Interesting, particularly, following Andy Murray's recent appointment of Ivan Lendl; has Fuller's company realised that they don't really get sports management? Anyway, thanks for sharing the link sea-man; like Miggins, I'd have preferred a clean break from Fuller but it's good news nonetheless.
He seemed quite at ease today judging by interviews. He looked more composed than he has in quite some time so hopefully he's turned whatever corner was screwing him up. I swear, if he drives in to Massa in the first race, I'm going to pop 'round his house and wax his bloomin' beard off.
Agree basically with this. I'd suggest there are 3 phases of Hamilton 1) Early 2007 when he was very good and consistent and appeared to be reaping the benefits of having Alonso to set the car up for him. 2) Mid 2007 - 2011 - Peak performance as before, but very much more inconsistent 3) 2012 - Peak performance as before, but lower lows and sometimes for a more sustained period. Accepting that there were some special causes last year, I expect more of a 2 year.
Sorry, I'm easily confused. I can't quite get my head around the years you've mentioned here Sportista. Is your item number 3 (for 2012) a prediction? And when you say, "I expect more of a 2 year", are you referring to his second year or your own point 2?
I'm not sure about that one either. In 2007 he had an extraordinary début year, which, naturally, he can never repeat. The following year he was World Champion. In 2009, he had a terrible car but maintained his composure and was winning with it before the season's end. In 2010, he might have won another title but for some impetuous errors late in the season and last year those errors increased and he failed to show the same composure he had displayed two years earlier. So, to me, it seems that from late 2010 though until late 2011 he regressed and this coming year he needs to learn from his recent experience, focus and show some maturity and more mental strength. This will be his sixth season. Of course, I hope very much that he can do it and that McLaren provide him with the necessary machinery and support.
Lewis Hamilton, it seems clear, will not have the quickest car in the coming season. He is surrounded by a number of other world champs, one in the same car, and a plethora of drivers at the top of their game, fighting as hard as they can. None of them are prepared to put up with the antics that Hamilton has been associated with since the beginning of his career. Hamilton simply can not get away with his aggression any more. Formula One has changed since Hamilton was dropped into his seat. He was created for the old F1, where races were divided into 3 or 4 low fuel runs with new tyres each time to devastate. Hamilton may say that he has adapted to this new F1, but, honestly, he has not. Combine with this his insistence of trying to be just like his hero Senna, and going for gaps that are not there, and you have a driver that is guaranteed to attract trouble. It is not just Massa that refuses to be intimidated by Hamilton. Hamilton does not come across as a tough guy, and I would say that the whole of the grid are not going to put up with Hamilton's sickening sense of entitlement, that has not diminished even after four three years of not winning the title. So to answer the question: No, Hamilton will not be back to his 08 form. He may win a few GPs next year, but he won't win the title because he not good enough, and too reckless. Note that I did not say not fast enough.
Whoops, wishing the years away here! I'd suggest there are 3 phases of Hamilton 1) Early 2007 when he was very good and consistent and appeared to be reaping the benefits of having Alonso to set the car up for him. 2) Mid 2007 - 2010 - Peak performance as before, but very much more inconsistent 3) 2011 - Peak performance as before, but lower lows and sometimes for a more sustained period. Accepting that there were some special causes last year, I expect more of a 2 year.
This is a fair assessment but I do believe he is still young enough to adapt. He has the talent to beat anyone on his day, but he needs to become more consistent. In his current form I cannot see him dominating like Vettel did in 2011 but I do believe he is more gifted than Vettel. He needs to think more of the long game, like his team mate does. I don't agree on your assessment of the MP4-27 though, I don't think we have seen enough to judge which team will have the best package in 2012.
I don't buy into the whole "Hamilton is deigned for short sprint style racing and not suited to the refueling ban era" Out of all his seasons in F1 the year least like short sprinting and most like endurance racing was 2010. Most races that year went like this "Do 13 laps, pit for new tyres and do the remaning 50 odd laps on the 1 set of tyres - managing the fuel load at the same time" And he was really good in 2010, 1 of my personal top 3 drivers of the year, he finished over a race win clear of defending veteran WDC Jenson Button who is supposed to be among the best of the 2010 onwards style of racing. And if anyone needs proof he can overtakes in the refuling ban era watch this [video=youtube;2vcGYuGNPS0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vcGYuGNPS0[/video] 2011 on the other hand was almost entirely sprint style racing more so at some tracks than 2007 - 2009 and yet it was his worst season to date. I think his biggest problem is coming to terms with the fact that Vettel is stealing what he sees as "his destiny", In the first half of the season Vettel domination was on his mind so he made mistakes, in the 2nd half he suddenly faced losing his 100% victory rate over teammates as well as vettel dominating so he made more mistakes and lost his head. He also had off track issues to compund the problem. Overtakes turned into crashes and the crashes lead to further penalties and it all spirraled out of control. IMO If he can accept Vettel winning, Vettel winning will suddenly become less common.
