Tony, I hope this thread stays constructive. WDC 2008, if the last 2 races are anything to go by, its a yes from me. Best driver in world... still to early to say, but the Potential is there. In a Ferrari, yes would love it! but I highly doubt it would happen.
I think you already saw it in the original thread. Tony is such a comedian. Image Unavailable, Please Login
1. Possibly (i really hope Kimi waxes though--Felipe is good but i have more confidence in Kimi) 2. NO. Kimi, Alonso (don't like the guy, but he's an excellent driver), and Schumi (still) are all better. 3. Goodness i hope not. I'd rather see freaking Alonshole in the car. I've said it before---Hamilton is a very talented young driver. He definitely has the potential to be WDC. But he is far too inexperienced at this point to be mentioned in the same sentence with the likes of Kimi, Schumi, Alonso, and your beloved Senna. That said, i absolutely hate his attitude and general demeanor. Total Prick IMHO.
P.S. I would suggest that the best F1 driver, I would never use the term "in the world", would be Alonso or Raikkonen. For all I know, some 17 year old kid in the Midwest USA that drives sprint cars is the best driver in the world. For those of you that do not know what sprint cars are, they are raw twitchy very fast opened wheeled cars raced on mostly clay or dirt tracks and require incredible car control without $50,000 steering wheels. Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordan are graduates. Once you have seen a sprint car race, you will think F1 drivers are wussys (now that I learned how to spell this word, I have been waiting for a reason to use it!), which they are by the way. Depending on their mood that day would determine if Alonso or Raikkonen would be #1. Distant third, fourth, and fifth would be Massa, Kubica, and Hamilton. I am not sure about Hamilton, he is driving a chassis that for the last 18 months has been #1 most of the time. For all I know Rosberg in a McLaren could have been the lead name in this thread.
Lewis is a great talent . however , Ron dennis has way too much time and $$$ invested in him too let him go to another team ,especially a major competitor like Ferrari .
Call him the best driver in the world when he's won at least 4 or 5 championships. I think it's bizarre to compare him to guys like Senna or Schumacher who heavily influenced the sport as a whole over several years. The days of Senna or Jim Clark are long gone, but Schumi, who might be the best of them all, isn't away from F1 for that long time. We know how he dominated Massa, and now Massa is Hamiltons direct competitor. Long way to go for Lewis. I don't say he doesn't have the potential to be on the same level some day, but I'm really getting annoyed by the constant praise he receives. Yes, he has great potential, yes, he is a good driver, but he has been in the best car right from the beginning and it's some kind of a sacrilege to compare him to the 'gods' of F1.
well, i would say he's one of the best out there. but i rate him behind Alonso & Kimi at the moment. however, bear in mind i'm rating him with the former and current world champion. all i know, he's in the wrong team
If LH does not win a championship in the next 3 years expect him to be in a Ferrari after his MM contract expires.
How do you justify your rating Hamilton a distant fifth behind Alonso? The only real evidence available (their performances last year when driving the same car) suggests he is at least Alonso's equal.
I guess this is more about Alonso than about Hamilton. We saw an Alonso beating Schumacher twice, and we saw an Alonso who couldn't even beat a Toro Rosso last race. He is imho the driver with the worst consistency of them all.
You have to remember he is in an inferior car this year. Most inconsistency i think is Felipe at the moment. I would LOVE to see, just once, all the drivers in 100% equal spec cars. I just think it would be interesting to see how it shakes out.
Its easy to over look the fact that he has broken so many dam records. Not just one or two but a shed load. Especially in the UK. Name another driver that has achieved what he has in there first 18 months of F1 in terms of records. So yes people can get carried away, but lets just look at the facts. And listen to the praise that ex world champions have for what he has done. The future is bright in my opinion, the future is Lewis Hamilton for a good few years. He will always be at the top of F1 for the next 10 years, and to be the best driver does not mean that he has to win 4 or 5 championships at all. He has to win 8 silly There that should give some more amunition for all you sad haters to spit..
heres my 2 cents worth. lewis is a good driver,but i dont think he is the best in the world, imo kimi,feilpe,kubica, alonso, are way better drivers. i dont think you can compare lewis to the likes of schumacher,senna or even prost there where pure magic at driving,tempremental but brilliant. so imo lewis has a long way to go tobe mentioned with these great drivers.
Well I know where I would put my money. You see the best we have got to go on regards Lewis, is his pace against a 2 x WDC , the one and only FA. So all this BS about him being in the best car means SQUAT.. as FA was in the same car to state the obvious.
Thanks for all the responses to this thread, it was a question, not a statment. IMHO, he needs to win a few championships in order to be on the same level as some of the greats, let alone, Stewart, Senna, and Schumacher. However, in the current crop of drivers, I think he is definately in the top 3.
wont quite rank him as 'best driver in the world' just yet. he's very, very good but this year he hasnt been all that consistend, especially compared to last year. best driver this season so far is definately Kubica in my opinion. also, i read somewhere that LH once said he doesnt want to drive for anyone else but mclaren (...so far). apperently, when he fell out with alonso, and for a little moment mr dennis, di montezmolo approached him if he wanted a drive for ferrari in 2009 to replace massa. I love/hate the guy, he seems nice but at times he also seems to be a bit of a cock...let me explain: when camera's are about, especially after the race, he acts all happy (even if he hasnt won), and shaking the other drivers' hand etc, pat on the back...but sometimes, when he thinks there isnt a camera around, he ignores everyone. But as soon as he sees a camera he's the friendly dude again. same thing with fans with camera's involved. always smiling, being the happy guy. Last week in hockenheim, a cameraman saw him walkingand he quickly ran up behind him. 2 people waiting at LH's garage wanted an autograph, which they did get but there wasnt a smile on his face. I think that the friendly attitude is a bit fake. the fact that P diddly hangs out with him doesnt make it better. His moves on the track though, are fantastic!
