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[Nin-Chin]

Hamilton targets podiums

[clarkeycats]

Hamilton targets podiums

Can't blame them for being optimistic, don't see it myself though.

'Last month, Hamilton's father Anthony explained that he is expecting a minimum of two race victories in 2013, tipping his 27-year-old son to 'surprise a lot of people'.'

[Hammer278]

I'm pretty sure Lewis can come very close to race victories at least, as for achieving them I don't know. But the most important thing is pace in development, if Merc start the season qualifying 0.5s slower than Redbull in Melbourne, they have to at least finish the last qualifying session in Brazil 0.5s slower than Redbull.

[darwin dali]

I'm pretty sure Lewis can come very close to race victories at least, as for achieving them I don't know. But the most important thing is pace in development, if Merc start the season qualifying 0.5s slower than Redbull in Melbourne, they have to at least finish the last qualifying session in Brazil 0.5s slower than Redbull.

Yeah, at least 0.5s in Brazil, better would be 0.9s

[Hammer278]

Lewis Hamilton believes it will be "at least six months" until he can have an impact on Mercedes' development in 2013.

Leaving McLaren at the end of the year, Hamilton is joining a Mercedes team with just one win in the last three seasons and a car which failed to score in five of the final six races of 2012. Having driven a McLaren for the last time during a demonstration run in Malta on Sunday, Hamilton said he is unable to tell if he will be able to challenge for race victories next season.

"I think it's far too early to say because I've never even driven the car," Hamilton told Sky Sports News. "It looks like in Brazil Mercedes were 1.1 seconds behind so we've got a long, long, steep hill to climb. But I don't think that's impossible, I think the guys have great, great potential and that's why I'm going there."

Hamilton added that it would be around half a season until he can have a real impact on the 2013 car, but was looking to the following year as the best chance for Mercedes to be competitive.

"I don't see it as a short-term thing. Firstly I don't get in to the car until February so I won't really be able to have a big enough impact until at least six months down the line. I think 2014 has to be the most important year - or the most competitive year - but I don't see why we can't try to clinch a few podiums. If we can get some wins next year ... if it just happens to go really, really well then we'll be smiling, but we'll see."

_________________________________________

Brawn talking about wins and poles, and Hamilton talking about "podiums maybe". More and more it seems we might be in for a surprise next year.

[clarkeycats]

It will be interesting to see where Lewis' head is at midway through the season if he is struggling with the car, and he hasn't had any podiums. He is a winner at heart, so it could be a tough year for him.

[CookinFlat6]

It will be interesting to see where Lewis' head is at midway through the season if he is struggling with the car, and he hasn't had any podiums. He is a winner at heart, so it could be a tough year for him.

Cant be any tougher than having the best car, driving perfectly, and completely barred from success

or than pushing a car to its limits to get anywhere close to a much better car, and seeing a timid lame teammate celebrate coming second by a mile, like it was an achievement

Dont see how it can be tough for him if he has said he doesnt expect much and is there for the (lucrative) and (no lose situation) challenge of turning Merc around when MS couldnt

[bud]

It will be interesting to see where Lewis' head is at midway through the season if he is struggling with the car, and he hasn't had any podiums. He is a winner at heart, so it could be a tough year for him.

He went through that in 09, though they turned it around 2nd half of the season.

[What's Burning?]

It will be interesting to see where Lewis' head is at midway through the season if he is struggling with the car, and he hasn't had any podiums. He is a winner at heart, so it could be a tough year for him.

He went through that in 09, though they turned it around 2nd half of the season.

You old softie you.
Actually I think Mercedes would take the 09 McLaren season and see it as a step forward!

[GRHinPorts]

If we have a wild race at either Melbourne, Malaysia or China I could easily imagine Hamilton winning one of these 3 races. Remember that long, long straight at China in particular plays to the Mercs strengths and they won there with Nico in 2012. (Not to mention Lewis has a good record in Shanghai as well). The other 2 circuits also have similar qualities and early season races can be all over the place events.

However even if there is an early win for Hamilton at Mercedes I think it would be a false dawn and there is a lot of hard competitive work, and plenty of disappointments, to go through before that car is a properly competitive race winner. Like Hammer said above a better evaluation would be where Mercedes is qualification at the start of the year and then at the end of the year...i.e. development.

[racechick]

It will indeed be interesting to see how Lewis handles the season. He knows the score and is relishing the challenge of moving Mercedes forward. He's not moved there to challenge for the championship next year, though if there is a sniff of that expect him to exploit it to the full. He's not in the car till February, so he has a few weeks before the first race. Next year is about learning to work wit a new team and help it move forward. Will frustration creep in? I don't think so. Frustration comes from not being where you expect to be and not having the tools you expect to have. As I said, he knows the score.

[Hammer278]

It will indeed be interesting to see how Lewis handles the season. He knows the score and is relishing the challenge of moving Mercedes forward. He's not moved there to challenge for the championship next year, though if there is a sniff of that expect him to exploit it to the full. He's not in the car till February, so he has a few weeks before the first race. Next year is about learning to work wit a new team and help it move forward. Will frustration creep in? I don't think so. Frustration comes from not being where you expect to be and not having the tools you expect to have. As I said, he knows the score.

If I remember correctly, he was in no way frustrated in 2009 when a team which should have the infrastructure and knowhow to win races gave him a go kart at the beginning of the season. Oh yeah, and he still salvaged 3rd from Melbourne only to be DSQ thanks to the team asking him to lie. None of that bullpoo at Merc I hope.

[Denthúl]

Oh yeah, and he still salvaged 3rd from Melbourne only to be DSQ thanks to the team asking him to lie.

Of course, because it's not like he could have said no.

Oh, wait...

[Hammer278]

Oh yeah, and he still salvaged 3rd from Melbourne only to be DSQ thanks to the team asking him to lie.

Of course, because it's not like he could have said no.

Oh, wait...

If you took a few minutes to consider his position....first of all they did not have much time to play around with, and secondly, your position in the team. Your employer tells you to go with them on a case, you are going to do it. Please don't tell me you'd go against your employer and put them in jeopardy just for the 'ethical' reasons because you won't. If you really would, I wouldn't believe it anyway unless I see it with my own eyes.

[Denthúl]

Oh yeah, and he still salvaged 3rd from Melbourne only to be DSQ thanks to the team asking him to lie.

Of course, because it's not like he could have said no.

Oh, wait...

If you took a few minutes to consider his position....first of all they did not have much time to play around with, and secondly, your position in the team. Your employer tells you to go with them on a case, you are going to do it. Please don't tell me you'd go against your employer and put them in jeopardy just for the 'ethical' reasons because you won't. If you really would, I wouldn't believe it anyway unless I see it with my own eyes.

Perhaps you view things like that as acceptable, but I don't (this is actually causing major problems where I work at present). If my employer is doing something they shouldn't be and asking me to lie about it, I'm not going to play along. It's not worth the risk to myself.