It wasn't a criticism Silver! I was admiring the fact that you were prepared to address a few things where many people fear to tread! And it's also why I gave you +Rep!
Paffet, like so many others, has missed his chance at F1, unless it was he that won the euro-millions and can buy a team.
I've never changed my mind on a driver as a person. Several times in terms of ability. In recent times Petrov and Sutil stick out as drivers I couldn't make my mind up on.
DO you mind if I cut and store this for future , posting to certain AOBH ( AnyOne But Hamilton ) haters on the board!
I've changed my mind many times but three current drivers spring to mind: Vettel: I thought he was spoilt, arrogant and immature but from Monza last year on he suddenly grew up, kept his head and took the title deservedly. This year I see the spoilt and arrogant again and can a driver be too competitive? It sometimes seems that winning isn't enough, he's got to have it all. I don't like that side of him much, although he's very charming and witty with it. Schumacher: I couldn't stand him and his tactics; arrogant in the extreme, I was glad to see the back of him. Now that he's back, I've warmed to him. It takes a big man to bust his own myth and now he seems human and even humble. Well, relatively speaking! Alonso: When he came along, he was like a breath of fresh air after the stagnant Schumacher reign. He was the man who slew Schuey! That was until 2007 when I changed my mind. Spygate and Crashgate coupled with his sense of entitlement and stroppy diva tendency put me right off. Now, I find myself impressed again: he's cleaned up his act, reined in his temper and looks as impressive as he ever has.
Max, why is Vettel arrogant, the only arrogant person in RBR is Webber who thinks he's bigger than the team and ignores them when-ever he wishes. I see he's been treated so badly, and is so unfairly looked over for Vettel that he is, for the 2nd time, renewing his contract, which is pretty much conclusive evidence that he is either: a) happy to be a number 2 driver or, b) totally full of **** and all his outbursts are really just mind games and a plea for public sympathy. and we all know a isn't true.
Although I only mentioned Mansell, I must admit to having very similar feelings about Alonso. There were a few things which I found pretty much unforgivable. I know he felt aggrieved with Ron Dennis for not doing things the way he may have preferred but he deliberately set about sabotaging the team, very much as a vendetta. I find it difficult to accept such a capacity in anyone.
Yeah, that's been my problem with him but even though he's always escaped official censure, he has paid a heavy price in terms of his career. Even last year, I don't think he lost the title in Abu Dhabi but earlier in the season when he lost his cool and started lashing out. He'd need a near-miracle to win it this year but he seems so level-headed about it. Maybe he's finally learned his lesson, I hope so.
This pretty much sums up my opinion perfectly. The more I see of Vettel, the harder I'm finding it to dislike him. Ok, so the finger celebration is annoying, but I can't exactly hold a driver celebrating after an excellent performance against him. He has matured after becoming WDC, and interviews well. He is really passionate about racing, and has a fantastic, relatively clean cut image which makes him an excellent role model. The other person I'd like to mention is (sorry) Hamilton. I used to be a fan of him, but his moaning (especially this season) irritates me. Webber is the same in this respect, he frequently moans about Red Bull, and whilst maybe the team politics don't favour him, you have to understand their position, and concentrate on driving faster, so he's one I've gone off a bit recently.
I find it very strange that my views on Hammilton have started the love hate Hammy debate - AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am entitled to my views (as is everyone else) and I find it ironic that I was actually paying tribute to Hammilton yet the Fan Boys still chose to jump out and view it as an attack on their love child! Why cant he be discussed positively and negatively like every other driver on the grid?
I've never had an issue with Vettel. Sure, he may be petulant every now and again, but who isn't. And i can't see why people say he's arrogant. From what i've seen, he always comes across well. I used to like Lewis Hamilton, but winning the title seems to have changed him in a bad way.
When I was one of the casual fans who did not know much about the sport I used to think Button was pretty slow, I got properly into F1 in 2007 and learned about the sport and then 2009 boom - needless to say I don't think that way anymore
I haven't read your post, but I have gone from being a fan of Hamilton when he came into the sport, to a non-fan, he seems like he's lost a pound and found a penny lately and his driving has been well below par this season. I was watching the last race with a friend who comes in the 'fanboy' category and we both said straight away that he should have been penalised for going into Massa but obviously Mansell and Brundle influenced the outcome with their gung-ho opinion of the incident. I just hope nobody gets seriously hurt from his lack of judgement overtaking, and he is certainly no Senna, as he seems to think that he is. This is my opinion and I hope it doesn't result into petty abuse and personal comments like I have seen lately on the forum, I won't be coming back to check anyway, sticking to the sweepstake and prediction threads in future.
I think that hamilton is, at heart, a decent bloke, but it's those who he surrounds himself with who seem to be changing his character, e.g. all those wannabe rappers we always see in the garage, fuller, the terminator etc.
