Hamilton criticizes 2011 car | FerrariChat

Hamilton criticizes 2011 car

Discussion in 'F1' started by TheMayor, Mar 13, 2011.

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  1. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    I think it's really serious when the drivers say stuff like this in public before the season starts...

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9420481.stm

    Lewis Hamilton has echoed team-mate Jenson Button's concerns over the new McLaren car, saying the MP4-26 is far from ready to mount a title challenge.

    Since its belated unveiling last month, the new car has had a number of problems, including at this week's final pre-season testing in Barcelona.

    "Do I believe I have a car to win the world championship at the moment? I don't. No," said Hamilton.
     
  2. Phenom

    Phenom Karting

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    He´s just saying what everybody else already knows.

    The car we know is not championship material at this moment.
    But that doesn´t mean it´s a backmarker either so anything can happen.

    If they can make this package work i think they will have a very good chance of grabbing the title.
     
  3. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

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    The impression I get so far from what I've read is they don't really know what the car is absolutely capable of because they haven't been able to do adequate setup work because they haven't been able to do enough testing mileage because the car isn't reliable. The last part becomes even more troubling when it comes time to actually race for a couple hours.
     
  4. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    If Mclaren cannot get it sorted by the 3rd or 4th race, they will be possibly terminally behind the other front runners who will have updated their cars even further. Time is not on their side plus the lack of solid test mileage. Mercedes seem stronger at this point. Melbourne will be interesting with respect to Mclaren.
     
  5. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Testing is testing. RedBull and Ferrari can still screw up when it comes to real races. So like someone earlier mentioned, by the 4th race, we all should know if the car is genuinely useless.
     
  6. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    Or if the drivers are overrated and can't get performance out of a so-so chassis.
     
  7. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    But this is where Hamilton is at his best.

    In an inferior car, the guy really shines because he is so competitive. That gives a boost of moral to the team.

    But if the car isn't up to scratch, I won't expect Jenson Button to try too hard; he never does in an inferior car - everything has to be perfect for him.
     
  8. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    +1

    Blick's Benoit charts a performance meter all season long. Here is his updated version after Barcelona:

    1. Red Bull-Renault
    2. Ferrari
    3. Mercedes
    4. Sauber-Ferrari
    5. Renault
    6. Toro Rosso-Ferrari
    7. Williams-Cosworth
    8. McLaren-Mercedes
    9. Force India-Mercedes
    10. Lotus-Renault
    11. Virgin-Cosworth
    12. Hispania-Cosworth

    Notice how McClonk have fallen to 8th! Outch.
     
  9. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

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    Sauber in 4th.. I can't take those rankings seriously based on that alone.
     
  10. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #10 kraftwerk, Mar 13, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2011
    I agree.
    LOL I don't agree, I think because they have very different styles between them they can get the car somewhere near, Button has been in F1 a good reasonable amount of time to give feedback.

    However it may suit one of them better than the other but as time is short, I'am sure Mclaren will go with it.

    To a degree I somewhat know why you think this though.
     
  11. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Wow! Ouch is right. Thanks for posting. I do expect more from them but testing has been quite a bit frustrating for them.
     
  12. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    I don't really agree with that. Hamilton can over drive sometimes. He can carry a car for a bit, but eventually he kills the tires. To me, it seems like his window in which he can drive a bad car is a bit larger than Jenson's and a lot of other drivers but he has his limits too (see 2009). It looks like McLaren built a dog this year.
     
  13. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

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    You feel Hamilton and Button are overrated drivers?
     
  14. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Benoit? Seriously? :D

    I would also point out that "some people" (ears are ringing already!) :) said Ferrari should give up on the season when 3-4 races went by without wins, yet they didn't mount a comeback until mid-season and almost won the whole thing.

    Same for Mercedes... IIRC, the same people :) said they were already toast and should resign themselves to sucking in 2011 because they are a union-beholden corporate bureaucracy who can't design a good car. Being ranked 3rd at the season start is most definitely a viable position from which to mount a WDC challenge.

    As for McLaren, behind STR and Williams. No way.

    We shall see :)
     
  15. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 tifosi12, Mar 13, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2011
    The Benoit table is not a forecast, but a review of the current performance.

    So he is not saying McLaren are toast for the season. He updates this list after every race. In that sense it is (like Lauda :)) 20/20 hindsight vision.

    Of course McLaren will pull themselves together again and move up from 8th place, but that's where they are after their disastrous Barcelona test.
     
  16. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    #16 TifosiUSA, Mar 13, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2011
    I disagree, unlike Schumacher who could wring good results from a turd, Hamilton in 2009 (until the car was upgraded enough and was best car on the grid at the end of the year) got pretty poor results. He did not "rise above" the car which is interesting since he has had great equipment since he stepped into F1 other than that year. Once the huge upgrade package (that made McLaren the best car on the grid) hit at around Hungary he performed well, but I am still unconvinced of his abilities in a so-so car.
     
  17. Scuderia P1

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    Well, somebody has to be "terminally behind the other front runners" after 4 races, might as well be Macca !


    FYI, Melbourne will be interesting for all teams.


    I think we need a few more threads discussing what a POS the Macca boys have put together...
     
  18. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Yeap.
     
  19. classic308

    classic308 F1 Veteran

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    Hammy v. Button-I see Hammy outqualifying Button but Button is easier on tires so that is of utmost importance this year given Pirelli durability; that said, short of divine intervention you can't pass anyway.....The McL boys will be praying for lots of rainy GPs...
     
  20. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

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    The car is extremely important. If it sucks, you can't do anything with it.

    Schumacher couldn't do anything with the 2005 Ferrari... I remember him losing his cool and causing a crash when he couldn't hold off Webber in a Jaguar - and the Jag *sucked* that year.

    Alonso couldn't do anything with the 2009 Renault, either.

    Nor could Schumacher do anything with the 2010 Mercedes.

    Nor could Kimi do anything with the 2009 Ferrari.



    But, except for Schumi in '10, they all beat their teammates handily. Button is no slouch, but he had nothing for Hamilton all year.
     
  21. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Yes, pretty much as last year.

    It never ceases to amaze me that folk still think Hamilton is a mediocre driver.

    Saying that this time last year, we had folk on here claiming Hamilton would annihilate Button..
     
  22. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    +1
     
  23. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    I agree here. I think there's only so much the driver can do with a modern car. There's just too many technical factors involved -- probably the biggest are the tires.

    If a car can't manage the tires properly, there's only so much a driver can do. Yes, some drivers are better than others in dealing with these issues but ultimately, there's only so much he can do over physics.

    If you put Hamilton in an HRT, I doubt the result would be much different.
     
  24. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    #24 TifosiUSA, Mar 14, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2011
    MS notched up 4 podiums in the F2005 (not counting the USGP) and that car was a turd all year. MS still took 3rd in the WDC. Alonso managed some top 5 finishes, a pole and a podium in 2009 (and that car was worse than the McLaren all year). MS struggled with the '10 Benz but Nico did okay and snagged some podiums. Kimi won a race in the F60 and had 4 other podiums and Ferrari gave up on that car unlike McLaren whose upgrades at Hungary made theirs arguably the best on the grid.

    let's compare avg. finishes between Alonso and Hamilton in 2009. Alonso's avg finish was 8.4 in the first 9 races (before Macca's big upgrade hit) and Hammy's was 9.4. Not bad for Alonso in the R29 which *was* worse and arguably got worse as the year went on.
     
  25. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    Who? I think Alonso/Hamilton/Vettel are the best on the grid in that order.
     

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