Very well put and spot on accurate. Some people are just haters no matter what you do. BTW. Say hi to Phil E. @ Palmersport for me. He knows me all too well
I just don't see the "arrogance" angle. To me he seems realistic and confident. Some take that as arrogance and prefer a PR firm manufactured hero. Like the movie quote; "The truth ? You cant handle the truth. "
Lewis Hamilton is at this point an excellent driver in F1, I believe with a great future. I have no doubt he earned his way to where he is today. I certainly do not hate him. But he has frequently and consistently presented himself as an arrogant wanker. Although I had hoped this was just a misunderstanding, at this point Hamilton knows enough about his public image to make a better personal presentation. Nothing has changed, he apparently has let everything go to his little mind way too soon. He isn't the personna of a James Hunt, or a Nigel Mansell, or even an Eddie Irvine, so I am not sure what he believes he is doing. No defense of his actions will change reality, no attempting to compare him to anyone else will change reality. He needs to just shut up and perform. That does all of the talking. I don't see confidence in his comments, I only see hot air. To think this has anything to do with insecurity is nonsense. The point is missed. I am not sure where some of the Hamiltonians on this site are coming from, but the friends I have had from the UK for the last 25 years share my opinion of Hamilton. At least they are honest about Hamilton. He has become very tiring.
Liking or not liking LH or any other personality is a universal thing. Two weeks ago while in Maranello (Italy for those who dont know) i was watching the F1 cars test at Fiorano through the fence by the main road. And i got talking to some Italians who were singing LHs praises. They were fans of his even though they were Ferrari supporters. Swings and roundabouts as we say in the UK.
"Lewis the man" and "Lewis the racing driver" are two different people. Just like celebs, people rag on them because they are in the spotlight and put themselves in the media. I've made a few comment for and against LH but always Lewis the racing driver, I've never met him and don't know his history or traits so to comment about him as Lewis the man would be pointless unless I just wanted to slag him.
Bas, right back at yer with your man Fred,!! however I don't mind him, I don't mind having a bit a fun, but this LH bashing is totally pathetic and over the top.
Then you must have thought that bashing Massa was way over the top especially seeing that this is a Ferrari site. There were a handfull of so called "tifosi" that kept up the talk against Massa.?some of these guys I swear would have offered up their first born to make room for Alonso at Ferrari. Many have now crawled back into their holes. It is very dumb to bash someone for their driving when they are at or near the top of the drivers standings. Although Lewis has made a few questionable moves namely in the last race, im sure the drivers will take care of that. What it is about Lewis that the majority dont like is his arrogance and what he says. Someone said that they dont see the arrogance. Well here is the definition and I think we can all see if Lewis fits the criteria. Arrogance: : an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions
Well if anything I'm guilty of is (fighting fire with fire) excuse the pun Mr firefighter.. Massa lovers the way I see it on here, tend to dislike Hamilton most, so by default I used him as a fight back, I never really bashed him so to speak, thought he under performed at first, and only got the gig because of Todt, but fair play to the man he has kept his head down under the pressure after Silverstone so full marks to him, he now has a good chance of winning the WDC, the only down side for me with his achievement of late, is the wrong call in SPA he was awarded an unjust win, but that was out of his hands so fair enough.
The arrogance bit, not for 1 minute do I BELIEVE, he is arrogant away from the show, this is pure chat for the rags to report, he is a brillant driver and if he wants to blow his own trumpet so be it, better to do that than, keep playing yourself down IMO. As I said the haters will love it all the more when he gets it wrong. At the end of the day he is a damn good F1 driver, love him or hate him he has made the sport a whole lot better of late IMO.
I have no hard feelings towards him being in F1 or about the way he got into F1. The guy is fast, real fast, However all the bull that he spews out of his mouth should be saved for after he's won a WDC or two.
Fact of the matter Kyle does it really matter, haters will hate regardless. Does he come over that arrogant here.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_7120000/newsid_7124100/7124164.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=2
Hamilton is an amazing driver, but he seems like a prick during interviews. That's my beef w/ him. and I do support Kovalainen, so don't think I'm ripping on Mclaren
That maybe true, but the thing with Lewis is, everyone, me included, loved him at first. As time wore on his tendency to run off at the mouth turned people against him. People like SRTMike thinking it has anything to do with the color of his skin is simply silly. Call it true colors coming through, call it immaturity, putting on a show or whatever you wish but if people don't like him, it's his own doing. If you remember right, not many people had many negative things to say about him at first. If he remained that humble kid he was and still is from time to time (mainly when the cameras are on, I've noticed) there still wouldn't be a problem. He's one hell of a driver but the public persona he's cultivating gets on many people's nerves.
I have been on the fence about Hami. A lot of talent, but he failed to deliver the WDC last year when he should have. My opinion didn't really move after the first 4 races of this year. As the season has progressed, I have become more of a fan. He has shown confidence and he has delivered. Some of his comments are a little over the top, but I especially liked it when he called Kimi to the mat with his "Doesn't have the balls to brake late in the wet" comment. That may have been way over the top and he called Kimi out. Kimi didn't respond on the track as he should have. Hami put him on the trailer yet again. Let's also not forget that the psych is part of the game here. If Hami delivers the WDC this year, a whole new respect will come his way. In the meantime, we look at him as a young brash big mouth who should show his peers a little more respect.
Fact is I liked the guy and stood up for him early last year but as the year went on and he yapped more and more, I left him for the fence. Now he is actually getting outright stupid with his remarks and he will pay for it on the track im sure. No im on the other side of the fence. Other drivers 1 by 1 are turning against him. Latest seems to be Alonso.
I met - and was instructed by - Lewis a few years back at a Palmersport day. He was down-to-earth, humble, and a really pleasant guy. He also helped me take a huge chunk out of my short-course Caterham time. I remember thanking him and saying "you'll be world champion one day", to which he replied with no whiff of arrogance "oh I don't know - I haven't even sorted a drive for next year" (this was before his first season in GP2). Based on my brief experience in his company, I find the backlash against Hamilton really hard to reconcile - and this comes from a die-hard, life long Scuderia tifoso.
It will mean nothing on here to some mate, Minds Like A Steel Trap - Rusty And Illegal In 37 States, Thanks for your post.
