2008 Australian GP QUALIFYING ***SPOILER***

I never disliked Hamilton (and actually liked him for a while) until he gave me a reason to dislike him. He is arrogant, you could see that easily while in the interview today. He is all about ME ME ME, thus why Alonso couldn't stay. I think the problem at McLaren had to do more with Hammy Whammy not getting what he wanted and the blame was pushed onto Alonso instead. So this year to keep Hammy happy they get Heikki K. He is a quite docile Finn who is just a little bit slower than Hamilton, so that Lewis won't go crying to Uncle Ronnie that Heikki beat him today.

I now realize I don't really hate Alonso as much as I used to because Hamilton is so much worse. I used to be delighted about the possibility of Hamilton coming to Ferrari, now I'd much rather have Fernando, hell I'd rather have Sato than Hamilton now.

Plus, he has that smile. The smile that says I'm better than all of you, the sort of smile that makes you hate a person's guts without knowing them. You could see that Hamilton only cared about being on pole not Kubica getting second (after that amazing recovery) or Heikki getting his highest start of his career.

 

How much faster than "pole position" would you like him to be?

 

You're reading into his body language WAY too much. Did you consider that Hamilton is probably just super happy to be on pole position?

Here is a young guy, ultra competitive, in only his 2nd season in F1, just after a huge disappointment of snatching defeat from the jaws of WDC victory. He had a lot of inter-team squabbling last year and also the black cloud of an FIA investigation hanging over his head.

Fast forward to this season... with all of that behind him, he goes out and obliterates all the competition and puts his car on pole. Nobody so far is better poised to win the WDC this year.

He's out of line for having a big $h!t eating grin on his face? I'd be giddy - wouldn't you be? Why should Hamilton be any different?

It's like Schumi... when he would give interviews people thought he was cold and calculated and emotionless - he was just very controlled and pensive. When he jumped on the podium some thought he was rubbing it in other faces... to me, he was a guy still thrilled to be winning races after many years and many many wins. I enjoyed watching him enjoy the moment.

And the same for Hamilton - its great to see the kid as enthusiastic as he is. Much as I like Kimi he has the personality of a bowling ball.

 

I guess I was going off these race facts...

07 Mal GP - grid pos #1 race result 5th
07 Fra GP - grid pos #1 race result 2nd
07 Hun GP - grid pos #14 race result 13th
07 Jap GP - grid pos #4 race result 6th

Massa only won 3 races in 07. With the exception of the Malaysian GP the only races that he won were the races where he was on pole. IMO, Massa can do well when either there are no other cars around him or when the only other cars around him are severely sub par to the car he is driving. Please understand i do not hate Massa. I just think he should be doing much better than he is.

Wonderful. Remind me again what place Massa scored in the drivers standings?

 

A little something for all you Hamilton haters

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xDgpS4kx88s

G

 

I was so pissed that Kubica missed pole. That would have been epic for him and BMW.

Good news is it looks like BMW is going to be punching for podiums.

 

Glad to see Kubica do well. Hope he has a good race.

I agree with SRT Mike`in reading more exuberance and enthusiasm from Hamilton for his position and all that comes with it. It always looks to me like he really relates to the team and has an easy rapport with them. And yes, wouldn't it be almost impossible to not change under the massive media pressure and scrutiny. I feel like he has handled things much better than most of the young men thrust into that sudden celebrity. I think he is a talent that will last and continue and very possibley become dominant.

Also hope Massa has a good race tommorrow. It would set up the season well if he is successful from his grid spot.

 

Nice to see a voice of reason. Seriously, people hate the guy because he's smug or arrogant? Dislike because he's in a world of his own...no concern for his competitors' success?

This is formula 1...it's not a "team sport" in the classic sense. These guys are individuals pursuing the WDC. Ever watch Senna, Schumacher, Villenueve, Prost, etc? I think arrogance is what separates the great ones from everyone else. I'm not even certain that LH is really showing such characteristics.

The LH hate is approaching the sublime. I really don't understand the justifications people create for disliking him. Generally people either embrace or are put off by greatness...be it athlete, politician, musician or entertainer. Perhaps that's what we're seeing. Bottom line, this kid's going to be a threat the entire season. I hope that Kimi can make some magic happen tomorrow...and that Felipe is on a heavy fuel load. Ferrari didn't look nearly as dominant as the off-season press clippings suggested.

 

Good point SRT Mike made...interesting to see it from the other side of the coin, and how I wondered why people could hate Schumi.

I don't dislike LH because of LH himself; I dislike him because he drives for Emperor Palpatine.

