- 27 Feb 08, 18:14#34021
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
From autosport.com:
Prost: driver aids ban to help Hamilton
By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, February 27th 2008, 11:47 GMT
Four-time champion Alain Prost believes Lewis Hamilton will benefit from the lack of driving aids this year because of his "phenomenal" talent.
Hamilton enjoyed a sensational debut season with McLaren in 2007, going on to finish as runner-up in the championship, just one point behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
The so-called driver aids, such as traction control, have been banned from this year, and Prost believes that will only help Hamilton shine more.
"This year electronic aids will disappear so life will get harder for the drivers," Prost was quoted as saying by Autosprint magazine.
"But I'm convinced of one thing: contrary to what could be thought, Hamilton will draw an advantage from this change, and you know why? Because he's phenomenal.
"Last year he did something exceptional, but not so much for his performances, which were fantastic anyway. He was twice exceptional at a psychological level: first in the way he put up with the pressure of his debut, and then for the way he put up with the ever-increasing pressure for a season that went on until the last GP and with all the mess that had happened.
"Can you imagine? A rookie that resisted until the last race before giving up. And after all, let me tell you one thing: before starting winning championships, I lost some too, if you can remember that. But then, when I started..."
The Frenchman warned Hamilton, however, that new teammate Heikki Kovalainen will be hard to overshadow.
He added: "It's hard to make predictions about the drivers, but it's easier with the teams. It will be a fight between Ferrari and McLaren again, that's evident now already. Surprises are unlikely from this point of view.
"As for the drivers everything will be much more uncertain. Hamilton must not be complacent, as Kovalainen will certainly be a very tough cookie. With regards to the championship, the Finn looks definitely dangerous."
From ITV.com/f1:
Stewart: '08 could be harder for Lewis
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008, 12:41
Click to enlarge
Triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart thinks Lewis Hamilton's second year in Formula 1 could prove tougher than his sensational debut season.
Hamilton came within a single point of becoming F1's first ever rookie champion in 2007, but Stewart thinks he might find it hard to live up to his fans' expectations this year.
"It's not unusual for a new grand prix driver like Lewis to struggle a bit in the second season, because he is no longer an unknown quantity," Stewart told The Herald newspaper.
"He is in the position where people are expecting him to win every race he starts, and although I have no doubt that he will be competitive, I wonder whether he will have the car to take on Ferrari in 2008.
"It's a curious thing: Lewis will think he can nail this year's championship, because he came so close last time around, but that can make you push too hard, and, before you know it, little things can start going wrong which make the difference."
Stewart reckons that McLaren's turbulent 2007 season, wracked by the spying scandal and the tension between drivers Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, will affect its 2008 efforts.
"It doesn't help that McLaren have suffered so much disruption as a consequence of the FIA's investigations," he said.
"Team manager Ron Dennis' position has been threatened, he has lost the services of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso who has gone back to Renault, and now he has to try and refocus with a couple of youngsters in Lewis and Heikki Kovalainen.
"I know that McLaren will insist it is business as usual, but they have had to deal with all kinds of external issues, including the racist abuse which Lewis faced in Barcelona and, no matter how professional you aim to be, these matters all deflect a team from their prime concern, which is putting together the best car.
"McLaren, at the moment, are under scrutiny in everything they do and everywhere they go.
"So they really need to keep their heads down and concentrate exclusively on racing affairs in the months ahead if they are to improve on 2007.
"All McLaren's difficulties caught up with them in the last two GPs and they allowed the opportunity to slip away.
"I wouldn't write them off, but it might be hard to build up that momentum again."
Stewart also wonders if the arrival of fellow young gun Kovalainen at McLaren will put Hamilton under pressure.
"None of this changes my opinion that Lewis Hamilton is an extremely talented young man, who has the ability and the attributes to win the F1 title, but a lot of factors have changed this season and Kovalainen's arrival at McLaren could mean that the shoe is on the other foot," he said.
"Suddenly, here is another bright-eyed, bushy-tailed contender and, if Heikki makes a good start in the first few races, the publicity and press attention might revolve round him."
Stewart says nothing really about Hamilton's skills and nothing at all about the reduction in driver aids. However, I agree with Prost and think Hamilton has the ability to do just as well if not better.
Interestingly, both legends mention mental fitness. I agree fully with Prost and think it has not been mentioned enough that Hamilton's real strength last year was his mental stamina. Alonso, as he often does when the going gets though, lost his head, making a lot of mistakes which cost him. Hamilton, buy and large, did little wrong all season: he had a minor accident in practice at Monaco, perhaps the pressure did get to him at the British Grand Prix, and he made that foolish move in Brazil, but apart from those, he held things together very well, without any experience. Equipped with that experience, he will know how to handle the pressure of, say, his home Grand Prix and keeping calm when winning a title becomes more tough, and small pieces of race craft, for instance, not belting it into a wet pit lane when your tyres have had it. Overall, I would be inclined to agree more with Prost and think Hamilton will be stronger next season. I also agree with both about Kovalainen. He took a while to settle in and learn a very tough to drive Renault and when he did, drove very well. He will be a good driver and will more than keep Hamilton on his toes.