Regression among drivers is a natural occurance, everyone has a blip. See Michael Schumacher's 2005 season for details.
Doesn't matter how great you were at the start, if you dont keep busting your balls out to be the best you will be suprised how far back you will go. Recently I would regard Lewis being like a modern day James Hunt, troubled in the head and could of taken it to the best if he sorted his act out, maybe even outshining Niki Lauda. Yeah Seb is stealing Lewis thunder, but who hasn't he stole thunder from? Webber and Alonso are another two already, hell even Di Resta could be HELL! you could say it's the whole grid since he is breaking every record. They underestimated him for his nice guy attitude in the lower formula's up to 2009 and in the end they found another Djokovic kicking the **** out of them instead. Seb kept his head down and only worried about himself while others were having ego trips bitching about who was! better. Seb and Lewis achievments are also very different if you think about it. Seb's number 1 priority in life = To be a world champion.........achieved Lewis' number 1 priority in life =*come on it's very likely* To be as great as Senna...........not achieved I'm afraid Lewis' mindset wont change as it has been part of him since childhood. He has set the bar far too high for himself and now the doubt is kicking in and it made him regress to what we saw last season, erratic and easily pissed off. Seb I'm sure had the same dreams about being as great as Schumacher up to his teens, but I wont be suprised if his father or someone at BMW or Red Bull help nip that in the bud quickly enough to stop him thinking like that and to focus on reality of the now and not the afterwards which hasn't happend. If you were Lewis Hamilton and had the same mindset, do you really think you could get over something that bad in just a few months? For me I dont think so and I rekon this kind of thing will take 6-8 months to get over entirely. A win or two would do him some good as well but it depends who is leading this season which will mean SFA (SweetfuckAll) to him if Seb is leading again.
I'm not sure how it's possible for any of us to know how long it would take him to get back in the game. Everybody goes through rough spells in life and sometimes you can be snapped out if it out of nowhere. As for him wanting to be as good as Senna... Nothing wrong with him setting the bar high. One good race could be the catalyst for a great season.
Exactly. I've highlighted your first sentence as it's particularly relevant. How can any of us possibly know? Due to F1 being a partnership between the driver, car and team, there are a lot of variables to consider. Not just Lewis's mindset. I don't deny that he has had a dip in form, that much is obvious. But when you've got an unprecedented year of 6 WDC's on the grid about to start and a change in car design, anything could happen.
I would have a different opinion in regard to having the bar set too high. What positives come from it when you become an adult after leaving your childhood and entered "reality" If I was "team Lewis" I would be saying "Focus on getting the second, then afterwards we talk about the third" step by step development is IMO a far stronger and stable bridge than gunning for 8wdc's which can easily collapse. Yes I'm sure Anthony Hamilton wanted to give the world and would still do it for Lewis but sometimes for somebodys mindset it is best to tell them they don't have to proove anything to anybody anymore. Work with me here now, what's easier to achieve, win a Wdc which he knows how to do himself from 08, or be greater then senna which he has null experience of and is just an individuals perspective on which aspect to beat. what is he trying to beat, where do you draw the line to stop? Maybe Lewis should go back to his roots of his hometown and share some of the love and put something back into his society like Senna did and try to make it better place to live, rather then hiding away with snobs that see him as a profit. Because when the lights get turned off on his f1 career what will he have left, something like Gasgoyne and a path of destruction and what ifs...
There are some interesting thoughts being expressed in this thread. I'd like to add that it's good to see proper, reasonable debate focussed upon Hamilton. This is quite an exception amongst most of the internet forums around the world.âââo0oâââ P.S. My thanks to Sportista for the clarification.
Well, one thing is for sure and that's Hamilton's driving ability remains undiminished, he simply has to re-focus, the McLaren team are totally aware of all the issues that affect his performance having had to deal with them for several seasons now. Expect to see a step change improvement in Hamiltons mental control, both Jenson and Lewis are McLarens biggest assets.
Good points there Ernie. I have not the slightest hesitation in saying McLaren have the driver pairing of the grid; and by some margin.
