Not too sure if this is already being debated elsewhere on the forum but i have just come back from a couple of days away seeing family and really wanted to see what others views were on the curious case that is Lewis Hamilton Firstly, I support Lewis Hamilton and have done so since he came into Formula one in 2007, I liked the fact that he was a truly aggressive racing driver who wore his heart on his sleeve and driving style was not too dissimilar to the likes of Mansell and Senna (Not saying that he is as good as either of them though!) As with any young driver Lewis was and has been susceptible to the occasional 'tantrum' so to speak in the past few years (most notably in France in 08 and Australia in 2010) for me i took those times where he lost his cool as natural occurrences for a man who had from day one spent his entire F1 career in the spotlight. However last year his loss of concentration and seeming inability to accept that his driving was at times out of control led many to suggest that Lewis at the age of 26 and having been in the sport for five years had simply not matured enough By the same token this year many in the media and on these forums have suggested that Lewis has a new found maturity in 2012 in regards to his actions on and off track, and I largely agreed and was impressed by the way he handled the issue in Spain when he was thrown to the back of the grid through no fault of his own However, over the last weekend i cannot help feel that once again the very worst of Lewis Hamilton has reared its ugly head again. The lack of humility on Lewis's part to accept that Jenson did a better job on Saturday and over the weekend really disappointed me, his rants on twitter too showed that perhaps Lewis never really learnt anything from last year and that when things go wrong he looks to blame anyone but himself So what do you guys think?, was this weekend just a one off or are we destined to see this kind of behavior displayed by Lewis for the rest of his career? P.S. sorry for this being so long, it's the first thread that I've created so go easy on me!
I wasn't shocked at all. He lost his Auntie to Cancer a couple of days before so that maybe the reason for an awful weekend. He'll be back for Monza
He is still a bit petulant but compared to last year he's a completely different person. I was particularly impressed with how he handled the incident in Valencia. He used to be my least favourite driver. That's not the case anymore.
In a word: bereavement. And that's not just an excuse. What he did was daft but because it was Lewis it has been blown out of all proportion. I'm sure he could really do without it on top of his grief but the media are merciless like that.
It's natural to blame something else when things goes wrong. Example: Sorry boss my (alarm clock) wasn't working and is the reason for why I am late for work. We all blame external objects for our mistakes most of the time without realising it. Rarely people just say "It was just my fault" in a legitimate situation. You will also have to single out what you feel makes a "mature individual" socially wise in a F1 environment as I feel Lewis wouldn't be very much different to any other driver.
Maturing isn't something that just comes overnight... It's a gradual thing that's gained through experience and time. He seems to be much more in control of his emotions than in past, but that doesn't mean he wont still be capable of the occasional meltdown from time to time. By all accounts it was a rough week compounded by getting stomped by Jenson out of the blue. Not making excuses, but all that could be what brought his less tolerant side back to the surface.
I think anyone with an ounce of decency would give Lewis the benefit of the doubt given that he had a bereavement leading up to the race. However, I also think that he would potentially have reacted in the same way if he had not been associated with such unfortunate circumstances. I didnt like Lewis when he came into F1 (Just a personal opinion) but I have actually warmed to him since he has been partnered with Jenson. I think he has matured in many ways, but his natural flaws are also the reason why he is the successful racer he is - "the nature of the beast". I am unsure whether or not alot of the pressure he puts himself under is uneccessary and linked to the fact that he has often been reffered to as the first "black" driver in F1 and the key to the millions of £££££££'s in a new demographic of fan. I also think that whilst his nurture with Mclaren has ultimatly got him to F1, I am unsure what perception he has of his own ability and potential; Does he think he's the best? Does he think he's the fans favourite? Did he think he could rewrite the record books? I personally place alot of blame on some of the deluded fan boys and press who have been directly responsible for building hype and pressure on driver who is trying to live upto their expectation whilst also trying to deliver on his own expectations at the same time. With all great potential there is an associated failure that lurks like a demon of insecurity which I personally believe he struggles to deal with (probably more than most) and the results are the occassional mis judgements that has cost him points in races and respect from the F1 circus and fans off the track. I honestly believe he thinks he is the best and that he struggles to deal with what he percieves is failure. I think he has been surrounded with people (past and present) both inside and outside of Mclaren that have done nothing but tell him he is the best, the fastest and the most racey of all drivers today - unfortunately its not true. The ironic thing is that he could quite easily be sitting 3 or 4 WDC's, but so could a few other drivers - thats life. So in conclusion, YES he has matured but he will demonstrate certain traits because they are his charachter, both good and bad.