Prost: driver aids ban to help Hamilton
By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, February 27th 2008, 11:47 GMT
Four-time champion Alain Prost believes Lewis Hamilton will benefit from the lack of driving aids this year because of his "phenomenal" talent.
Hamilton enjoyed a sensational debut season with McLaren in 2007, going on to finish as runner-up in the championship, just one point behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
The so-called driver aids, such as traction control, have been banned from this year, and Prost believes that will only help Hamilton shine more.
"This year electronic aids will disappear so life will get harder for the drivers," Prost was quoted as saying by Autosprint magazine.
"But I'm convinced of one thing: contrary to what could be thought, Hamilton will draw an advantage from this change, and you know why? Because he's phenomenal.
"Last year he did something exceptional, but not so much for his performances, which were fantastic anyway. He was twice exceptional at a psychological level: first in the way he put up with the pressure of his debut, and then for the way he put up with the ever-increasing pressure for a season that went on until the last GP and with all the mess that had happened.
"Can you imagine? A rookie that resisted until the last race before giving up. And after all, let me tell you one thing: before starting winning championships, I lost some too, if you can remember that. But then, when I started..."
The Frenchman warned Hamilton, however, that new teammate Heikki Kovalainen will be hard to overshadow.
He added: "It's hard to make predictions about the drivers, but it's easier with the teams. It will be a fight between Ferrari and McLaren again, that's evident now already. Surprises are unlikely from this point of view.
"As for the drivers everything will be much more uncertain. Hamilton must not be complacent, as Kovalainen will certainly be a very tough cookie. With regards to the championship, the Finn looks definitely dangerous."
From ITV.com/f1:
Stewart: '08 could be harder for Lewis
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008, 12:41
Click to enlarge
Triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart thinks Lewis Hamilton's second year in Formula 1 could prove tougher than his sensational debut season.
Hamilton came within a single point of becoming F1's first ever rookie champion in 2007, but Stewart thinks he might find it hard to live up to his fans' expectations this year.
"It's not unusual for a new grand prix driver like Lewis to struggle a bit in the second season, because he is no longer an unknown quantity," Stewart told The Herald newspaper.
"He is in the position where people are expecting him to win every race he starts, and although I have no doubt that he will be competitive, I wonder whether he will have the car to take on Ferrari in 2008.
"It's a curious thing: Lewis will think he can nail this year's championship, because he came so close last time around, but that can make you push too hard, and, before you know it, little things can start going wrong which make the difference."
Stewart reckons that McLaren's turbulent 2007 season, wracked by the spying scandal and the tension between drivers Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, will affect its 2008 efforts.
"It doesn't help that McLaren have suffered so much disruption as a consequence of the FIA's investigations," he said.
"Team manager Ron Dennis' position has been threatened, he has lost the services of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso who has gone back to Renault, and now he has to try and refocus with a couple of youngsters in Lewis and Heikki Kovalainen.
"I know that McLaren will insist it is business as usual, but they have had to deal with all kinds of external issues, including the racist abuse which Lewis faced in Barcelona and, no matter how professional you aim to be, these matters all deflect a team from their prime concern, which is putting together the best car.
"McLaren, at the moment, are under scrutiny in everything they do and everywhere they go.
"So they really need to keep their heads down and concentrate exclusively on racing affairs in the months ahead if they are to improve on 2007.
"All McLaren's difficulties caught up with them in the last two GPs and they allowed the opportunity to slip away.
"I wouldn't write them off, but it might be hard to build up that momentum again."
Stewart also wonders if the arrival of fellow young gun Kovalainen at McLaren will put Hamilton under pressure.
"None of this changes my opinion that Lewis Hamilton is an extremely talented young man, who has the ability and the attributes to win the F1 title, but a lot of factors have changed this season and Kovalainen's arrival at McLaren could mean that the shoe is on the other foot," he said.
"Suddenly, here is another bright-eyed, bushy-tailed contender and, if Heikki makes a good start in the first few races, the publicity and press attention might revolve round him."
Stewart says nothing really about Hamilton's skills and nothing at all about the reduction in driver aids. However, I agree with Prost and think Hamilton has the ability to do just as well if not better.
Interestingly, both legends mention mental fitness. I agree fully with Prost and think it has not been mentioned enough that Hamilton's real strength last year was his mental stamina. Alonso, as he often does when the going gets though, lost his head, making a lot of mistakes which cost him. Hamilton, buy and large, did little wrong all season: he had a minor accident in practice at Monaco, perhaps the pressure did get to him at the British Grand Prix, and he made that foolish move in Brazil, but apart from those, he held things together very well, without any experience. Equipped with that experience, he will know how to handle the pressure of, say, his home Grand Prix and keeping calm when winning a title becomes more tough, and small pieces of race craft, for instance, not belting it into a wet pit lane when your tyres have had it. Overall, I would be inclined to agree more with Prost and think Hamilton will be stronger next season. I also agree with both about Kovalainen. He took a while to settle in and learn a very tough to drive Renault and when he did, drove very well. He will be a good driver and will more than keep Hamilton on his toes.
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
)
