AM I wrong to have hopes for Lewis?

I'm frankly surprised that anyone thought that Lewis would come into Ferrari and beat Leclerc. Charles is obviously blazing fast and has been with the team for multiple years with multiple car evolutions. He knows the car and the team inside out. And frankly, Lewis wasn't that fast when competing against George last year. I think it was really just wishful thinking by Lewis fans rather than accepting reality.

 

I adhere to that.

Out of selflessness of course, as I concur that it would be the best for him.

All we want and desire is his own good.

Let's be kind, generous, selfless and human as he deserves. Sack him.

(Irony implied )

 

When everyone gets what they want... Can it be wrong?

 

I've got some wishful thinking left! I there are a few issues causing Lewis's struggles:
1) The ground-effect cars don't suit his driving style. I'm not 100% sure why, but that does seem obvious.
2) The brake material and the methods required for braking in the Ferrari differ wildly from those in the Mercedes. He's moved from CI to Brembo and has spoken about how in the Ferrari there is much greater reliance on engine-braking.
3) The Ferrari is clearly not the fastest car on the grid. I would say it was 4th fastest, with McLaren, Mercedes & Red Bull all ahead. This is a disappointment for both drivers.

So, if Ferrari manage to develop the car to get it up to the pace of the front-runners this would be great for Charles and good for Lewis, as he still has to deal with points 1 and 2.

Whatever happened to 'Ferrari International Assistance'? I thought the FIA were supposed to change the rules to favour Ferrari?!

 

Time is not on his side. Without improvement soon, LEC will be further emboldened and the team will pay less and less attention to HAM’s needs. It is the nature of all sports, especially one with such high stakes.

I must say I’m hugely impressed with the way Charles has stepped up after the treatment he received from the team during Hamilton’s Maranello honeymoon. He didn’t get down, he got motivated. I hope he can build on that.

 

I agree.

The first essential goal of every F1 driver is to beat or at least equal their teammate. Lewis is failing this as many predicted. I personally think he's shocked by how Charles is outperforming him. I think Lewis truly believed the hype that Russell was somehow getting a "better car" and he still was 100% confident in his abilities. Now that he is getting a hard dose of reality at Ferrari he is mentally collapsing and doubting himself deep down as he should be.

I'm happy to see Charles perform well. He did exactly what he needed to do and used all the Lewis hype to fuel his drive. Hopefully it continues till November and perhaps convinces Ferrari to "retire" Lewis so that we can focus on moving forward.

 

Even though Sir Lewis Hamilton has beat every team mate he's had, this is not a first goal of a driver. The first goal is to win or place as high as possible. I've always heard drivers say I want to become champion or I want to be an F1 winner. I don't hear them saying I want to be a driver and beat my team mate one day.

 

Ummm, Lewis "has not beat every team mate he's had. That statement needs correction.

 

Of course they all want to be WDC (doesn't that go without saying?) but it is widely known fact that your first goal/responsibility when starting F1 or a new team is to perform on par or beat your teammate. Just because they don't admit it on camera doesn't mean it's not 100% true. That is the performance bar every new driver is judged by and why it is so crucial. You have to at the very least be in the same competitive ballpark or you will get the boot.

Oh, Lewis got beat by Russell last year He's getting beat by Charles this year. It seems your goat has gone out to pasture

 

Name a team mate he hasn't beat during a season

 

for starters...

https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2024/drivers

 

Russell and Charles can beat Sir Lewis Hamilton driving a schoolbus, that is no concern to me. Sir Lewis Hamilton has nothing left to prove. The other drivers have the task of duplicating a career such as his.

 

Refer to post #60. Read carefully.

 

He didn't beat Rosberg in a season.

He didn't beat Russell for 2 seasons.

 

This one too...

https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2011/drivers

 

Points are points. More means you beat the person with less.

Or are you redefining the word "beat" to fit your opinion?

Facts...

https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2016/drivers

 

Let me say it in a more understanding way, Sir Lewis Hamilton has beat every team mate he's had over a season. Hopefully this helps.

 

See post 67

 

Not in points over a season.

I'm trying to understand this POV your debating about.

 

See Meriam Webster

2. defeat (someone) in a game or other competitive situation.

It's OK to admit you were wrong you know. Especially when presented cold hard facts.

Here's another for you...

https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2022/drivers

 

Name a driver Sir Lewis Hamilton hasn't beat in points over a season. He already beat Russell in 2023. Beat Bottas, Rosberg 3 seasons, Button 2 seasons, Alonso and Kovalinen.

 

He didn't beat Rosberg in 2016.

He didn't beat Russell in 2022.

He didn't beat Russell in 2024.

And as things are going, he's not going to beat Leclerc at the moment.

 

You must be an attorney or insurance salesman the way you spin your statements.

You said Lewis has "never been beaten by a team mate" which is of course dead wrong as proved. Now you are trying to basically back track and say something different.

Let's make this easy for you, Has Lewis ever been beaten by his team mate? Yes or no answer.

 

Show me where I said he's never been beat by a team mate.

 

To get back to the original post, I think the answer is going to be no. Hamilton is in his 40's, and has a well developed life outside the sport. those two things are detrimental to starting from scratch, which is what he is doing at Ferrari. Ferrari are not good at making accommodations, nor are they good at nurturing drivers. Hamilton to win has to be given a very competitive car, and that clearly is not what they have. If he had stayed at Mercedes, I would say its a possibility that he could still win a championship. I think there is a time that your best days are behind you and its never clear when that is. I think for Hamilton he has passed that point. personally I think the longer he says in F1 and is not in the top 3, the more damage happens to his legacy. So his choices are pretty clear, fight it out and try to start winning, or continue to struggle and then get dropped or run out of F1. he has the movie thing coming out as well, so that is going to put even more pressure and spotlight on him... and what IS not happening at Ferrari. Were I him, I'd move to the Hypercar team, and race a LeMans, win there, and win the WEC.... that would say way, way more, and still be a winner with Ferrari.