Is Lewis Hamilton the greatest of all time, why or why not?

His assessment was class based.

 

To balance things out ?

 

A "Legend" is not made of numbers of stats and wins, but from something else: "this is the Stuff that Dreams are made of", as they say in the "Maltese Falcon" (1941).
If a Legend was built on numbers, then Gilles Villeneuve would never have become a Legend.

Rgds

 

I’m talking about 20 races in a season versus six with a high mortality rate and poor reliability.

 

Is Hamilton the GOAT in F1, impossible to compare across eras. If you were to try and force rank drivers across history then yes he is absolutely in contention for GOAT along with Clark, Fangio, Prost, Senna, Stewart, and even Schumacher. Comparing Schumacher and Hamilton alone? Easy. Hamilton beats Schumacher hands down in large part due to the fact Schumacher, despite being an awesome human away from the car, was a dangerous, unsportsmanlike driver who should have been thrown out of the sport. Also one of his WDC's was in an admittedly illegal car (although I promise we didn't use the hidden traction control we claimed we didn't have!!). While people on this site whine and complain about the cars Hamilton has driven, they ignore the era when FIA stood for Ferrari International Assistance around the turn of the century. Finally, while no one can complain about the drivers Hamilton has had to overcome and beat, I would argue there was less top line competition for Schumacher in the early 00's. I mean other than Schumacher and Hakkinen and possibly Villeneive until he ended up in the crap BAR, who was a real top line driver at that time until Alonso came on the scene? I'm sorry I just can't count Coulthard, Ralf, Rubens, Hill or Herbert as true top top line multi time capable WDC's. Sure there were some great racers at the time any one of whom could have won a WDC or two in the right car. I like and think were underrated, inc. Hill, but true world dominating drivers year after year? Nope.

 

Yeah, get a load of Anakin Skywalker over here!

 

Sorry, I'll pass on the one: Joker. Matter of History, herirage of generations; being born where I was born, Germans juggernaut storming over everything still left me with a bitter taste.
(As my Dad used to say: I shall never, ever buy a german car, it will benefit their industry, and we know what happens to us next. And I have never bought a german car, and will never buy one)
More seriously: a great driver, a forceful driver, but regarding class, well I do harbor reservations. ..

rgdx

 

I used to know a retired Navy physicist whom fought against the Japanese in WWII. He bought the first Honda Civic(Silver) when they came out in the late 70's or early 80's (I forget). He got alotta flak from friends whom were anti-Japanese.
Today, Honda makes cars, SUV's, Pickups, generators, motorcycles, lawnmowers, weedeaters.
Some vices grow old and are in the past.

 

Look up the meaning Legend. Hamilton, Schumacher, Senna, along with others fit the bill better than Gilles. I'm not saying Gilles is not a legend.

 

As predicted: the trolls are out in mass again

 

Schumacher, Senna and definitely Gilles are legends, forever.
Hamilton will never be a legend, even if he'd win 20 x WDC. The guy has zero charisma, zeron personality.
He's just an extremely fast guy in a car, that doesn't qualify for Legend.
Maybe if he tries another dress?

 

Agree Hamilton will never be a legend. He is much greater than legend status. He is eternal. Legend status is for peasants.

 

NO

 

I love how @ktu gets everybody going! It is going to be an interesting 2022 season.

 

yet ANOTHER Hamilton thread ?

Hilarious

 

Perhaps, but then again, the other side is always going to criticize, and rightfully so, regarding whatever team whoever is driving for. I was very much aware of Schumacher and Ferrari during those years, but did not begin watching F1 until 2009.

My apologies if I've said anything insulting. The comment regarding those not liking Hamilton for racist reasons was pertaining strictly to here, where I have seen next to no evidence of that motive. Always happy to have a conversation via PM.

 

Sure, but that doesn't make you a legend.
If a man like Enzo Ferrari says that Villeneuve was like a son to him, that means something, that has weight. Together with his driving style, this will make people still talk about him in 50 years.

 

What up with that Tom Brady?...some don't follow that sport so no clue on who he is

 

I wouldn't compare the NFL to F1.

The NFL deals on human physicality.

F1 does too(human physicality) to a certain degree BUT it's more about machinery currently and driving race-craft.

 

Just about every top team had hidden "traction control" software on their car in 1994. It was literally a few lines of code, pointlessly rudimentary.

And the typical Ferrari International Assistance quip...so tired of that old moniker thrown around by butt hurt brits.