Lewis Hamilton: The Best Ever?

[Dux]

You know what I find a bit of a mystery?
When Michael went to Ferrari and helped to re-built that team from a car that was throwing half-shaft in pit-lane to becoming the most dominant car on the grid, nobody questioned his ability or said it was 'the car'
When Vettel received the revolutionary design of Adrian Newey...a 'slippery' car that could use less power because of cutting edge aero to gap the field by multiple seconds, nobody said it was 'the car'.
Nike convinces Lewis to join Mercedes from McLaren....in a car that 'chewed' through its rear tires every few laps.
That car has now been developed into a great track car with Lewis, who'd beaten everybody... in every category before coming to F1 and yet suddenly, it is the car.
While there is now...and never could be an answer for who is the outright best driver in F1, some folks need to get a reality grip...and quickly.
Might I suggest you get off the 'hate and jealousy' train and go watch his racing in earlier category, before coming here spouting nonsense.

You think like that because, in truth you are not very much informed.

Michael did improved the car and helped BIG TIME in creating the Ferrari that it was. However I remember my older cousins stopped watching F1 because to them it was boring and Michael won because of the car. True he had strong car but there was still competition.

Vettel did not just received the "Newey designs" as if that is some special weapon for mass destruction - he worked on it, day and night. He came into that team and brought that car to a victory in only 3/4 races while they have been trying for 5 seasons with much more experienced drivers and the same designer. With same designers that they had before, with same engine they had before. One thing changed - Vettel came in. Speaking back on the "revolutionary design of Newey" , to continue my thought from above - Sebastian Vettel was able to exploit the potential of that car, worked the most and was the only one from the grid who actually cared to visit Pirelli. That is the reason why Vettel won 4 titles while Webber never finished the season as vice-champion, although he was allowed to race Vettel - in the same car. And yes, many people said he was winning because of the car too - anyway there was competition.

Third thing - Lewis Hamilton.

I will be short and if you are interested I can go on in second post - Lewis Hamilton was contacted at the end of 2012 by Niki Lauda who told him the whole program and what was going on behind the scenes and the strong engine they had developed for 2014 Hybrid era. Lewis was perfectly aware where he is going. Lewis got it, we can easily say it, on silver plate basically. He didn't helped much. If anyone ever did in this engine ruled era, it was Schumacher who aligned the structure with Ross Brawn years before. And for 6 years there is no competition.

[EDIT] I don't want to be misunderstood. I respect Hamilton a lot. I don't put it all his success on the car. I'd say he deserved it, maybe not everything, but 2/3 titles maybe 4 yes. He is great and for me most naturally talented driver on the grid. However the car is just too damn good and he got it just too damn easy. And in that context, hearing Toto claim he is probably the greatest ever, makes me laugh. Apart of the laugh, it is sheer arrogance and I hope very very soon they feel how it is to race from behind without any chance of winning. What has been pretty much for the rest of the grid for 6 years. Except Ferrari some 20 races out of these, 6x20...120 races.

 

[F1Aussie]

Maybe not the greatest driver but certainly the greatest dolt ever.

 

[Terry Rock]

You think like that because, in truth you are not very much informed.

Michael did improved the car and helped BIG TIME in creating the Ferrari that it was. However I remember my older cousins stopped watching F1 because to them it was boring and Michael won because of the car. True he had strong car but there was still competition.

Vettel did not just received the "Newey designs" as if that is some special weapon for mass destruction - he worked on it, day and night. He came into that team and brought that car to a victory in only 3/4 races while they have been trying for 5 seasons with much more experienced drivers and the same designer. With same designers that they had before, with same engine they had before. One thing changed - Vettel came in. Speaking back on the "revolutionary design of Newey" , to continue my thought from above - Sebastian Vettel was able to exploit the potential of that car, worked the most and was the only one from the grid who actually cared to visit Pirelli. That is the reason why Vettel won 4 titles while Webber never finished the season as vice-champion, although he was allowed to race Vettel - in the same car. And yes, many people said he was winning because of the car too - anyway there was competition.

Third thing - Lewis Hamilton.

I will be short and if you are interested I can go on in second post - Lewis Hamilton was contacted at the end of 2012 by Niki Lauda who told him the whole program and what was going on behind the scenes and the strong engine they had developed for 2014 Hybrid era. Lewis was perfectly aware where he is going. . If anyone ever did in this engine ruled era, it was Schumacher who aligned the structure with Ross Brawn years before. And for 6 years there is no competition.

