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[McLaren Fan]

Pretty similar I imagine. He's closest to Hammy on talent

I rate RK higher than LH for two reasons: raw speed and fewer mistakes.

To be honest, I'm not sure there's an accurate way of telling who is the fastest. Hamilton has shown he can be blindingly fast, using the curbs well (albeit he is helped by the McLaren's excellent ability to ride them), and drives scarily close to barriers and walls to use as much of the track as is possible. Kubica is the only other driver out of the new batch of youngsters who also does that. At the moment, Kubica is the better of the two, but Hamilton's performances are not good enough at the minute because of his mistakes, inexperience and bad advice (mainly from his father), but those things can be ironed out or changed.

[Chop1]

It is hard to say who the best out there. we cannot base our opinions on most race wins, points leader etc. Why? Because cars win races, not drivers skill. Mclaren v Force India for example. Doesnt matter who you put in each car the Mclaren would always win.

So how do you tell a good driver? A good driver is someone who out shines his team mate. Lewis over Kova, Alonso over Piquet, Webber over Coulthard and so on.

[Mikep99]

Some good advice from Jackie I think

Stewart calls on Hamilton to be 'deflated' as bubble bursts

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/stewart-calls-on-hamilton-to-be-deflated-as-bubble-bursts-856506.html

Everybody has an opinion of what Lewis Hamilton is cur-rently doing wrong, just as last year everyone had an opinion about what he was doing right. But when the man expressing an opinion is Sir Jackie Stewart – ahead of next week's British Grand Prix, which will be a critical event for Hamilton – you tend to listen more keenly.
Not just because Stewart has won more than four times as many races as Britain's brown-eyed boy, nor because he is three World Championships up on him. But because of all the greats, it is Stewart whom Hamilton most resembles, and along whose lines he could most profitably mould his own career. He is not the next Jackie Stewart, but the first Lewis Hamilton. Yet that doesn't mean that he, or his father and manager Anthony, cannot look and learn.
The Scot has always been a great role model. Like Hamilton he won in his first season in 1965 as team-mate to the infinitely more experienced champion Graham Hill. But crucially, he was shrewd enough to know what Hamilton didn't know.
In 1968, Hill beat him to the world crown after a season-long fight. But for a scaphoid injury, Stewart would probably have won it. But he was sufficiently astute to admit: "I was not ready at that time in my life to have done justice to winning the World Championship. I just wasn't ready for it and all the pressures it brought."
A year later he was, and he dominated in Ken Tyrrell's Matra Ford. In 1971 and 1973 he was similarly the yardstick. Besides a preternaturally calm demeanour – he likened his mood on race day to a deflated balloon – he was the master of mind management.
"I was one of the first to start using the term," Stewart says. "I believe it was one of the single most important ingredients that I had as a racing driver. Denis Jenkinson was one of my most fervent critics – he called me a 'milk and water' racer – yet he once wrote that I was a great driver but the problem was that there was no passion there.
"I was clinical. It was one of the greatest compliments he could have paid me. I had worked out that the biggest enemy I had was emotion. Whenever I did not control emotion I lost the plot. I failed to get the very best out of the car and myself."
It's interesting to consider that when you hear Hamilton talking after last weekend's French Grand Prix, his second race in a row without points, which left him trailing new series leader and race winner Felipe Massa by 10 points. Last year Hamilton was the glacier as Fernando Alonso came unglued.
When Hamilton says after the race: "I'm still here, there's nothing you can do to get me out of it. I have no worries about how far behind I am. Kimi [Raikkonen] was 17 points behind and still won last year. I could be 20 points behind, I don't care, I'll still come back," you sense in his understandable defensiveness the child in the man screaming defiance into a high wind.
"Lewis is already world famous, thanks to the amazing opportunity he was given last year, and the incredible skill with which he took advantage of it," Stewart says. "He's experiencing both the privilege and the penalty of celebrity. He's excited the media so much, and now some people are starting to feel let down. But we should remember that Lewis has only been in F1 for 15 months. He's not the finished article yet – and it's wrong to think that he should be. He might not like to hear this but he has a fundamental lack of experience at the top of the sport. If he asked my advice, I'd say, 'Take your time, and don't expect too much of yourself'.
"I know because I've been there myself. I had a big accident in my second year, which I was lucky to survive. Over the next few years I changed: I gained experience, which gave me knowledge, which in turn enabled me to deliver."
It remains to be seen whether Hamilton can do that for his fans next weekend, but it won't be for lack of trying. What 2008 has shown is he has yet to master the knack of not over-trying.

