Hamilton's overrated

Here is the latest on his problems in Bahrain....................from SportingLife

sporlife Rapid Escape Can't Hide Hamilton's Blushes
Thu 10 Apr, 04:09 PM


Lewis Hamilton showed tremendous speed and dexterity in Bahrain on Sunday - unfortunately not many people were on hand to witness it.

The sight was not of Hamilton cutting a dash in his McLaren at the Sepang track in front of a viewing audience of millions.

It was more of a mad dash as he dodged his way through a gathering crowd and into a waiting car less than 30 minutes after the worst performance of his short grand prix career.

As one paddock wag put it: "He was quicker there than he has been all weekend!"

Hamilton's assessment in the sole short interview he conducted in the wake of the race was brutal and honest as he described it as "a disaster."

His swift departure was borne from anger at himself, but the one gnawing question was whether this was just a rare bad day at the office, or was there something on his mind as it certainly did not appear to be on the job?

Careering broadside into a tyre wall in Friday's second practice session you could argue was just one of those things, a driver on the limit and pushing a little too hard.

But come race day, the 23-year-old showed more signs of being a rookie than at any stage during his debut season last year.

Third on the grid was still a respectable effort from Hamilton in the spare chassis, ensuring a podium finish remained a realistic possibility.

But his momentary lapse once the five red lights disappeared only compounded his mistake in practice.

Hamilton made what McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh described as "a procedural error" as his engine was on the incorrect setting that resulted in the anti-stall kicking in.

The young British star was glued to the track for a few seconds as the rest of the field swarmed past, culminating in an uphill fight from that point.

Worse was to follow, though, just two minutes later as Hamilton ploughed into the back of old adversary Fernando Alonso.

At first sight it appeared as if Alonso had either eased off the throttle, or brake tested a man with whom there is no love lost.

Not when you consider the bitter enmity that exists between the two after their turbulent season together at McLaren last year.

But Alonso firmly refuted the speculation sweeping through the paddock like wildfire, and Renault were able to show conclusive data the Spaniard was actually accelerating at the time.

So another Hamilton mistake then?

Ron Dennis admitted as much, but McLaren's technical specialists later proved the front wing of the car had dislodged itself just two seconds before impact.

That would have led to a loss of downforce and the surge in speed viewers would have witnessed on their television screens.

Let off the hook then?

Well, not quite, as Alonso admitted Hamilton had clipped him once before, damaging the diffuser on his Renault, as he tried to make up the places he had lost so alarmingly at the start.

Alonso suggested Hamilton was trying to be a little too hasty in his eagerness to make up lost ground, that his cool had been rattled by his earlier error.

Whatever the situation, Hamilton made more errors during his three miserable days in Bahrain than he did throughout the entirety of last season.

His eventual 13th place was the first time Hamilton had finished a race in his 20 grands prix career outside the top 10.

"A mental dip" was Dennis' assessment of what Hamilton has likely been through these past few days as he attempts to rationalise whatever troubled him in Bahrain.

Hamilton now has a fortnight prior to the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona to exorcise any demons that may exist.

Otherwise, if there is a repeat performance, then there will be nowhere for Hamilton to run from the searching questions certain to be asked.

 

Remember also that since his spectacular first 9 races where he was on the podium, there have been 11 races since then with just 3 podium finishes. That is the same as Kubica with the BMW. A great driver in the best car is supposed to win. Last season, McLaren WAS the best car. But due to infighting they threw it away. Now that they are not the best car, it will take a superhuman effort to achieve the title(s). Lewis and Heikki don't fit the bill.

 

Massa has been proving that for 2+ seasons.

So you are resorting to infantile name-calling and you think Hamilton is acting like a child?!?

Look in a mirror.

 

Funny you talking of complaining like a child.

 

Beat me to it ...

 

How are they able to determine that his spoiler broke off two seconds before impact? Amazing!

Anyway, the press have a habit of going from one extreme opinion to another. From hero to zero in this case. The truth is somewhere in between. It'll be interesting to see how Hamilton's fate will develop this season.

