Thanks to you both for the answer. Honestly didn't know. But the boss, who is French, has the majority of the say. Looking forward to an interesting two years of racing and F1 Drama. Drama in the paddock, on the track, and on FChat.
That's different. This is F1 and unfortunately throughout F1's history it has had a vast majority of F1 drivers from different countries from across the globe and also a vast majority of crew that work behind the F1 paddock....unfortunately, there's a certain color missing.
I'm not a Hamilton fan in general. I will say, that last year he did have a bit more humility about him than in 2022. At least he admitted when he messed up.
This thread is out of hand with p and r. Only sir stain can do this to f1, fchat , and Ferrari You guys carry on.
Me neither, but I was born to not have to. Folks that look like me are very well represented. Some, for little reason than they look like me.
He has definitely matured and mellowed. Ferrari might have just taken notice and in talks discussed how his experience can help Charles out. Who knows, none of us were in the room where it happened. Going to be an interesting two years ahead. Semper F1!
Or how about teams just focus on hiring the best, most qualified people to help them win races instead of trying to fill all the PC skin color checkboxes? Jesus, I thought focusing on clothing and selling merchandise was bad. F1 is lost enough without diving into the political/dei ********.
We see eye to eye on not liking a driver for his personality. I can't stand Max. Nothing wrong with this, and fun for the sport! Everybody can choose their heroes and villians. Where I lose you and @werewolf I can't say it enough: it's good to have different opinions (especially political ones.) There is a subforum here for just that purpose. We agree we don't want any ideology forced on others, which is why the P&R forum exists, so folks who like to talk about that stuff can go to town! Put another way, your number one complaint about Sir Lulu Elton Hambone is he brings politics into F1, so let's not engage in the same thing. If one hates Luey for being a selfish, whiney, prima donish, dangerous, backstabbing, and contemptuous DRIVER = excellent! Welcome to F1. Leclerc is asked who would be his perfect co-driver last year.... https://studio.youtube.com/video/QllGRzQPjiQ/edit I was thinking this, ala Ricardo.
You may have a point if Ham forces Frédéric to hire based on demographics over merit. Until I see it, I definitely would reserve judgement on your assertion.
You got it all right except my number one complaint about Lewis isn't politcs, it's this: "If one hates Luey for being a selfish, whiney, prima donish, dangerous, backstabbing, and contemptuous DRIVER = excellent!" I have friends who would make him look like a conservative P.S. I'm not fond of Max either
My frank assessment is I would have loved this to happen six years ago, but now? Ham, in his 40s, seems to add merit to "Ferrari - where champions go to die." I would be lying if it's all unicorns and puppy dogs. Ham + Ferrari could make an already shakey situation WORSE. I have seen Ham be very vocal about things he believes are wrong. I agree with his fiercest detractors that such comments should always be private, never in the public eye - after all, cleaning toilets should never be televised. On the flip side, is Lauda-esque frankness what the team needs? A swift kick in the balls to dislodge cobwebs of nepotism, staleness, and acceptance of the mediocre? Can Ham play a Doc Hudson role to Leclerc, or will it be knives out? Either way, it forces Leclerc to be his best. As many surmised, I don't care about a driver's politics as long as they win, as I give allegiance to NYSE: RACE over the pocketbooks of any individual driver. I want to GET money, not help someone else fill their bag. The ultimate goal is to win championships, which goes to the core of Scuderia Ferrari's ethos. Given the only other options were Albon, Riccardo, Ocon, Alonso (or keep Sainz) - to me, the choice is clear - I would take Ham over any of them. If it's a mistake, - I believe it's only a two year contract.
If stewards are showing Hamilton favoritism (because of political correctness, or wokeness, or DEI) ... on track ... that's not "personal politics", that doesn't need to be moved to another forum, as you have suggested many times. None of us cares who, or why, he votes for in upcoming elections. You asked why many of us don't like Hamilton. We have given you several answers, DIRECTLY related to his performance and attitude on-track, while driving. We're not the ones confusing his on-track performance with his off-track persona! Hamilton himself brings his "persona" to the sport, he brings it to his driving.
Predictions 2024: another season of redbull & max-mania 2025: back & forth, lots of drama, Hamilton wins the title in the last lap of the last race 2026: <new rules, too early too call> 2027 or 2028: Brock Lesnar faces off against John Cena in the liberty media EFFFF ONE SUUUUPERSLAMMM! Live on pay per view. Order your tickets now for only fiftynine ninetynine!
Mine: 2024: Max again. Ferrari still figuring out which way the track goes and Lewis left after seeing the W15's biggest innovation is it changed colours 2025: Ferrari quick, fighting with Red Bull. On days where Ferrari is fastest, Lewis and Leclerc keep taking points of each other, whilst Max sits back and minimizes loss. With 3 races left to go, Ferrari tries to play politics, both drivers are upset, don't listen. Max wins title. 2026: Ferrari misreads the rules. Next year is our year. Max wins #6 with Mclaren making huge strides. 2027: Max equal for number 7. Ferrari goes for year 20 of "Next year is our year". Vasseur is fired. 2028: Max number eights, sticks 2 fingers up to F1 who keep adding street tracks, sprint races and goes full ''F1 dancing on ice'' by handing pole positions out to most voted driver. Lewis gone, Charles gone, Stroll and Mazepin take over. This year isn't our year. 2029: F1 is a smuldering pile of waste, moustache Carey stands there in his tuxedo wondering wtf happened. Ferrari is selling EV's, F1 is dead, no hats to sell, gets delisted from the stock exchange.
Wait just one second there you Ferrari hater .... I have it on "good authority" (i know a guy who has a cousin who knows a guy) that Ferrari has finally figured out that FOUR tires need to be changed during a pit stop (rather than maybe 3), and that Ferrari has developed some spankn' new technology to determine, within 20 seconds or so, if one of their drivers has actually entered pit lane. So ... take your negative Nancy commentary elsewhere!