[racechick]

Pretty similar I imagine. He's closest to Hammy on talent

I rate RK higher than LH for two reasons: raw speed and fewer mistakes.

To be honest, I'm not sure there's an accurate way of telling who is the fastest. Hamilton has shown he can be blindingly fast, using the curbs well (albeit he is helped by the McLaren's excellent ability to ride them), and drives scarily close to barriers and walls to use as much of the track as is possible. Kubica is the only other driver out of the new batch of youngsters who also does that. At the moment, Kubica is the better of the two, but Hamilton's performances are not good enough at the minute because of his mistakes, inexperience and bad advice (mainly from his father), but those things can be ironed out or changed.

Kimi should be making less mistakes, he's way more experienced.

Robert is making less mistakes-yes, he is not under the pressure Lewis is under. He has exceeded expectation, he is as Lewis was last year. Yes also Robert flirts with kerbs and walls like Lewis but slightly less outrageously as was seen in Monacco.
What I bang on about with Lewis is his potential to be one of the best ever. I know he makes mistakes, is confident bordering on arrogant, gets it wrong with the press, has a dad that annoys people.But these things can be sorted or are less crucial to success than raw talent. You cannot learn raw talent. He has the raw speed, confidence, incredible car control for catching slide and an amazing ability to pick up places off the grid. He cant put all that into practise in his second year without mistakes. With experience the mistakes will lessen and then we will see what he can do.
Of the title contenders Massa has made 2 crucial mistakes, Kimi 2, Lewis 3 and Robert none (but he is not under the same pressure). So Lewis is not so far off his more experienced contenders in the mistakes department.

[billindenver]

Pretty similar I imagine. He's closest to Hammy on talent

I rate RK higher than LH for two reasons: raw speed and fewer mistakes.

To be honest, I'm not sure there's an accurate way of telling who is the fastest. Hamilton has shown he can be blindingly fast, using the curbs well (albeit he is helped by the McLaren's excellent ability to ride them), and drives scarily close to barriers and walls to use as much of the track as is possible. Kubica is the only other driver out of the new batch of youngsters who also does that. At the moment, Kubica is the better of the two, but Hamilton's performances are not good enough at the minute because of his mistakes, inexperience and bad advice (mainly from his father), but those things can be ironed out or changed.

Kimi should be making less mistakes, he's way more experienced.

Robert is making less mistakes-yes, he is not under the pressure Lewis is under. He has exceeded expectation, he is as Lewis was last year. Yes also Robert flirts with kerbs and walls like Lewis but slightly less outrageously as was seen in Monacco.
What I bang on about with Lewis is his potential to be one of the best ever. I know he makes mistakes, is confident bordering on arrogant, gets it wrong with the press, has a dad that annoys people.But these things can be sorted or are less crucial to success than raw talent. You cannot learn raw talent. He has the raw speed, confidence, incredible car control for catching slide and an amazing ability to pick up places off the grid. He cant put all that into practise in his second year without mistakes. With experience the mistakes will lessen and then we will see what he can do.
Of the title contenders Massa has made 2 crucial mistakes, Kimi 2, Lewis 3 and Robert none (but he is not under the same pressure). So Lewis is not so far off his more experienced contenders in the mistakes department.

Ok, I have to ask. What experience are you basing these assertions that there is less pressure on one driver than there is on Lewis? Have you ever competed, on a professional level, in any sport whatsoever? What in the world makes you think a guy who is in the hunt for the championship, but driving a car known to be lessor than his competitors is under less pressure than the very well funded, very well supported guy at the front? What leads you to believe that starting 4 rows back is less pressure than starting from the front? Where do you derive the belief that Lewis is under all of this pressure while everyone else is lounging about at the pub laughing with their team?

