For me after watching the reaction to his DNF today. I dont see the talked up friction and he looked a lot happier than recently. Just makes me think he's going to stay after all.
Mercedes are distinctly second rate though, McLaren have built the best car this year, OK they've faltered in other areas, but getting the car right is the main focus, it's easier to iron out operational and reliability issues than it is to **** out a quick car, I'd much rather be at McLaren next year than Mercedes. Perez is a tidy driver but he wouldn't stand a chance against Hamilton in my opinion.
I'd agree with that. I think it'd be like a Weber vs Vettel in RB. Everyone knows Vettel is better, but Webber sometimes just does better.
This! If he was up against a younger Lewis 07/08/09 period then I reckon Perez would match him. But not the Lewis of today, I'm a Perez fan but I know Lewis would carve him like a turkey ready for Christmas!
Most likely and I don't disagree. Things can change pretty quick though and there's no telling where Merc might end up in the future. Could be a golden opportunity or a total cluster. There's just no telling.
Agreed! I think Brundle said during Quali, that Hamilton is the fastest driver in F1, however he's not the "complete" driver yet, Alonso holds that title for now! Vettel is somewhere between the two IMHO, not as quick as Hamilton and not quite as complete a driver as Alonso, those three are by a fair margain the cream of the crop. Kimi, whilst being well placed in the championship hasn't taken advantage of the car which was the class of the field from Bahrain up until Hungray, I think the other three would have won a race or two had they been in the Lotus!
Hamilton has matured as a driver this year, I think he needed the awful season he had last year to make him address his over zealousness. He should stay at McLaren, as I can't see Mercedes challenging for many a year.
I read somewhere that McLaren were looking to reduce Hamilton's pre-financial crash salary significantly. On top of that, the team haven't exactly made the most of a very good car this season, with a failing gearbox which they didn't replace but lasted less than half race distance being the latest error of judgement. Better a grid penalty than a DNF.... No wonder then he's making McLaren sweat but I sure all things being equal he'd wish to stay. The car is clearly better than the Merc and it would take a leap of faith to think that will be reversed, factory engines or not. He's said he'd be gutted if he only ever won one championship given the advantages he's had, so that suggests staying with McLaren rather than chancing it all on Ross Brawn working a miracle within a Mercedes corporate set-up. He couldn't do that inside Honda.... Lastly, he's proven himself consistently quicker than Button even if Button can now and then pull the odd result out of the hat when he has the perfect set-up. They seem always to have got on as well as team-mates can be expected to, at least prior to the telemetry on Twitter faux pas, so there seems little to worry about there.
Well he's fuked then - it could be another Button/Williams/Honda scenrio. On a seperate note no wonder he's trying to extract a high wage if Fuller is taking 50% - at this rate he be better claiming tax credits and not working! He should never have split with his dad or he should have taken a true F1 managemnet team and outsourced a company like Fuller's for world wide exposures on certain brand development when he won another WDC!
I think this is a very good assessment of F1's top drivers. In a sense, the equations for each yield a very similar 'result'. However, each driver's circumstance (environment) is an important factor. In this sense, Alonso's comfortable situation at Ferrari is the perfect base from which to take the long view: something he could not have done from a McLaren or Lotus base-camp. And Vettel holds a rather similar hand at Red Bull. - - -o0o- - - Following on from Jonny's well-balanced post, here's something for some to get their teeth into: For the present, I think Alonso's strategic thinking justifies another World Championship â especially in this highly competitive era. I am now convinced it will happen this year. Meanwhile, if Hamilton can keep his head together in the longer term, his outright pace should eventually eclipse even the most mature, very clever Vettel. But there's one caveat I should add: if Vettel also fights from the Red Corner, he might slot straight into Alonso's most comfortable, robust footwear, thus making standing on the top of the world that little bit easier! This is something no-one should underestimate.
If McLaren have had to match Merc's offer to keep him there, and he has to pay Merc a tonne of cash to break that agreement, then financially the pendulum swings in Mercedes' favour again. Agree on Fuller. It really was a poor decision. He's got enough on his plate right now, but as soon as things die down he'd be far better off ending that partnership.
True, but without spectators, what would they be? We shouldn't be excluded, as the fans are fundamental to the foundations of sport.