But it wasn't the best car...Nor was the Ferrari in 2007 (or 2008). Schumacher almost did in in 97 against the vastly superior Williams.
I cannot for the life of me work up so much intense dislike, loathing, detest or whatever for any driver, so I suppose I must be an exceptional case. If Hamilton at Ferrari brought in the results, how anyone could dislike him is beyond me.
But Alonso's is a controlled arrogance, and you don't hear Alonso crying at the teams pit calls on the radio, the guy concentrates on making his own race, controls things well, and is determined to outperform the car every single race. How often does Hamilton get on the radio questioning the teams decisions, ignoring their directives, and driving like a nutter expecting other drivers to give him room to make passes where if they defended they are aware one or both would have an accident? And on rosberg not being able to pass......... Don't be so naive, he cruised up to the gearbox of hambone, and expected the team to require Hamilton to let him run through without issue so as not to destroy his tyres passing his teammate and run his own race strategy. As we all know very well, sitting on the gearbox of another car for prolonged periods destroys tyres, why would it be acceptable to do this? Mercedes told hambone to let him thru due to strategy, he should have done it, he cost merc a definite win plus fourth. If it was anyone else, say Alonso and kimi, you would all be annoyed if one prevented the other going thru and preserving his tyres. I know hambone wanted the best result for him, but most of you guys on his side bang on all the time that racing is about the team result first and foremost, they are employees etc (remember all vettels shananigens previously to name but one odd couple), but it's different if you are hambone? Come on, you know he did wrong, merc want rosberg destroying his tyres passing other teams if anything, not their second car, what's the point? Hamilton won't make Ferrari better, he will get on everyone's nerves with his public moaning (Alonso rarely has such emotional digs, although occasionally of course he makes calculated comments), and the inter-team game will be nigh on impossible to control effectively. He is fast, but he's a liability under pressure. Alonso wasn't the one who instigated spy gate either, he threatened to spill the beans due to the inter team dynamic that was the total opposite of that he signed up for, and wanted out of a situation that was impossible for him to come out of with dignity. If as an employee you are aware of things going on that are wrong, you are losing multi millions if you don't go along with the plans of those in charge...... How would he have done things differently? Hey Charlie, Renault/flavio just told me they are going to wreck piquet so I can win this race, what should you do? - duh, he'd never race again. Hey bernie, McLaren are getting ferraris information, what should I do - sacked and out of a drive, sponsors in disarray, never drives again. He was pushed into the corner each time, and just did what you or I would, drove and earn this wages, and let management makes their own beds. At mclaren, he joined as the world champion, had smoke blown up his Harris, and then had his setups used to help a rookie develop the car each race, and then that rookie was favoured over him by Ron Dennis, and he was shuffled around as though he was the nobody. Christ, who wouldn't get angry at that treatment? Kimi would have walked out day two, schumi wouldn't have put up with it, senna would have created blue murder.
Maybe my memory isn't as good as I think, but the f2000 was the best car in its season, in fact, the rest only caught it very late on. The 1999 car was the class of the field, but the drivers weren't as good as schumi, even Swervin Irvine almost got a title in 1999
+1 says it all, in detail, could not have said it better, tho' might have saved a few words. ;-) Lewis is an excellent driver, maybe even a great driver but his head ain't in the right place - yet - and he's been raised to believe in his entitlement, and thinks his scat don't stink. He is and will be disruptive in any team he drives for except McLaren so long as Ron Dennis retains control.
The 1999 McLaren was the best car. The only reason Irvine was close was due to Hakkinen making huge mistakes. In 2000 it was a toss up. The mcLaren was faster but the ferrari was more reliable. Schumacher's most amazing years were 1996-2000. His driving was unbelievable. Along with 2002 when he was on the podium every race, a feat likely to never be equaled.
Alonso has done plenty of crying on the radio. Think renault when fischichella was his team mate or mclaren with hamilton. Hes also opening trying to leave ferrari which is why i dont understand why so many ferrari faithful still think he can save the team. Is he the best driver on the grid? Probably. However i still dont want him. As for lewis not letting nico through. Mercedes agreed with his decision. His smart thinking helped stop rosbergs momentum.
