- 16 Mar 09, 21:52#94591
Listen man. I don't know where you think you are posting at, but logic isn't taken too kindly around here when it comes to the wonder boy. So...I want you to go stand in the corner and come back here when you are ready to admit that Hamilton invented car racing and whether or not he ever wins more than one championship...he is still God's second son...come to live amongst us. Now, off to your corner....
Where would we be without Hamilton to love/hate?
God bless him (and then crash him out)
This was in Lewis' rookie year when Alonso was a highly experienced double champion. Bit of a stretch to say this shows that Alonso is faster.
Alright, I'm not going to argue this for long as it is a bit of a losing battle round here.
I feel that in 2007, Hamilton was given every opportunity to win the world title. He was given one of the two most competitive cars (Ferrari had an advantage in some places, McLaren others), the two established best drivers in the field were hobbled in the early races by problems with adjusting their driving styles to the tyres (Kimi and Alonso). He also benefited from the stewards decision in Hungary to demote Alonso down the grid following an issue that should really have been dealt with in house. He also probably should have been thrown out of the WDC given that his car was ruled to be illegal. Whether or not you agree with the FIA's ruling on spygate, if they came to the conclusion that the car is illegal, the drivers should not be allowed to score points in that car. Hamilton also had a healthy slice of the well known Ron Dennis favoritism.
Now Alonso fell foul of internal bickering over number 1 status (which he was right to feel entitled to). He also had to get used to a new team and car and was not allowed as much testing as Hamilton due to him being contractually restricted for the first test sessions. Hamilton would also have been testing with the team before 2006 was even over. The two biggies really are the tyres and the favoritism thing. Firstly the tyres.
Alonso would not have been used to Bridgestone tires let alone how they behaved on a car designed to different principles to his Renaults. The problems Alonso was having with them early on in the season were made to look worse as Hamilton found they actually complemented his driving style. During testing in 2006, Hamilton was nowhere on the Michelins, so far off the pace, he wouldn't have got the race seat if Michelin weren't pulling out. On the Bridgestones however, he was very fast. Alonso was in fact faster and more consistent on his bogey tires (Bridgestones) than Hamilton was on Michelins. This led to a weakening of Alonso's position in the team at the start of the season and led to a deterioration in relations between him and the team. But the odds were already in Hamilton's favour on that one.
Alonso is a reserved, private individual who did not warm to the McLaren environment quickly. Hamilton was already right at home. Ron Dennis has always failed to keep his personal feelings about drivers separate from the business of racing. Just listen to Coulthard speak about when he was there with Hakkinen.
Overall, in equal cars, Hamilton and Alonso finished the season on the same points. A mighty impressive debut season but still, Alonso had more going against him that season than Hamilton.
I don't particularly like Alonso, in fact he was 'the enemy' going into 2007 as he had seen off my 2 favourite drivers for the previous years' titles. However, for me over the past 2 seasons he has demonstrated that he is the best all round driver in F1.
I think I actually prefer Hamilton and I was ecstatic to see him win the title last season but for me Alonso is a cut above atm
Listen man. I don't know where you think you are posting at, but logic isn't taken too kindly around here when it comes to the wonder boy. So...I want you to go stand in the corner and come back here when you are ready to admit that Hamilton invented car racing and whether or not he ever wins more than one championship...he is still God's second son...come to live amongst us. Now, off to your corner....
Where would we be without Hamilton to love/hate?
God bless him (and then crash him out)
- By darwin dali