I have competed at a professional level (not F1 for certain). I have been at the front riding a wave of fantastic sponsors and I have been in the middle wondering where the money for that next motor is going to come from and I'll tell you one thing for absolute certain....the outside pressure is higher when you are reaching for the top than when you are on it. Sure, there is self induced pressure to STAY on top, and your sponsors certainly wish that too but no more so than they push you to get there in the first place. At least in my experience racing two strokes on two wheels. Perhaps your experience has differed...lets hear it.

I will give you one example of the differing pressure from starting midpack and expected to get to the front and starting at the front expected to stay there. The performance of your Lewis when starting from Pole and leading the entire race...how many mistakes did he make? Now, put that same driver in that same car running the same lap times as the Ferrari in the lead...BUT put him 10 places back and start him mid grid...how many mistakes did he make then?

Your repeated assertions that Lewis is under more pressure than Robert, Alonso, hell...even Button are simply rediculous. He is under the same pressure and is not taking it as well. As he matures he will either learn to cope, or he won't.

[bud]

I think racechick was implying the pressure of expectation you cant say Robert Kubica and BMWSauber were expected to be fighting for the championship heading into the season let alone half way through the year. While after last year only losing out by 1 point the pressure was on for Lewis to repeat if not beat his rookie year!
Robert has just had an interview posted on the F1.com website where he is quoted as saying "I feel more like a ‘David’ against lots of ‘Goliaths’." in Lewis, Kimi and Felipe.
though one thing for Robert is the pressure building from Poland with his popularity rising with every strong result

[billindenver]

I'm sorry, but I do not believe any team spending hundreds of millions of dollars to put a racing driver at or even near the front is lacking in pressure. Lewis' expectations to improve are no more so than Kubica's or Alonso's or Button's or Trully's or Kova's or Ruben's or damn this could go on forever. It is wholesale rediculous to believe any driver on the grid is under any more pressure than any other. It has been reported that Scott Speeds team boss used to push his drivers around and get physical with them if he didn't believe they were perfect....not much pressure there. Massa was getting abused in the press far worse than Lewis is...not much pressure at Ferrari to win, surely.

The fact is Lewis is the darling of his team, the darling of his country and driving a car from the beginning of this F1 career that is capable of winning a championship. The truth in that is he has had it pretty easy and instead of Man'ing up and taking some credit for the problems of his driving, he finds an excuse and blames someone else. And as is typically the case, his fans follow his lead.

[cap-dude]

Well to be honest, Kubica is next superstar driver. Like Senna and Schuy were.
Lewis lately has just become cocky, and not only that, the amount of pressure from the british press is piling up. Of course, while Lewis is coming out saying "its not getting to me", it clearly is, or else he wouldn't feel the need to comment on it or respond to it.

Interesting though he mentioned a picking order for all the drivers, considering its impossible to tell how well Vettel would do in a Ferrari, or how well Kimi would preform in a Force India.

[EwanM]

Everytime that flag's unfurled, they're coming to America!

[racechick]

Pretty similar I imagine. He's closest to Hammy on talent

I rate RK higher than LH for two reasons: raw speed and fewer mistakes.

To be honest, I'm not sure there's an accurate way of telling who is the fastest. Hamilton has shown he can be blindingly fast, using the curbs well (albeit he is helped by the McLaren's excellent ability to ride them), and drives scarily close to barriers and walls to use as much of the track as is possible. Kubica is the only other driver out of the new batch of youngsters who also does that. At the moment, Kubica is the better of the two, but Hamilton's performances are not good enough at the minute because of his mistakes, inexperience and bad advice (mainly from his father), but those things can be ironed out or changed.

Kimi should be making less mistakes, he's way more experienced.

Robert is making less mistakes-yes, he is not under the pressure Lewis is under. He has exceeded expectation, he is as Lewis was last year. Yes also Robert flirts with kerbs and walls like Lewis but slightly less outrageously as was seen in Monacco.
What I bang on about with Lewis is his potential to be one of the best ever. I know he makes mistakes, is confident bordering on arrogant, gets it wrong with the press, has a dad that annoys people.But these things can be sorted or are less crucial to success than raw talent. You cannot learn raw talent. He has the raw speed, confidence, incredible car control for catching slide and an amazing ability to pick up places off the grid. He cant put all that into practise in his second year without mistakes. With experience the mistakes will lessen and then we will see what he can do.
Of the title contenders Massa has made 2 crucial mistakes, Kimi 2, Lewis 3 and Robert none (but he is not under the same pressure). So Lewis is not so far off his more experienced contenders in the mistakes department.