Haha well yes you sure do and it seems to me folk on here seem to know what goes on in Hamiltons head better than he does, which boggles my mind. Personally I couldn't care less, he can his talking on the track and it impresses me, but I could bet my bottom dollar he would blow the doors of any one of his detractors in a race.
+1 He's been a little critical at times. Deservedly so on occasion! But beyond that he's on record as saying he loves the team and wants to stay until he retires. AFAIK, the only place that claims he's talking to every other team in the paddock is...... The peanut gallery! Cheers, Ian
Mercedes 'understood' what he did for himself, they actually, after the race, suggested that although he breached the team order, they were loath to enforce it on him due to his bad luck over the last race or two with starting positions. At no point did they actually say they were in agreement -how could they, they issued an order, and he failed to carry it out. Alonso is not on the radio every weekend moaning about how the team did this, the team did that, he so hard done by, why is everyone picking on him, which is what you get with hambone, and why I don't want him at Ferrari. Every driver on the grid has a quick moan now and then when something goes wrong, Hamilton does it constantly if the race isn't 100% in his favour. Ferrari is a very emotional and politically sensitive team, Alonso knows how to play to the strengths of these and get the most of what he is able. Hamilton on the other hand will. As soon as he has a problem, completely unbalance things and cause more problems than he solves. He isn't a good mix with Ferrari, and I hope we never hire him
The 2002 car was awesome, matched with Michael virtually unstoppable. How I wish for a return to the 1990/2000s races, the cars were fast, engines were noisy and powerful, and F1 meant something
Come on people micheal could take a pos and win with it 2005 was bad because of the late rule change and tires. Only time I seen mike not give 100 percent was 2001 Monza and indy because of 911 at Japanese gp he was on it again
Sid, a pretty obvious bias against Hamilton shows up in your post, and a definite bias in favour of Alonso. Re above - 1.2 to 1.4 seconds behind is absolutely NOT "on the gearbox" of Hamilton, Rosberg never even got within DRS range (ie less than 1 second gap). Hamilton had stated that he would let Rosberg overtake when he got close enough - it was Rosberg who never got close enough, ie 0.5 seconds behind, to be in a position to overtake without requiring Hamilton to slow down significantly. You are deliberately ignoring that little fact that Rosberg wasn't close enough. A pretty obvious bias for Alonso shows also - the excuses for poor little Alonso, what could he do at McLaren are particularly amusing. He was an active and willing participant sharing the knowledge from McLaren, not a victim as you paint him. Note that Hamilton in 2007 was specifically cleared of having any knowledge of the Ferrari information or of using that information, while Teflonso had to turn ratfink to avoid any sanction - his testimony was bought by the FIA with a promise of immunity (him and De La Rosa) - otherwise, Alonso himself would have been guilty of the intellectual property violations, whereas Hamilton (agreed by all parties) actually was innocent. If you don't hear Alonso crying on the radio, then you're simply not listening - he certainly does his share of crying. Did you watch the British GP this year? You missed the radio *****ing game between Alonso and Vettel? "He went over the line!" "But he went over the line!" back and forth. Pretty pathetic, actually.
Rosberg was less than a second behind him when he first caught up, you could see his DRS activating, get your facts right Yep, I don't like Hamilton. I don't make excuses for Alonso, he didn't steal the plans, coughlan did, and McLaren as a team used them,so as your statement goes, all of the 2007 team were culpable, including your little mate Hamilton then, unless he was driving a 2006 car?
Without getting into the specifics of any instance, if a driver agrees to the idea of team orders and them ignores them when it suits him, shame on him.
+1000 not to mention the fact Alonso tried to BLACKMAIL Ron Dennis, because he wouldn't make him the #1 driver, self entitled or not let them race. Folk see what what they want to see, to me it's pathetic the versions folk concoct in their heads when it is all there plain to see. Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser, whether it be Ham, Alonso, Vettel whoever, it's that simple, make all the excuses you want, but to me that is a fact in my book.
I don't need to, it goes without saying, the dream team was built round him from the get-go, you knew that didn't you!.
exactly. with alonso there's always a scandal and he's always the first to turn everyone in to save his own hide.
