Hamilton deserves more respect

As always all depends on 2025 Ferrari F1 car pace ..

 

If and only if Ferrari can get their act together!

And boy is that a mighty big “if” based on the past few years. Not only will they have to deliver a competitive car but they’ll also have to get their race strategy and pit stops on point. Not to mention staying cohesive as a team and no infighting when/if things go south.

It’s going to be a monumental uphill battle for sure.

 

All this completely contradicts my forecast that Hamilton would never win a GP after Abu Dhabi !!!

I will have to change my crystal ball; this one is letting me down !!

 

At least you are honest about your predictions !
Mines are permanently wrong since let’s say 2008…( lol)
Hamilton is a very interesting case indeed, and I wouldn’t underestimate him next year if Ferrari is able to give him a competitive car..

 

Another win, well done! Hamilton was really fast the whole race.

 

Ferrari doesn't look so bad anymore with their decision to hire Hamilton. The guy has now two wins this season. Definitely still has it.

 

I wonder if hammy is rethinking signing with ferrari. I have not seen anything from fetrari in years that makes me think they can field a winning car.

 

This U-turn of Hamilton's form makes me scratch my head.
But will Ferrari provide him with a winning car though ?

 

Not sure it's a u turn, the Merc was crap for a long time and that is not very motivating.

 

So my prediction of him winning again came through. And also, my prediction of him starting to qualify ahead of George. Lewis is hungry now. I predict him to bag Brazil. You heard it here first.

 

I think ANY F1 driver with significant talent and spends 5 years at Ferrari starts to take its toll on that drivers mind and they start to make mistakes in their latter stages at Ferrari.

I realize Leclerc loves Ferrari but Ferrari is no different than let's say that 1 woman you first met and married....only to be let down in the later years of marriage. It can drive a man to make mistakes. (Again, assuming that here in the states the divorce rate is over 50%)

That's just my opinion.

 

Ferrari drivers dont trust their pitwall decisions.

 

Exactly right…which numerous people pointed out, a lot, only to be shouted down by people one would assume should know that even a great driver can’t win in a crap car.

 

Yep he’s still fast, in the dry or wet.
He’ll still be derided for his politics, taste in fashion, hairstyle and “whining” (maybe not so much now that Max isn’t having such an easy ride and makes every other driver look like a complete joy to work with) but all those declaring him “washed up” or only capable of winning with a clearly dominant car will now be very quiet round these parts.

 

It is a matter of motivation, Hamilton is only motivated in a fast car. He is not a driver like Schumacher of Lauda to bring the team to a higher level.
So the question simply boils down to this: will Ferrari be able to give him a fast car next year? If not, I expect the same lackluster Hamilton as in 2022 and 2023.
And will the pit wall strategy be top notch? Even yesterday (when he finished second but inherited the win later) he was questioning the Mercedes strategy.

 

I would have questioned M-B's "strategy" also were I Hamilton.
Hamilton clearly was the class of the field, led the most laps, and, heaven forbid, actually PASSED some people. George passed NO ONE, he just got the lead when everyone pitted the second time. He would have NOT been in contention for a top 3 (M-B thought he would finish 5th) were it not for this one stop "strategy".

 

Of course Lewis had reasons yesterday to question the Mercedes strategy, but he better question his own strategy in announcing (before the first race this season) that he will leave Mercedes at the end of 2024. Which driver will get preferential treatment, the one staying or the one leaving? His days of always getting his way at Mercedes are over.

 

Good drivers question strategy just like bad ones. Drivers question strategy. He kept the team on top for years. That takes focus. The car did not drive itself and he had to battle internally at times and with Ferrari via Vettel. Clearly since Lauda recruited him he is able to work with a team at both low and high levels.

 

Russell took a gamble. You don´t gamble when you´re leading the race. I think nobody thought that Russell´s strategy would work so well. Well, actually, it didn´t.

 

I simply disagree. Hamilton may be a good driver but he is NOT a team player nor a main motivator of the team like Lauda or Schumacher were.

 

It swings both ways. In Russell's rookie year with Mercedes LH fans were claiming a "lack of meaningful data" for Rus beating Ham.

 

I must say that Hamilton's 2024 revival surprises me after a sharp decline in 2022, and the years of excuses that followed.
Strangelly, it happens after he signed for Ferrari !

 

You know this how lol?? How long has he been at Mercedes? Total results/wins/points etc. Yeah they hated him. What your saying is overall you dont like him compared to others which does not prove your point. Lauda recruited him for good reason it appears. Brawn agree'd and frankly the results have been impressive. They didnt do it alone but as a team.