Hamilton deserves more respect

Schumacher was never beaten by a team mate over a season, except when he had a broken leg at Ferrari.

Benny Hill was great ! But he didn't try to be an F1 driver. Vettel should take note

 

His being a **** made him unpopular everywhere.

 

Yep, he has that in common with Lewis, though Lewis was at the top of his game when Nico schooled him.

 

Yup, really easy.

98 Had the slower car...in Spa Coulthard slowed on the racing line causing Schumacher to crash into him, which was a huge blow already. Then in Japan the extra restarts overheated his clutch and it stalled...the man drove like he was possessed but finally a flat tyre ended his title charge. He was phenomenal that race.
99 the leg break. Irvine nearly won the title, so Schumacher would've easily won it. His return to F1 in Malaysia was something else. Puts a second clear on anyone else in quali.
06 Engine blows whilst in the lead with only 1 race to go. The bad luck didn't end there, because despite being MILES faster than anyone in Brazil, in quali he had yet another engine issue and had to start from 10th. The final blow delivered by Fisichella (Alonso's teammate) who hits Schumacher after Michael overtook him, and sliced Michael's tyre. Despite being relegated to stone dead last, and 10 laps of the race already having been completed...Michael still managed to finish 4th!

Had he stayed in 2007 and 08...Well. One can only dream. With Ferrari winning in 2007 and Massa losing it on the last corner in 08, I think Michael could've won those, too...

9 quite easy. Double digits isn't a big stretch.

Quite the ride he had.

 

Um, did you watch Hamilton last year? Poor drives in Imola, Baku, Monaco, Turkey, and several run ins with Max showed a massive decline. If Max hadn't had a tire blow in Baku, or been run into by Mercedes drivers at Silverstone and Hungary, the title wouldn't have even gone done to the last race. Max didn't make any mistakes, were as Hamilton was making them all season long, and it was amazing luck he was even in contention.

Hamilton did last year what Vettel almost did in 12': threw a championship with a multitude of mistakes.

I think somewhere around 20' Hamilton changed. I do wonder if he's been dealing with long COVID, and it accelerated his decline.

I don't mind that Hamilton beat Schumi's records. Records are made to be broken. Prost was a better driver than Schumacher, even if the records reflect more success for the latter.

I think the reason fans here are more vocal is because this is a forum more open to criticism of all drivers, including those that drive or have driven for Ferrari. It's more of a cultural thing, because Ferrari supporters are not willing to be PC. Point out Hamilton's mistakes on another forum and you'll be accused of racism. There's lots of fans who feel Hamilton has always had it easy in regards to criticism, as well lacking punishment from authority when he does wrong, be they stewards or team leaders.

That doesn't mean Hamilton is't among the greats. He is. Even the greatest had their flaws. Schumacher and Senna were dirty and willing to cross ethical lines. Piquet and Prost were divas that were unreasonable, and didn't know when to STFU. Hamilton? He can be immature and be a really sore loser and look unprofessional.

 

I agree with most of this.

Hamilton's fortune changed last year, because he finally had an adversary his size, just as Mercedes dominance started fading.

Last year he accumulated mistakes, and this year the car doesn't suit him, obviously.

The stars aren't aligned any more for him. I don't think he will make a come back at the front.

If Mercedes manages to sort its problems, Russell will be first to take advantage of it.

 

Max has made more mistakes than Hamilton? Um, that's debatable. It's about the same in regards to their progress. I agree Max is no angel.

Hamilton's got amazing skills, no doubt, but he's always had a tendency of silly mistakes and running into people when he's under pressure..He had tons of run ins with Button and Rosberg, when they had equal cars to him. Need I remind everyone of how many times he managed to hit Massa in 11'? Absurd, and he's lucky he didn't get a race ban for some of that stuff. Very sloppy and at times, reckless driving.

It was 12' when Hamilton finally matured. He was driving more maturely. His retirements that year (if I recall correctly) were only mechanicals, and he managed 4 brillant wins. Lauda also grounded him at Mercedes to handle pressure better, imho. He had some stupid run ins with Rosberg, but it was 50/50. Rosberg wasn't an angel either, and caused as many incidents as Hamilton.

 

I don't think it's just that.

I've begun to suspect it's long covid. After Hamilton came back from his sickness in Abu Dhabi 20', it was clear he wasn't feeling well. Illnesses/injuries like that can change a driver overnight, and end the edge they have over the competition.

A drivers depth perceptions, vision, reflexes, feel for the car can all physically change due to age, injury, or illness. Vettel declined slowly in what were probably non-injury related issues, whereas Piquet was never the same after his crash in Imola. Mansell's odd retirement in 95' was clearly health related. Schumacher should've never comeback after his motorcycle accident. Hamilton? I think it's long covid and a car that's a pig.

 

I am no expert in these matters, but it's possible. I learnt about Piquet's condition years later, and that explained the end of his career.
In the case of Hamilton, I would tend to think it's more mental than physical.

 

Porpoising changes the game. Alonso struggles with it more than Ocon, at least, so far that's the case.

All drivers feel their cars out differently for their style. Some through their fingers, some through their butt cheeks. When you start bouncing and banging your head like Judas Priest, it changes all that. All the reference points you're used to are different. The way the blood rushes from your brain to your eyes changes, your vision, your feel for where the car is at all changes. You've got pain in your back, neck, butt, and dizziness.

It's not a surprise that drivers like Leclerc, Verstappen, and Russel are coping better than Hamilton, Alonso, and Vettel. If Kimi was around he'd struggle like them.

And as I said, I believe Hamilton might be dealing with long covid secretly, and his reflexes never recovered to where they were.

 

Hamilton was already strongly disliked here before he even won his 2nd title so I think it has very little to do with it. Chief reason Lewis is disliked is his persona that doesn't seem to get any better the older he gets. I understand why a lot of (British especially) people disliked Schumacher early in his career, but once he made his comeback from breaking his leg his public persona vastly improved.

 

Disagree about Hamilton's covid.
He was pretty impressive the last four races in 2021.
Truth is the w13 is a very difficult car to drive and when you are used to gastronomy this is very difficult to step back to junk food!

 

Hamilton had a huge straight line advantage from his new engines and rear wing. He had like a, 5-6 tenths advantage in the car, and could just drive by people on the straights, where there was nothing they could do to defend.

Can't give Hamilton all the credit for the good times, but not have to take responsibility for the bad.

 

*post retirement

 

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Anyone who thinks this clown deserves more respect is living in a fantasy land. He sincerely believes he is above the sport.

 

When your teammate is destroying you on track it's better to change the narrative and talk about jewelry.

I try to support him because I think people are too harsh with him, but is he hard to like with his antics.

 

I don't like the guy, but that's pretty funny.