Jesus... Take your blinkers off people... To suggest that Hamilton isn't one of the best drivers the sport has seen is just utterly laughable. And to suggest other greats didn't win in superior machinery is utter ridiculous. You need a great machine and a great driver, and a great team to win titles. Yes, dominance is boring, but to trying diminish the accomplishments of a great simply because you don't like them is utterly churlish. I guess every other achievement of his career are somehow invalid too? Get a bloody grip.
Sorry. Utter crap . He deliberately crashed into Damon . He tried the same trick with JV . Michael is faster than you ...etc etc etc ... You , I am sorry to say are , on this occasion , talking utter rubbish .
Okay, let's have a one-sided debate with no comparisons to others We could bring in Vettel/RBR into it as well when they were untouchable for many years as well as Schuey and Mercedes if we want to look at periods of boring dominance. Difference is, Hamilton has had competition from his teammates. Neither Vettel or Schuey did, it was very one sided. When Vettel teamed up with Ricciardo, who won that hands down!? When Schuey had Rosberg, what happened then? FIA wasn't known as Ferrari International Assistance for nothing in the late 90's and 2000's. There has been no FIA love in, Mercedes have built a dominant car, certainly from 2014 - 2016 to which there was no competition, fully agreed. 2017 and 2018 Ferrari were matching them but for Vettel screwing up, or Ferrari screwing up mid season when they took a wrong turn on car development. No bias there, just a balls up. The new guys who run F1 don't want this dominance as it turns viewers away and with it the sponsors, but you can't just over look the rules or bypass them altogether just to have 'a show'. But why should the rules change to disadvantage Mercedes? The rules weren't brought in to advantage them in 2014, they just did a better job of it. Ferrari now have the best PU on the grid, though the car is not as good as 2018 it seems in terms of its consistency as Red Bull have beaten them for pace a couple of times too, but its not that far off. It's up to them to take the fight to Mercedes without screwing up. They should have had at least 2 wins this year, Bahrain and Canada, but came away without any due to driver error (Vettel twice, Bahrain and Canada) and reliability for Leclerc. We'll never know what could have happened in Baku either as Leclerc binned it in quali when Ferrari looked fast. That's not Mercedes or the FIA's fault, it's their own. Stop weeping and grow up.
Benetton traction control in 1994 as well Bespoke tyres from Bridgestone at Ferrari 100% team orders in his favour, all the time. No doubt a fast driver in his prime, let's not get away from that, but when in a non-competitive Mercedes 2010 - 2012, where was he then? 1 podium and 1 pole from 3 seasons and consistently off Rosberg's pace does not show up very well. He had some great victories in his time though against the odds, but unfortunately Manny's bleating makes us look at the bad things too.
Does anyone else remember the " Smile " on his face , after he retired and Nico won the current MB team's first race ? China 2012 FYI I know I do
Lets not forget when Schumacher was dominant Ferrari had their own test track and he was dedicated to putting in the laps and to every detail. They were allowed to developed tyres that suited 1 car as well as possible. There were no limitations on testing, wind tunnels, CFD etc. He and Ferrari was 100% focused on winning, no matter what. I don't like some of the things he did both on and off the rack but you can't knock his commitment and determination. Times have changed and I don't think Ferrari have evolved enough yet. To compare bygone times is difficult bit like comparing apples and oranges. That said Merc have done a truly amazing job, they invested massively in the PU and pulled together all the people they needed to create the 'perfect team'. Red Bull are gaining, maybe slowly but it looks like Honda and RB are willing to push development and reliability this year to make big gains for next. Ferrari really have what they need in both chassis and PU but they need to relax and sort out their procedures and strat and they will start winning. They seem way too hot headed and almost headless chickens at the moment. Hopefully soon we will have different winners and competition.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-..._UiTa-WNS8-QEdCWDE29avzMsWz2pmhnsmoq5Jbzpb-0I Ferrari withdraw Sebastian Vettel appeal as new evidence comes to light for Lewis Hamilton FERRARI have written to the FIA indicating they will not be appealing the decision which cost Sebastian Vettel a first win of the season. Video evidence has emerged seemingly showing Vettel making a second steer after he had come off the grass. It suggests the German had control of his car and almost put Hamilton into the wall in a bid to defend his lead.
I don't think that is new evidence, I understood that was the reason for the Stewards decision. If Ferrari let their two race with no team orders I think they will start winning. Charles isn't petrified of Lewis in the same why as Seb is. Reading all the posts over the last two days, I don't remember Michael's smile when Nico had his first win. Seb had a better car last year and arguably the year before, but messed up. I don't recollect Seb making so many mistakes till a couple of years ago when it started to look like his 4 WDC's would be challenged. He enjoyed being the perceived best of his generation, and it sucks when that is no longer your legacy. So, how to fix F1? The best team will always want the best driver. Lewis does show a driver makes a difference albeit Nico could have won several WDC without Lewis as a team mate. Nico was a tad clumsy. Lewis picks his overtakes and frequently makes the stick. He knows how to pick a fight and when to settle for a place other than first. Last year, there were suggestions that the Ferrari had an issue because it spun when Seb tried overtaking..maybe it is the car they wondered. Redbull rebuilt Seb's car mid season because it must be the car that enables Danny to beat Seb. I wonder how tight the contract with Seb is, how weighted it is to his Number 1 status, can Ferrari only challenge it if Seb screws up a certain number of times? Who knows, only Seb and Ferrari. Maybe Canada enables Ferrari to take away Number 1 status, maybe I am just wishful in my thinking. If nothing else, we are talking and who isn't going to watch France, who isn't hoping Renault aero improvements planned for France will enable some tussles with Redbull. Who isn't curious to know how Seb will raise his game. Who would love to see Seb overtake Lewis. Will Stroll perform away from Canada. Will Norris be scoring points again. Will Kyvat continue to raise his game. Will Merc have a DNF. Will Charles beat Seb fair and square. Or will merc run away with 1/2 and ferrari 3/4 and Redbull 5th and Renault 6/7, McLaren 8/9 and Gasley 10th with the rest out for a Sunday afternoon drive. (sorry had to get real with that last one ).
It's probably because there are rules that say you cant appeal penalties given during a race. Ferrari are asking for a review instead.
Michael wasn't exactly smiling , more of a grimace that It was Nico and not him that won the modern merc teams first race
You could produce the same for any driver, not unique to Lewis or Merc. The difference was they were on track incidents ( The pit wasn't on track but nor was it an unsafe re entry onto the track. Monaco was not an unsafe reentry). The Vettel difference was he went off and made an unsafe reentry. Those who say he had no choice, he did, he could have lifted.
No one can disagree with the sentiment, we all want to see battles. Truth be, remove all the regulations and there will be carnage and serious injury. If the sport is over regulated, and maybe it is (not unique to this moment) then Martin is advocating a full review of the regs. But I would also advocate remove some of the regulations on the manufacturers too, bring back innovation. The restrictions on both is cost, cost of injuries, cost of competing. Canada became controversial because it was a very short run off area.
This 100% . Sadly it will never happen imho . Merc / Ferrari / Honda have to much power . F1 needs to decide what's more important . Close entertaining racing with petrol engines . Or , which seems to be the way , Electric . I feel the latter is the only way it's going to go with the Manufacturers having such a big say . I think we have seen the best of F1 , and it's in it's final few years as we know it . It will still be around as a name I would imagine . Pretty sure that that " FE" is copywrite for many years to come ?