lewis has taken the blame himself.
I personally dont think Kobayashi can hold any blame for this. As Niki Lauda said "he could have slotted in behind, but why should he?". Kamui had every right to try and retake Lewis! There had already been overtakes made down the outside of Les Coombes! Whilst they were approaching the corner they were side by side (as shown in replays) and then Lewis just braked later and drifted across in front of Kamui. They were racing for position so Lewis had no right to expect Kamui to move out of the way. It was simply a lack of judgement from Lewis by not looking in his mirrors and expecting Kamui to have backed out. Lewis could very easily have kept it straight and taken the corner normally: no accident. Lewis is a very quick driver but he keeps putting himself in situations where he either has, or comes very close to having an accident. There is absolutely no need to do this - he needs to show the other drivers respect and not assume that becuase he is at the front that they will so easily surrender - especially someone like Kobayashi!
I'm not blaming Kamui, just disputing the view that he was alongside Lewis at the time of the accident. Lewis has said he wasn't conscious of who he was racing; he should have been more aware.
Kamui had no intention of fighting Lewis or overtaking around the outside, he has already stated this. He was just holding his line on the outside giving Lewis the whole on the inside and did not expect Lewis to go slightly left before the right hander. Lewis already said on twitter that he did not think Kamui was there which comes down to poor judgement and not being aware. On a separate note something I did notice was that lewis had his DRS open, and Kamui had a broken front wing and older tyres, so his McLaren must've been so high on downforce its unreal because you would've thought Hamilton would've been miles clear. Lewis and McLaren should learn from this but to be honest you never know
Yes it was a basic error, but he is a human and I am quite surprised people are fussing about a small error and a basic mistake when we have drivers who deliberately run into another car for revenge. And of course he will be back for the next race, I meant he will be there and in the mix for the victory. He is one of the best out there and as I said before " He needs to use his head and get back on track"
anyway I suspect 'the team' suggested to Hamilton that his image needs work - so why not say its your fault even if highly debatable.
I view this as a racing incident - although the extreme argument is that Kobi was passed and ultimatley wasn't going to retake Hammy round the outside! However, I understand where Lauda is coming from in that Hammy left himself exposed and is relying on Kobi yeilding! If you look at the the move Hammy pulls on Kobi, once he has completed the overtake, he moves central to the track (to break any tow like he is known to do from GP2 days) and to narrow the inside line should Kobi try and stuff it up the inside! Once Hammy approaches the corner he wants to maximise the corner by widening the entry and hence drifts closer to the racing line - that becomes 2 moves. Kobi on the other hand wants to maximise his entry into the corner (wide) and narrow Hammy's by keeping him more narrow on entry and hence the incident occured over fighting for the same piece of tarmac rather than trying to pass or repass! Racing incident, but one that Hammy could have avoided and Kobi should have been more level headed over and concentrated on carrying as much speed through the corner! Its the classic of kowing when and when not to yeild (Alonso/Webber) to protect your race and kowinh whne your just beat!
I dont think he needs to apologise! It was a mistake and something that could have happened to a number of other driver combo's - thats why its called a racing incident!
Lewis is definitely maturing a good bit over the course of the season, compared to his earlier outbursts. If this season has thought him to be better at keeping his anger down, it could be a valuable asset in time to come.
I thought to be honest Lewis would mature after 2009, 2010 prooved that. But he's shot himself in foot and gone backwards getting mixed with a pussycat WAG, ditching his Dad and joining with a parasitic media agency. It also looks like Vettel has unsettled him ever since he won the WDC and taking his youngest ever title.
