Well now what a weekend for him, I am not sure weather you would say he underperformed, performed well or was average. He appeared to complete his practice programme without any faults. Then he was unlucky to get a tyre runining puncture in Q2 but made it to Q3. Due to being right behind alonso and button I thought his qually lap would be ruined but he producaed a magnificent lap to take provisonal 2nd (which I admit I was not expecting), then he was unlucky that his team couldn't refuel him for the real part of Q3 so he had to just sit in the garage and watch his placing fall to 4th. He actually got one of the best starts on the grid (for once), but was unlucky with the way the cards fell that there was no room past webber and webber had a slow start, allowing several cars past hamilton. Then he did some very good driving, overtaking his way up all the way to Massa. At that point he made what in my view was a misjudgement of spatial awareness, he lost part of his front wing and had to pit for a new one, he made an overtake on a williams and then had to serve a drive through penalty for the incedent. Then he was 20th and it would have been easy to be very disheartened and make more errors or just give up but he kept his head, asked the enginner for advice and started a lightening charge through the field overtaking car after car. Eventually he was in 5th and was trying to close down on alonso for 4th but his tyres went away, he pitted came out behind 4 or 5 cars (I can't remember how many) and he overtook them all again to regain his 5th place and bring home some points. If it had not been for the 1 incedent with massa which so nearly didn't happen things would have been very different. He must have pulled over 20 overtakes today and fought from 20th to 5th. He was very unlucky with the qualyfing situations and the start situation, both beyond his control and he made a good job of racing with effectively 1 less set of tyres than the rest. How do you rate his performance today?
Well there are cheaper drivers that are being wasted in lower cars. Rosberg, Di Resta, Sutil, Kamui, Kubica,(2010 form) and Maldonado ($$$ = less promo's) Isn't like they dont have options of chosing one.
He was very lucky today with the safety car. If it didnt come out, I couldnt have seen too many points for him. But for 4 races in a row now, hes lost to Button.
Hamilton is currently being comprehensively outperformed by Button. Button, for god's sake (only kidding, i rate JB). He needs to get his act together soon, or the phrase "number 2 driver" may become relevant
Well seeing as he is now out of the title race i would say its his responsibility nay duty to T-Bone Vettel every race for Jenson. Now if only he could get close enough.
He had made some , and been on the reciving end of shall we say intresting stewarding..I'm looking at you McNish/Mansell but in terams of ability , head and shoulders better than button. Put it this way , with all the crap that happend to him yesterday , he still got 5th. Unfortuanately for him , he had a good start, but due to being on dirty side was slowed up by webber and taken on the outside. Still best driver in my opinion in the field bar none.
I think McLaren should consider their options more carefully for 2013. If Hamilton wants a new McLaren deal he has to earn it. I think he is under the impression that he will always have a secure seat at McLaren. There are other drivers who are almost as quick, but more consistent - drivers who will not demand a high salary or less PR work. Di Resta would be a good choice, but only if Hamilton's performances in 2012 are as bad as this year.
Well I don't know what to make of his post japan form. qualifying: -The only non red-bull pole position of the year in korea -2nd in India -2nd in Abu Dhabi He clearly hasn't lost anything in qualifying. races: -A well deserved 2nd in Korea, made an error on the 1st lap that let Vettel through but was brilliant for the rest. Driving a car that was continually losing front downforce from rubber clogging the front wing up. Was challenging Vettel for the lead untill Webber caught him up and engaged him in a duel for 2nd for about half the race, survives intense pressure to keep 2nd. - Was poor in India again, back to the usual 2011 Hamilton, generally slower than Button through out the race, had a poor race start and yet another crash with Massa. -Was brilliant in Abu Dhabi, held 2nd at the start which immediately turned into 1st, then he had a vettel race for once, leading in clean air, looking after the tyres, managing the gap to 2nd place with more pace in hand should it be needed, having an eventless flawless race to his first win for a long time. Seeing Hamilton managing tyres and the gap to 2nd is not something I think we have seen before and it is an encouraging sign. Are these flashes in the pan of fulfilling the cars potential in an otherwise poor season or is he back to his old self?
I'd say it's part of the process of finding his form... He needs some consecutive good performances to start to restore his confidence. I'd be reluctant to say he's back, but I'd say he's on the right track and trying to do the right things to get his head back in the game. It may have been a terrible year for him, but I think it's actually served him with quite a few lessons learned.
confused, hamiltons had 6 podiums as well?? and of course he has underperformed this season, he has admitted it
