Sure he has been quick, but if you put David Coulthard or Nick Heidfeld in the fastest car of the race, wouldn't they be on the podium too? I bet they would. No driver that I can think of has started their F1 career in a top team such as Mclaren or Ferrari. I am not so impressed by Hamilton and I think that he made a foolish, novice mistake by saying he can be world champion in three years. He has no idea if he will be racing in three years, has no idea who will be racing in three years, and has no idea what car he will have in three years. What I am saying is that if it were a young, white French driver he would not be getting the same kind of publicity.
2007-04-08 06:43:12 · 13 answers · asked by Schumacherfan 2 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ Formula One
Yes, I agree totally. In an earlier post I said that if Hamilton was white and Belgian, he would not get much, if any, attention. I am impressed by him, but Nelson Piquet Jnr. was just as good as him in his last season in GP2.
You can add being British to your list. The British press likes to build people up. Of course, there is already an interview where jackie stewart says Hamilton needs to leave Britain! If he does move away and he has one or so bad results, the magazines will let him have it.
He has a top car and great training. What new driver was signed with Mclaren since the age of 13? How many millions of dollars have already gone into his development?
Let's not turn this into a racist response. Pointing out that he is so hyped because of his skin colour does not qualify anyone as a racist. I think most F1 observers will admit that it is a truthful statement.
2007-04-08 10:10:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you mean no driver has started their career in a top F1 team? Lots of drivers have - the most notable being a young, white French Canadian driver by the name of Jacques Villeneuve. He started with Williams which at the time were one of the top teams. He was seen as the new wonderkid and in many ways he was. He had a famous F1 name and he was talented. Granted, Villeneuve had raced in several series including CART and won the CART championship the year before. However I heard Hamilton's name being compared several times in Melbourne with Villeneuve. Like Hamilton, Villeneuve qualified very well (JV qualified 1st) and almost won the race except for an oil leak I believe that meant he could only finish second.
I don't doubt that Hamilton, given the team he's at and the ability he's already shown, could be World Champion within 3 years. Of course it's always a risk to make such a bold claim, but then again Villeneuve managed to accomplish it within 2 years, so the precedent is definitely there.
2007-04-09 13:33:06 · answer #2 · answered by Just Me 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree. Lewis does have a lot of hype around him. Everybody keeps applauding him. He did the job well but people are forgetting that he's driving a MCLAREN (probably the second best car on the grid). Of course he's going to do well and score points. I've seen a lot more talented drivers do well with less superior cars. Case in point Robert Kubica in his debut last year. I thought he did amazingly well in a car that wasn't even competitive. Or even Fernando Alonso who out qualified the Benettons in a Minardi in 2001. Then there's also Jacques case when he almost won the championship in his debut year but lost momentum when he moved to BAR.
I'm not taking anything away from Lewis, obviously the guy is a talented driver. I just think all the hype isn't good. I also think Lewis has what it takes to be a champion... I remember an interview in 2002 when Alonso said he wanted to be the youngest world champion (he went and got it!). I think Lewis has the talent to be champion and he certainly has the machinery that very few young unistablished drivers have. The question is if he is able to be consistent in the long run. And in my opinion consistensy makes world champions.
2007-04-09 18:43:41 · answer #3 · answered by rock b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hamilton's car was not the fastest when Massa was harrassing him in the opening laps. Whatever the pigmentation and press reviews may be, the kid has a racing head and is undaunted by scarlett in the rear view mirror.
Forget the press, see the hour of qualifying and the 90 odd minutes of racing. Thats were you see the heroes and champions and Hamilton is yet to be off the podium.
Now that you have mentioned DC, I remember him ushered in with great fanfare as successor to the legendary Senna. And yet I'd seen him spin out in a formation lap and crash when he came to the pits. DC has had the fastest and the best cars more than any who is racing today, but he never converted them into podiums as Hamilton.
Thats the difference between performance and hype!
2007-04-09 00:08:04 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look, he is actually a very talented driver. In his first race itself, he managed to get on the podium. And now in his second race, he was second. That's pretty impressive!
Nico Rosberg was the sensational, most hyped-about rookie last year and he was good. He set the fastest lap in his debut race and scored two points. Later on, he faded away but it was merely because of the car. In yesterday's race, he had a solid drive UNTIL he suddenly had some car problem and had to retire. What a shame.
So, Lewis IS good but we'll have to keep on monitoring his performance in future races. He's lucky to have a good car. If he keeps up with these type of performances (getting on the podium) I'm sure he could even win a race this year!!
The other rookies might be good too. But maybe it's just their cars that causes them the chance to shine.
2007-04-08 20:08:17 · answer #5 · answered by , 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pedro de la Rosa had the same equipment as Kimi last year but wasn't finishing on the podium like Lewis Hamilton has twice already. The car matters but the driver still counts and Hamilton is a talented driver.
2007-04-09 05:45:41 · answer #6 · answered by paul_mcelligott 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because he`s quick, young ,articulate, and has managed to put himself in the podium for the past two races...
in my opinion being british and colored has nothing to do with his driving...
by the way DC started out with a top team ( Williams with Damon Hill ) when he entered F1...
several young , white french drivers when they started out in F1 ( jean alsesi etc... ) also showed a lot of promise when they started out in F1, some of them became real starsand they also created a lot of hype when they started out
2007-04-09 00:00:54 · answer #7 · answered by Clive Roland 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hamilton is a good driver, fact! Ands its not just about the car, if you dont believe in yourself or if you are not 100% confident in your actions you wont win, he boviously believes in him self. Duno weather he will be a champion in three years but he does have a bright future infront of him
2007-04-08 11:45:02 · answer #8 · answered by dvsrhdr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kubica, Rosberg, Kovalainen had the same or even bigger publicity before the season, but when the season starts only the winners get the publicity..... he was on podium in his two first races in GP.... the kid is crazy talented!!!
2007-04-08 13:15:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you watched today's race in Sepang, Malaysia you would not be asking this question. The lad overtook the two red cars in one lap. He fended off Massa who eventually bit the dust. He thawed the iceman at the end of the race in his faster car. What else must a young man do to earn your respect? Do you want him to bleach his face like Wacko Jacko?
Refresh your mind what happened in the site below
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6525355.stm
2007-04-08 11:29:48 · answer #10 · answered by SAREK 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