[EDIT] I don't want to be misunderstood. I respect Hamilton a lot. I don't put it all his success on the car. I'd say he deserved it, maybe not everything, but 2/3 titles maybe 4 yes. He is great and for me most naturally talented driver on the grid. However the car is just too damn good and he got it just too damn easy. And in that context, hearing Toto claim he is probably the greatest ever, makes me laugh. Apart of the laugh, it is sheer arrogance and I hope very very soon they feel how it is to race from behind without any chance of winning. What has been pretty much for the rest of the grid for 6 years. Except Ferrari some 20 races out of these, 6x20...120 races.

I'm 'plenty' well informed.
Thank you very much.
I've been here all along viewing and analyzing F1 since 1971...Where have you been?
You come here 'slagging' off the guy because...as you put it..."Lewis got it, we can easily say it, on silver plate basically. He didn't helped much"...really?
Did you know anything about Mercedes and their suspension geometry woes?
I guess not.
Instead of talking nonsense.
Go watch a few races with Schumacher and Rosberg 'burning' through tires in a few laps at the start of Mercedes' campaign.

 

[Sasha Jednak]

Go watch a few races with Schumacher Hamilton and Rosberg 'burning' through tires in a few laps at the start of Mercedes' 2013 campaign.

Don't want to go off topic here, but with my changes this statement is also true. Problems were solved when Pirelli changed tyres as RB and Merc asked. Then in 2014 they were enough ahead that they could put all the staff on solving the tyre issues, while others were busy catching up on advantage that Merc created by preparing only for 2014 much earlier (not just in 2013). But you know all this, right?

P.S. I am on the side of "Lewis is one of the best ever, but he is not the biggest reason for Merc's 6 doubles".

 

[Dux]

I'm 'plenty' well informed.
Thank you very much.
I've been here all along viewing and analyzing F1 since 1971...Where have you been?
You come here 'slagging' off the guy because...as you put it..."Lewis got it, we can easily say it, on silver plate basically. He didn't helped much"...really?
Did you know anything about Mercedes and their suspension geometry woes?
I guess not.
Instead of talking nonsense.
Go watch a few races with Schumacher and Rosberg 'burning' through tires in a few laps at the start of Mercedes' campaign.

With all due respect Sir, watching longer doesn't mean you know better. I am not saying I know better too. Just your logic is flawed, just like the comment above. That is equally same to say only because you drove for 50 years you are better driver than , even Lance Stroll. No you are not. He is F1 driver by , how much, 23? I am 29y old, however I have watched F1 since 7 and have watched and read books, documentaries, whatever you can imagine since first Grand Prix races, this I tell, to answer your question - where have I been. I have been racing successfully too. It is great that you watched since 71, but that doesn't necessarily mean you know better. Certainly reading that comment doesn't support that notion.

Anyway, to go back on the topic, the thing with Hamilton and Mercedes, yes, he did literally nothing for Mercedes to dominate in 2014. It is all by the change of regulations and since you said you are well informed, I assume you are informed about Niki Lauda approaching frustrated Lewis Hamilton post gearbox problem race in Singapore 2012 by phone and telling him to come to Mercedes? For them only to meet weeks later for Niki Lauda to reveal to him the sheer power Mercedes engineers have created for the new hybrid engines?

In that regard, Hamilton wasn't going into unknown and helped to develop something outstanding we see today. Everything was already in motion, Lewis Hamilton is part of it, like Nico Rosberg. That's all.

 

[Terry Rock]

With all due respect Sir, watching longer doesn't mean you know better. I am not saying I know better too. Just your logic is flawed, just like the comment above. That is equally same to say only because you drove for 50 years you are better driver than , even Lance Stroll. No you are not. He is F1 driver by , how much, 23? I am 29y old, however I have watched F1 since 7 and have watched and read books, documentaries, whatever you can imagine since first Grand Prix races, this I tell, to answer your question - where have I been. I have been racing successfully too. It is great that you watched since 71, but that doesn't necessarily mean you know better. Certainly reading that comment doesn't support that notion.

Anyway, to go back on the topic, the thing with Hamilton and Mercedes, yes, he did literally nothing for Mercedes to dominate in 2014. It is all by the change of regulations and since you said you are well informed, I assume you are informed about Niki Lauda approaching frustrated Lewis Hamilton post gearbox problem race in Singapore 2012 by phone and telling him to come to Mercedes? For them only to meet weeks later for Niki Lauda to reveal to him the sheer power Mercedes engineers have created for the new hybrid engines?

In that regard, Hamilton wasn't going into unknown and helped to develop something outstanding we see today. Everything was already in motion, Lewis Hamilton is part of it, like Nico Rosberg. That's all.

...What I have... which you don't seem to, is an acute awareness of logic and an ability to review fact...not emotion.
Your casual dismissal of Hamilton's ability is based on dislike and really cannot be hidden...irregardless of how you choose to 'mask' it.
In your mind, he's had it easy.
I'm done responding.

