Although one should know that by now I still do not get the double standards here... When Hamilton went to the podium in Spa without making any nonsense, keeping his nose clean while profiting from crashes and a red flag it was celebrated as a mature "Prost-esque" race showing what a complete driver he is...Now that Nico does exactly the same while leading the WDC by points he is said to become an "un-championship-like forgotten" WDC (in case he makes it through the finish line)... By now he won as many races this season as Lewis, I do not see why he still has to prove anything...
I am trying to recall the times that Nicole has passed Lewis during a race ....not counting DNF, bad starts,car problems etc by Lewis . A real pass,ok can accept DRS.
It doesn't matter. This year, Nico scored the most points, and kept his head, while Elton scored less, and didn't. Ergo, Nico deserves his championship should it happen, and if it doesn't, it will be a very strange race, and likely decided by someone other than Nico's own ability
Nico is more consistent and less mistake prone than LH. He knows implicitly LH is faster and to counter that you must work harder, make fewer mistakes and take advantage of opportunity. Thats the mark of any champion driver no matter the name. If Nico wins the title he earned it.
Hamilton threw away his first chance for a championship because of stupidity. I'm quite sure he would do the same thing today that Rosburg needs to do to secure the championship. I liked Keke and I'm hoping his son wins. I also have liked Hamilton since I saw him win his first GP in Canada - during practice you would see him stop on the circuit and think how he was going to get thru that section the fastest. In the old days championships were decided by the points accumulated in x number of races, not the total of all races. It took into account a bad race or two. But then you didn't have these dominant teams like today, winning many multiple championships year-after-year. I think F1 needs to somehow get more teams to a winning formula.
I'm not saying Nico doesn't deserver to be WDC. I just wish he had the fire and charisma of a champion. I just don't see that in him. Others do... I don't. It doesn't make him less deserving... just not as exciting or memorable. It's like in the NFL. You don't remember the teams or the superbowls where it was just a hum-drum ground game that got them the win 5 yards at a time.... but you remember the superbowls where the teams went all out and had the spectacular plays. No less deserving one way or the other... but one is exciting and memorable... one is not and forgotten. There are champions in different sports where their mindset is I want to win - PERIOD... that I'd rather crash out, fall, whatever trying to win. There are others who'd rather play it safe... race, play, run... whatever... not to lose and would be happy to come in second or third consistently all year round while letting the others battle out the top spot to their own demise. Again... both routes deserve the championship... one does it with flair and passion to win... the other is just pragmatic.
Nico isn't a star. He's simply a company man doing a good job. That's fine. I'd rather see him than Elton take it.
Exactly. I sort of like him but he's also quite boring...Whenever he wins another race, he just doesn't look very pleased. Smile on his face, twirl with his fingers and that's it really. Perhaps because the car is so incredibly good it doesn't feel like a huge accomplishment or whatever (after driving for 60 odd laps in car management mode with zero pressure). Perhaps we'll see a difference next week if he wins the title (win or podium, whatever). Everything regarding Mercedes F1 just feels so bloody corporate and forced. I'm glad when their time is up, or at least when they actually have to fight anyone for positions.
+2....Rosberg will be the WDC, as I said after race three. He's driven well and the breaks have gone his way. Similar to Alonso in 2005.
Sorda-kinda the point I was making. I just don't think he has a rabid fanbase. I think 90% of the times he's mentioned is just because of Lewis.
+1 He has also been around for too long to be hyped by anyone as an upcoming star. But then again, one has to maintain that he had a decent season he has worked for hard. Somewhere on some German page they counted the balance of points if defects wouldn't have been there and Hami was only 8 points ahead and that excluding Hamilton pushing Rosberg off the track or Rosberg gifting Hamilton the victory at Monte Carlo. Now this all only says there is no need to do those sums, they have been pretty much on par all year.
Yeah... I certainly don't discount the accomplishment. He's got the best car by a mile and he's done with it exactly what you would/should expect. I think the issue with him...merely from a fan perspective mind you... is that he's done it with zero flair. The people in motorsports who are remembered are the charismatic figures. Mladin, Rossi, Andretti, Senna, Hunt, Earnhardt, etc.
You might be right. I think many F1 followers might not even explicit root for Rosberg because he is Rosberg but because he is driving against Hamilton. I think Lewis is the most polarizing driver in current F1 and a lot of people want to see Rosberg win as this would mean that Hamilton does not...because they are sick of all this praises and comparisons to Senna that were forced by Lewis and his hardcore fans. Rosberg is favoured by some because he is the complete opposite of Hamilton.
Rosberg has a good mainstream personality; Hamilton is a fringe character and a show off. Guess which one I prefer ...
I'm not sure Nico in an introvert. I would say that I think he wants to retain something closer to a normal life. Elton on the other hand...