Ok, I have to ask. What experience are you basing these assertions that there is less pressure on one driver than there is on Lewis? Have you ever competed, on a professional level, in any sport whatsoever? What in the world makes you think a guy who is in the hunt for the championship, but driving a car known to be lessor than his competitors is under less pressure than the very well funded, very well supported guy at the front? What leads you to believe that starting 4 rows back is less pressure than starting from the front? Where do you derive the belief that Lewis is under all of this pressure while everyone else is lounging about at the pub laughing with their team?

I have competed at a professional level (not F1 for certain). I have been at the front riding a wave of fantastic sponsors and I have been in the middle wondering where the money for that next motor is going to come from and I'll tell you one thing for absolute certain....the outside pressure is higher when you are reaching for the top than when you are on it. Sure, there is self induced pressure to STAY on top, and your sponsors certainly wish that too but no more so than they push you to get there in the first place. At least in my experience racing two strokes on two wheels. Perhaps your experience has differed...lets hear it.

I will give you one example of the differing pressure from starting midpack and expected to get to the front and starting at the front expected to stay there. The performance of your Lewis when starting from Pole and leading the entire race...how many mistakes did he make? Now, put that same driver in that same car running the same lap times as the Ferrari in the lead...BUT put him 10 places back and start him mid grid...how many mistakes did he make then?

Your repeated assertions that Lewis is under more pressure than Robert, Alonso, hell...even Button are simply rediculous. He is under the same pressure and is not taking it as well. As he matures he will either learn to cope, or he won't.

Its as Bud says above. I'll explain further. Take other drivers out of the equation. just look at Lewis (and he's not "my Lewis"by the way).Last year he was under less pressure than this year because he had exceedd expectation. this year the only place to go is down unless he wins the championship. Do you understand now??? Now Ive never raced in F1 but ive ben watching it foe lng enough. Back to Kubica , I hardly think he will be wondering where next weeks race money is coming from. This is BMW

[EwanM]

ur lewis?

[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

Lewis Hamilton admits he is worried about the negative media reports that are being written about him.

The McLaren driver has made a couple of on-track mistakes of late, but he has taken issue with the way journalists - who generally praised him so highly a year ago - have reported his less impressive second season on the F1 grid.

"Whatever has been said in the papers -- I just hope that they aren't throwing vegetables at me because of what's happened in the last few races," he said in Britain's Sunday Times, whilst contemplating a sell-out crowd for his home British Grand Prix at Silverstone next week.

"For sure they're going to be disappointed about the last couple of races, just as the team are, but there's no need to be angry -- and I'm sure some of the things that are said in the papers do make them angry," Hamilton, 23, added.

"I'm on form, I'm not driving into walls. The reason I'm so quick is because I'm pushing my car, and the car is great, the team's doing a good job, and I think I'm extracting a lot from it. That's all I can do," he said.

Hamilton was penalised twice for driving infractions by FIA stewards at the last two Grand Prix, in which he failed to score any championship points.


Martin Brundle, the astute British F1 pundit who formerly raced for McLaren amongst other teams, wrote in his newspaper column on Sunday that Hamilton is "misguided" in "waging a war with the media."

"That's a battle he will lose horribly," the 49-year-old predicts.

"(The press) will work with you, but it's reciprocal, and they are better friends than enemies. An angry driver will always drive like Lewis did in Magny-Cours; overaggressively bouncing off the kerbs and sliding around grabbing half-chances to overtake," Brundle said.

Veteran F1 racer David Coulthard, to the Daily Telegraph, said: "Lewis has got to be careful because it's never going to be plain sailing."

It could also be argued that Hamilton has invited criticism by his recent off-track exploits; like nervously introducing an act at the huge Nelson Mandela concert on Friday.

The press also poked fun this weekend when he was involved in yet "another crash" during a celebrity appearance on a racing yacht, and on Tuesday in Amsterdam he will be unveiled as the new multi-millionaire 'face' of the sports brand Reebok.

Although the press have criticised him at times for his driving this season, they've also begun to pick up his arrogant personality.