 

[Dux]

...What I have... which you don't seem to, is an acute awareness of logic and an ability to review fact...not emotion.
Your casual dismissal of Hamilton's ability is based on dislike and really cannot be hidden...irregardless of how you choose to 'mask' it.
In your mind, he's had it easy.
I'm done responding.

I'm not masking anything just bringing up actual situations and events.

 

[whaletail]

Is "best ever" even limited to F1 - plenty of rally drivers would surpass F1 drivers IMO

Although it's probably no less a stretch to include rally drivers than it is to include Fangio, I think we can assume best F1 driver ever.

Personally, I'm not sure how you can even begin to subjectively compare Hamilton against Senna, let alone Fangio, Nuvolari and Rosenmeyer, but I certainly think he's an all-time great.

As recently as last year, Hamilton was unanimously chosen as best driver on the grid in Mark Hughes' informal polling of F1 team principals, and I assume they're able to see past a dominant car.

Of course, I doubt I'm alone in hoping we're someday able to see him battle Verstappen for team supremacy, whether at Ferrari, Mercedes or RBR.

 

[Ian Bell]

I think so yes. Pushing Alonso to hell and back (so much so that he left) in his rookie year and this drive in GP2:

 

[Damage Inc]

Best current F1 driver, yes by a mile, Vettel is good but cracks under pressure. There's such a lack of any talent even capable of getting close to Lewis that F1 is a joke.

Best ever F1 drvier? hell no....stats mean squat because that's driver/car combination.

Best "driver" ever.....HELL hell no, rally drivers are the best, tearing down narrow gravel roads at 90 mph......on boards are **** scary to watch.

Bikers are best though, Rossi the GOAT.

 

[Nox]

Better than Pastor Maldonado? Don't make me laugh!

 

[ZuneGuy]

You think like that because, in truth you are not very much informed.

Michael did improved the car and helped BIG TIME in creating the Ferrari that it was. However I remember my older cousins stopped watching F1 because to them it was boring and Michael won because of the car. True he had strong car but there was still competition.

Vettel did not just received the "Newey designs" as if that is some special weapon for mass destruction - he worked on it, day and night. He came into that team and brought that car to a victory in only 3/4 races while they have been trying for 5 seasons with much more experienced drivers and the same designer. With same designers that they had before, with same engine they had before. One thing changed - Vettel came in. Speaking back on the "revolutionary design of Newey" , to continue my thought from above - Sebastian Vettel was able to exploit the potential of that car, worked the most and was the only one from the grid who actually cared to visit Pirelli. That is the reason why Vettel won 4 titles while Webber never finished the season as vice-champion, although he was allowed to race Vettel - in the same car. And yes, many people said he was winning because of the car too - anyway there was competition.

Third thing - Lewis Hamilton.

I will be short and if you are interested I can go on in second post - Lewis Hamilton was contacted at the end of 2012 by Niki Lauda who told him the whole program and what was going on behind the scenes and the strong engine they had developed for 2014 Hybrid era. Lewis was perfectly aware where he is going. Lewis got it, we can easily say it, on silver plate basically. He didn't helped much. If anyone ever did in this engine ruled era, it was Schumacher who aligned the structure with Ross Brawn years before. And for 6 years there is no competition.

[EDIT] I don't want to be misunderstood. I respect Hamilton a lot. I don't put it all his success on the car. I'd say he deserved it, maybe not everything, but 2/3 titles maybe 4 yes. He is great and for me most naturally talented driver on the grid. However the car is just too damn good and he got it just too damn easy. And in that context, hearing Toto claim he is probably the greatest ever, makes me laugh. Apart of the laugh, it is sheer arrogance and I hope very very soon they feel how it is to race from behind without any chance of winning. What has been pretty much for the rest of the grid for 6 years. Except Ferrari some 20 races out of these, 6x20...120 races.

You're wrong on both counts: Schumacher won, but still today is labeled a disgusting cheater. Vettel won because his only competition at the time was Mark Webber his teammate, and he had nowhere near the pace or speed of Vettel. Today Vettel is a 4 time world champion, but because of Lewis and Lewis alone, we see that this 4-time world champion continuously cracks under pressure from Lewis, and pretty much Lewis alone. Lewis however, has never been labeled a cheat, and he never cracks under pressure from anyone. In fact he is one of the greatest wheel to wheel drivers that I have eve seen. Proof - a rookie in a wheel to wheel battle with Alonso multiple times and he never got phased by him. Alonso at the time was a two-time champion himself, while Lewis was a mere rookie driver. Now don't even get me started on Lewis in wet conditions vs many other drivers in history.