 

It is way too early to make any comment about Lewis Hamilton, good or bad. He has made mistakes, just like every driver has and will continue to so so, so what. Lewis may well be the next Senna/Schumacher, but then he may fizzle and be a Damon Hill. There is no way at this point to intelligently make that judgement, especially any of us sitting on the sidelines. He is in the car that has been the best on the grid most of the last 13 months, that really does not show his true ability. I suggest we give him time to make or break his own career.

Personally, as long as he drives for McLaren, I am thinking he should win one WDC in the next three years.

On a positive note, he has increased F1 interest in England, he presents himself as a gentleman, and hopefully he has increased interest of minority groups in to F1 worldwide. I do not see a reason to slam him, any more than there is any logical reason to slam Massa, or any longer Fred. I am even tired of the Mosley BS, its like no some people on the forum have no other life.

Bring on Barcelona. I mean, Barthelona. Race day is all that matters.

 

+1

 

Superbly written!!

 

IMO, it's a bit too early to say he's useless or he's a great driver. for one thing, i think he's gotten a bit arrogant. however, if Heikki manages to upstage him this season, then, there might be a conclusion

 

He had the car last year and should of been the driver's champion except he lost his mind in Brazil and it cost him. I think he has a lot of talent and he turned F! on it's ear last year. As he matures as a driver we will see.

 

He is. On Monday I was able to leave him far behind on the Bahrain short course. He was driving a Lambo 640 LP and I was driving P 4/5. I wasn't too impressed with his attempt at Launching either. Unlike Napalm burning clutch does not smell like Victory...

 

Pity you ain't got his job then..

 

Driving MB powered cars really wouldn't interest me. That said he did seem like a pleasant Bloke.

 

Something that Hami is missing this year...The benefit of Alonso's setup experience. I have always stated that the jury is still out on Hami.

 

Did you give him a brake test?

 

Pirate75 has also shown that he can complain and act like a child (with the above namecalling)

~shahedc
.

 

Once I blew by him he never got close enough for one of those.

 

lets see, he was one point off the championship last year and has won as many races as anyone this year. yeah, he sucks. What a dumb OP.
"has only showed me that he can complain and act like a child, and can lose the championship in the final minutes of the season." that may be the only thing you have wanted to see, but it surely isn't the only thing he has shown. world carting champ, Gp2 champ, 1 point off f1 champ. Sounds pretty damn impressive to me. in fact, i can't think of more than a couple people you could possibly rate higher on the grid. Overrated? are you people kidding?

 

Napolis, would you get on that Danika Patrick thread and defend our honor? Some jerk posted that she could outdrive any Fchatter and was prettier than any of our ladies.

 

Tell us more...who else was driving and in what other cars? Who do you think drove best?

I, too, think he is overrated, it would be interesting to put all these guys together in equal cars for a charity event or something and see what happens...

BTW, you are having entirely too much fun

 

wow... just... wow..

Jim, you had already earned everyone's respect around here... but you have outdone yourself.

Any pictures?

~shahedc
.

 

he almost won the championship in his rookie year, he's not overrated. The reason mclaren's probably going to struggle a bit more this year is because without alonso they are having a harder time developing the car. put him in a car that's properly setup and i think hamilton can challenge anyone.

 

Hey

There are a lot of photo's and video links in the Bahrain Festival threads. Basically after the GP a few drivers hang around to give rides to "Celebs". The Track provided Radicals. There was a lot of screeching and a few spins. This was separate and apart from the Ferrari Classic Festival. Several drivers wandered down our way. LH couldn't ride/drive a Ferrari so he got into a Lambo 640 LP. He tried a launch control start on the pit road which resulted in a lot of white smoke from the clutch. I'm very careful about who I let drive and as Jacky Ixck was with us and I know Nick Mason I let those guys drive with me in the passenger seat. Both are very good drivers and very respectful of equipment as was the CP.

It was an incredable event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivr2Vgjf8c&feature=email