[EwanM]

Let's see if people like this.
From the makers of Max Mosley: The Scandal

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2906_le ... yboy.shtml

'Lewis Hamilton is a loner.. scoffing chocolate and playing games'
From Phil Taylor in Barbados.
Photos and video by Bradley Page

LEWIS Hamilton’s Miss World beauty last night revealed she has DUMPED the Formula One ace—for romancing a Pussycat Dolls babe.

Vivian Burkhardt thought multi-millionaire Lewis was the man of her dreams after he INVITED her from Grenada to his tax-haven home in Switzerland.

Then he FLEW her by private jet to the Cannes Film Festival, PARADED her on the red carpet at a film premiere and SHARED her bed in the luxury five-star Carlton Hotel.

But Vivian, 22, wasn’t ready for umpalumpa. And just a week later Lewis left her devastated by celebrating his historic Monaco Grand Prix win. . . cuddling up to gorgeous pop singer Nicole Scherzinger.

Vivian said last night: “As far as I’m concerned our relationship’s over. If he’d had true feelings for me he wouldn’t have done that. I feel let down.”

Now, as the playboy race ace prepares for next weekend’s British Grand Prix, shattered Vivian—who represented Grenada in Miss World last year—has broken her silence about their whirlwind romance. And she reveals the sad, lonely secrets of Hamilton’s jet-set lifestyle.

As Lewis, 23, and Nicole, 29, were snapped out on the town again on Friday, Vivian sighed: “I can’t believe he’s done this to me.

“After we were pictured arm-in-arm at Cannes suddenly the whole world knew me as Lewis’s girlfriend. My mum was convinced he was THE one and had dreams of us getting married.

“But days after Lewis got into bed with me he was pictured cosying up to Nicole in Monaco. I was very disappointed. I thought he could have shown me a little more respect.

“It looked like he was playing me. And I felt the world was laughing at me. He called me soon after and has been in touch almost every day since but I don’t even want to talk to him about it.

“But if Nicole thinks life with Lewis is going to be all fun in the fast lane she’s in for a shock.”

Vivian then revealed the sad truth behind F1 hero Hamilton’s glittering world—he’s really a lonely Lewis No-Mates.

With his new £65 million McLaren contract and £10 million sponsorship he’s set to race past David Beckham as Britain’s highest-paid sports star. But green-eyed medical student Vivian told us: “His life away from the track is far from glamorous. Despite his huge wealth, I hate his lifestyle and feel desperately sorry for him.

“There he is in Switzerland where he has no friends, no family, just this amazing four-bedroom flat in the richest part of the city—but it’s simply big and empty.

“It’s such a boring place he just spends his spare time playing Formula One PlayStation games over the internet with his 15-year-old brother Nic back home in England. I’m not sure who won when I was there but they were very competitive. The rest of the time he’s texting friends who are miles away all over the world.

“Lewis told me how hard it was living in Geneva all alone. He said there’s nothing to do and he doesn’t know anyone. I know he’s bored and unhappy and would like to move.

“But he stays because it’s the one place he’s not constantly recognised or approached. And, of course, it’s a tax haven that’s saving him millions.

“But how cheap is that, to not live with your family just to get out of paying tax? Money certainly hasn’t bought Lewis happiness.” The cold truth dawned on Vivian soon after she landed in Geneva last month and Lewis picked her up in his black Mercedes G-Wagen.

They had met in Grenada, home of Lewis’s grandad, in February when the F1 star was being honoured at an awards ceremony.

Lewis was smitten, asked for her phone number and started texting in earnest. On their first date over drinks at his hotel he told Vivian: “You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.”

She said: “It was clear he had the hots for me and my heart began to flutter. But I kept my cool. I told him I was a focused person just like him, was taking a degree and wanted to become a doctor. He was impressed that I had brains AND beauty. I thought he looked like a little boy, very quiet. But he was cute and handsome and there was an instant chemistry between us. After Lewis flew out he started messaging me on a daily basis and one day asked, ‘What are you doing on May 18th?’

“He told me George Lucas had invited him to the Indiana Jones premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and asked if I’d like to go with him as his special guest.

“I was really excited. I couldn’t believe it. I told him I was a bit scared because I hardly knew him. But Lewis said, ‘Don’t worry. I’m a gentleman.’

“And all my friends told me, ‘Go, go, go!’ So I flew to Geneva.

