Dear F-Chat Gang, While he does drive for the 'evil' McLaren, I was a bit put off by some of the posts de-grading Lewis Hamilton. I have never personally met Lewis, but for the past year I have been involved with a company he worked at for two years, PalmerSport, England's premiere racing school. As a part of his program with the McLaren-Mercedes junior team he worked at PalmerSport as he was racing in Formula Renault and F3. While he had the whole word behind him as a racing driver I am told at PalmerSport he was humble, fun to get along with, and ultra fast behind the wheel (the fasest instructor at the school). During this time he made a real impact on the entire company, many of the people are still at the school, and speak very highly of him as a person, beyond being a racing driver and would most likely fight someone if they heard them say anything negative about him in person. A lot of people rag on Lewis about him being in Formula 1 not for his personal abilities, rather his fathers, McLarens, Ron Dennis' patronage. The fact is, NO ONE is in Formula 1 without patronage, NO ONE is there on their own. Lewis, while he does have the support of a father/manager who pushes him hard and has paved the way for him, they have done it the 'hard' way. He does not come from a wealthy family that can simply throw money at racing until he goes fast. It is well known Lewis comes from a middle class british family and would turn up for an F3 or GP2 race in a ford escort. He literally won the support of McLaren-Mercedes and I say to the victor goes the spoils. Just because his overalls are grey versus red doesn't mean the guy deserves to have the piss taken out of him. He has worked as hard if not harder than anyone else on the entire f1 grid, and while he makes mistakes, he deserves to be there as much as anyone else (with the exception to me of course). Cheers Michael
Lewis would not be where he is if he did not deserve it as he is a phenom, one thing I have never disputed, I want to see him in a red car although I do hold McLaren dear their just second to my love of Ferrari.
I can name many drivers who worked harder and longer. Look at the one open wheeler season he didn't have the best car. The year he fell out with McLaren. That year he finished 5th Manning broke all LH's Formula Renault records. Won't ever drive F1 though. If the guy's mouth said "I've been very lucky and I'll try my best" I'd feel differently about him. Like Hakkinon who I respect. No rubbish about the year model of the car he arrived in. Mika took himself around Europe with no car as a 12 year old. Stayed in strangers' houses getting his kart start. Sorry dude, come the revolution Lewis's head will be one of the first to go.
it's not about he's driving the wrong or evil team. i don't really care which team he drives for anyways. but i just can't stand his arrogance.
+1 He was a great guy in the beginning, but now he seems like just another Alonso. I can't stomach either of them.
Just look at his dad and you can see where he get's his arrogance from, like sitting in between Ron and Norbert in the garage like he is a 'baller', please!. I mean really Anthony's pouty mug get's more airtime than his son and Lewis would do well by dropping pop's and getting a professional manager. IMHO that is the main reason we hear alot of his arrogance, he has not been taught how to act/react maturely or sportingly while being interviewed.
Thanks for your post/thread Michael, it put's thing's in perspective in the real world, However ignorance will let it whistle through the minds of many on here. Little things affect little minds. Hope you are successfull with your driving, and your hard work will be rewarded..
Bingo! I think Schumi had the advantage of having been properly coached as to what to say and how to say it. Lewis has not benefitted from this and, much like Alonso did during his 2 championship winning years, runs his mouth and comes across as one of the most arrogant drivers in F1. Lewis needs a REAL manager (not that sourpuss father of his that gets far too much camera time) that will coach him in the ways of dealing with PR. Ed
Whatever he say's good, bad or indifferent it will always be twisted. I don't give a rats ass what he say's, it makes no odds to me, why should it, I don't want to get in bed with him, it appears that seems to matter to some. I think he is a extremely talented driver thats it!!. I don't like half the stuff that comes out of Alonso's mouth, but I rate him highly probably the best all round driver in F1 right now, how can I say HE SUCKS because that.. I would think the same from wherever LH was from, and for whatever team he drove for. I have read so much BS in the past on here, so now because it is finally sinking in to his haters that he may prove them wrong, that he wasn't a flash in the pan act, he can win from the back, he can overtake, he is only good because of the car, only wins because FA set his car up, blah blah blah, now we are down to a last ditch desperate attempt, to attack his personality, and to be quite frank embarrassingly pathetic, considering the folk that have met him that have posted on here state quite the contary.
I honestly think you need a pint and a Valium and quite possibly an intervention because there is simply NO need or excuse for getting so wound up simply because the subject is a fellow Brit, that seem's to be the ONLY reason you argue with everyone who does not worship him like you do???
Mike was not coached as to what to say. Nobody can be coached on how to react when your engine just blew with a couple of laps left. Nobody is coached into having tears roll down their cheeks when asked if they knew that they had just beaten Sennas record for all time wins. Mike spoke strait from his heart. You cant change who a person actually is. Chances are if one comes off as a prick early in their career that they will always be one. If you are arrogant and think you can make no mistakes then sooner or later it will show in what you say. Lewis has shown it many times now. Its not that he is not on our Ferrari team that people dont like him. Its because of his mouth.
To me Steve, I put the driving and how they are off the track all in one package. That to me is what makes a person. I cant split anyone in half and say that I like him simply because he is a great driver. If he slams his team or makes excuses for his own mistakes then that to me has a negative outcome on the guy as a whole.
Please feel free to ignore it again, it has nothing to do with him being British"!!!. I've got it!!! I could pretend to be mad, I mean, who would notice another madman round here..
Maybe not in your mind but that is the way it comes off, atleast to me anyway. You dont have to pretend mate as all the necessary proof has been stated already.
We are all MAD We love F1!!!! It inspires us or something along those lines or we wouldnt post our feelings, no matter how deep from the heart they come our what type of panties we twist LOL Only a bit more than a week and we will have our first night race!!! That will be an amazing event - Im MAD about it
I see where your coming from with that, I think your on about FA though, I just don't care THAT much, I can understand that though, I probably felt like that in the past. I like good racing and great commitment, like I keep saying if these guys like the big time chat, its all the sweeter when they don't provide it. As long as Max keeps his stupid face out of it.
...uh, I think that was intended as a 'wry' comment.....but of course, irony is usually wasted on the simple...