I said it last year, Ferrari cannot leave any points on the table because Alonso is a predator. This year it's Lewis as a driver that's every bit as good as Alonso in a car every bit as good as it was last year. Lewis may not be a predatory as Alonso is, but the kid is a quick learner. He's here to stay and he will be WDC some day. Not if, gentelmen, but when.

Here's hoping that BMW have genuine pace that lasts all season. A three-way title fight is what I asked from Santa, and it looks as if my present has just arrived.

 

Its MORE than confidence like Senna, Shumi, Prost, etc.... I feel like he doesn't respect other people/drivers like the real greats did. Like he is better than they are...

That's how I see it. Whatever... its good to have an antagonist I guess.

 

You think that Senna respected other drivers? Did he even acknowledge that they existed? And Shumi...he was widely disliked as a poor sportsman until his later years. He was truly a "win at all costs" type driver during his Benetton and early-Ferrari years.

 

You're full of it. Hamilton has always said good things about other drivers, including Fernando. "He's a bloody good driver", he's said about Fernando. He's also said Senna was his hero. I think you're just making up reasons not to like him. Hater.

 

Eh, i suppose there is some validity to that, also why i didn't like Shumi as much of most people.

Most people will like Hamilton, and I'll always think of him the same.



Understand I'm more of a Cevert/Stewart type fan.

 

No Hater, I just can't stand his attitude. Did I ever say that he was a bad driver? No. I never discredited his abilities. I just don't like what I see from him in the press, how he talks, and how a lot of people blindly support who the media pushes the most. Meh... I'm in the minority here, I don't mind. I like Kimi more than Massa (always has, no WDC doesn't matter. Raikko Raikko Raikko). I like Alonso more than Hamilton. Stefano more than Todt. Most people like Massa, Hamilton, Jean, Kimi's a drunk, Alonso's an arsehole, Stefano is 'inexperienced'.

Tell me that's not an overarching theme of this site...

 

Kubik would have easily swept pole, if it wasn't of his 'save of the day'. pity, the BMWs were really flying. but there's also a concern that the car is fast on a single lap, and when it;s tyres starts to heat up, it affects the car's balance, and times. at least thats what it was reported.

i just knew the rate Kimster slowed, it was some fuel related issue. lets see what he can do tomoro. this track is pretty difficult o overtake. Massa finished 5th on a 1 stopper last yr. i seriously hope he can win the race tomoro. i don't have that much of confidence in the Beemers, but we'll wait

 

To bad for Kimi. Going to be an interesting race

 

It will all depend on the start. Some of the drivers are bound to goof up, so there may be a chance for others.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Yup. Too bad McLaren figured out that launch control, eh. Hahah.

 

+100

 

Hamilton's been in the spotlight since he's been 8. Not exactly someone who is unaccustomed to attention.To me, Hami doesn't have any tact. There's a fine line between arrogance and confidence, and in my opinion Hamilton flirts with it way too much to just be a "confident kid".

 

So being confident is not a requirement in being a good driver, right who is it that needs to wake up to the fact he would rather be a another Senna..

Like he would care what you think anyway.

 

1. HAMILTON McLaren
2. KUBICA BMW

3. KOVALAINEN McLaren

4. MASSA Ferrari

5. HEIDFELD BMW

6. TRULLI Toyota

7. ROSBERG Williams

8. COULTHARD Red Bull

9. VETTEL Toro Rosso

10. BARRICHELLO Honda

11. ALONSO Renault

12. BUTTON Honda

13. NAKAJIMA Williams


14. WEBBER Red Bull

15. RAIKKONEN Ferrari

16. FISCHELLA Force India

17. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso


18. SUTIL Force India
19. GLOCK Toyota*

20. SATO Super Aguri

21. PIQUET Renault
22. DAVIDSON Super Aguri


* five place grid penalty for gearbox change and further five place penalty for blocking

 

Let's hope the rumor of a sort of traction contror on the McLarens is not true an that the BMW gets off the line quickly with Massa in tow.

 

Well there is no rumour BMW have got a "sort of TC" ,and if Robert Kubica hadn't made a error on his hot lap he would have been on pole IMO.

He is the one that may get the jump on LH at the start...

 

Massa's off to a roaring start, isn't he...behind McLaren's #2 driver...just as I predicted.

He will yet again finish 4th of 4 among the drivers of the top two teams.

I guess it really doesn't matter who McLaren puts in that second seat, whoever it is will be ahead of Massa. Kiss the WCC goodbye this season. Thanks, Felipe...