“Lewis drove me to his apartment. It’s on two floors—upstairs is his bedroom, a bathroom and his walk-in closet. Downstairs is the kitchen, more bedrooms, a living room and balcony over the lake.

“But it feels so cold and empty. It’s only part furnished. Lewis has pictures of his family but hasn’t put them up on the wall yet. They’re just lying on the floor. It badly needs a woman’s touch.

“I asked if there were any clubs to go to. But he said there was only one and it was full of teenagers.

“During his spare time Lewis just goes training for two hours, then has a massage to clear his mind, then back to online games with Nic.

“Lewis took me to an Indian restaurant for dinner. I drank wine but he didn’t touch any alcohol. He just loved tucking into his chicken curry.

“Back at his flat he showed me his big bed and asked, ‘Where would you like to sleep? If you’d like to sleep in my bed you could!’

“We looked at each other and there was a real vibe between us. I lay down on the bed and it was very comfortable. But after chatting I got up and went to sleep in the spare room.

“The next day Lewis flew me across the Alps on a private jet to Cannes. All eight seats were made of leather and there was a fridge stocked with champagne.

“But he ignored the bottles and took out a big bar of chocolate instead. He loves chocolate and we both gobbled it up!

“As we landed at a private airport the paparazzi descended. We were picked up and taken to the Carlton Hotel.

“As we were driven on to the premiere Lewis was incredibly nervous. He completely forgot how famous HE was and acted just like an ordinary starstruck lad, which I found sweet.

“Then, as we stepped on the red carpet, he told me, ‘You hold on to me. We’ll make headlines tomorrow.’

“As we walked in front of all the cameramen it was like a dream. I felt so honoured and so special. Lewis played the perfect gentleman all night. Later on we went back to his room where he told me I could have his bed and he’d sleep on the couch.

“But then I discovered he didn’t have a couch, so he got in the bed with me—wearing his tracksuit.

“He tried to kiss me, but I turned my head away and he caught me on the cheek. It’s not that I didn’t want to kiss him but I was worried where it would lead. I knew he fancied me and I’d fallen for him. But I’ve only had one other boyfriend and didn’t want to rush it.

“Lewis was clearly very disappointed. He just rolled to the other side of the bed and fell asleep.”

But Vivian was woken in the night —by Lewis talking in his dreams.

“He wasn’t talking about me, or our fairtyale evening,” she said. “He was chatting about Formula One! In his dream he was being interviewed about a race and I heard him say ‘BMW overtaking’. I don’t know if he won but he sounded very excited.

“Although he was very disappointed at how the evening ended Lewis took me for lunch after we flew back to Geneva the next day.

“And he was clearly sad when I flew off and left him alone in his apartment. I felt sad too but we had plans to meet again in June and July.

“We’re still in touch and I want to remain friends. But after what’s happened with Nicole, no more than that. Maybe he thought he really liked me a lot—before I refused to have umpalumpa with him. And then he changed his mind.

“If that’s how it is I’m very happy it’s turned out this way. It’s clear he wants Nicole more than me.”

Soz guys if this doesn't go own well. But you can't say everyone was blowing it when the NOTW gave us the exclusive on Mr Mosley

[Denthúl]

That's an interesting insight, if it's true, and perhaps explains why he says and does some of these things. If it's the case that he's alone over there, bored and with nothing to do, maybe he should come back to England. Hell, I know we have a pretty horrendous tax-rate, but I'd gladly give up over 50% of my earnings to be with friends and family and actually enjoy life away from my profession (which, unlike Lewis, I do not have the luxury of enjoying every time I take to my seat).

I think it's also interesting to compare that with the man who most people seem to be comparing him to at the moment: Kubica. I remember, in a press conference, that Kubica said something along the lines of: "Just give me a roof over my head and food to eat and I'll be happy." I imagine that's because his lifestyle is a stark contrast to what's been written here. No doubt he's surrounded by friends and family at all times and has the luxury of being able to drive for less than an hour to see them (does he still live in Poland?).

Like I said, if it's true, then it is very, very interesting indeed...

[Jensonb]

One could easily suggest much of her tail is BS or being told a certain way as it were, but I can believe the stuff about him being lonely over there. Certainly the stuff about passing the time playing games with his brother is believable