What do you think of Lewis Hamilton?

[Wild E. Coyote]

Hi all,

I am at a struggle a bit to understand Lewis Hamilton? No doubt about it that he is a superb racing driver, probably one of the best there are, but I don't know what to think of him besides his ability to control a car? To many times I have heard him arguing with his team (including McLaren while he was driving for them as well) and not being very nice even while on air.
So I am asking you as you are all living in UK and probably have better understanding of him and his actions?
So, what do you think of him?

Cheers,

 

[748]

Awesome talent, but an egotistical knob :lol:

 

[Dal]

No doubting he can drive, but can come across as a bit of a knob. Some of that at race weekends will be his focus on getting everything just right and getting the most out of the car I expect. That gold chain wearing nonsense makes him look like a wannabe gangster. He needs to remember he's from Stevenage, not The Bronx. :lol:

 

[Frank]

Awesome talent, but an egotistical knob :lol:

Behind the scenes, most of the great champions were, er, knobs. It must be the combination of total perfectionism and total self belief that is required. How they can drive a car at those speeds and also have ferocious arguments with the pits at the same time is remarkable, but many of them do.

Senna, Prost, Mansell, Hunt - knobs. In fact, you almost (I exaggerate) have to go back to Jim Clark to find a non-knob champion.

Hamilton though has an underlying immaturity about him and I think it's that that makes his knobbery more obvious and obnoxious.

The well-rounded, nice, jokey guys tend to be the ones in the middle of the pack.

 

[Dal]

I don't remember Jenson being a knob when he was world champion?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

So I got the impression from here right as well. Thanks for your opinions!

How about David Coulthard? Or him being a Scot doesn't count? He seemed cool and his dates even more so :wink:

 

[Dal]

DC was never a world champion so probably never developed the chip on his shoulder about it. k:

 

[alexwilliams840]

Don't think anyone can say anyone is a knob without knowing them personally. He might be a total dick or he might be a great guy. I seriously doubt anyone on here could say for sure. Anyone who has been or is the best in the world at something surely has a right to be egotistical as they like :lol:

 

[748]

Unfortunately, us minions will never get the chance to know personally the likes of Hamilton etc.
So the only perception we get of them is how they come across on the media. They put themselves in the limelight, so get judged by how they choose to behave in it.
He probably just needs a new PR manager :lol:
Paul

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Anyone who has been or is the best in the world at something surely has a right to be egotistical as they like :lol:

This is where I strongly disagree. You have to bear in mind that he probably ISN'T the best in the world, but one of the best in F1 AS IT IS.
Sir Frank Williams said few years ago that world has probably missed at least 3-4 world champions from China alone who had the ability to be the best, but had no way of getting into system and are today instead of driving a F1 car are riding a bike.
Since I come from a small country I know what he talks about. For instance, if my neighbour was the best talent that was born in Europe, he would have no way of developing it. He couldn't finance his way in motorsport, and since our total population is only 4,5 million and we speak strange language no sponsor would be interested in him.
Of course a top class driver has to be egocentric ON A TRACK, but I really have no excuse for that sort of behaviour off the track.
And I don't buy into that he is under pressure, journalist always buzzing around him etc: it is part of a job. He could've been a delivery van driver, the pay would be somewhat lower and he would have his peace. His choice

 

[JSP]

For what it's worth I feel that he is without doubt an excellent racing driver, but comes across as a little too cocky to be likeable. (I think "Egotistical knob" is a bit strong for me, as I do not have first hand experience of the guy).

Maybe it's the success he's had at such a young age. Jenson Button for example had many years in the sport before he became World Champion so by then he'd not only paid his dues within F1 but had also matured as an individual.

However, I do take exception to the school of thought that says if you're the world's best you can be as shitty as you like, that's just nonsense. There are plenty of World Champions throughout all sports who have done it with an air of dignity/likeability and in the main they are the ones who's legacy is remembered most fondly.

Also, with F1 the driver is only part of it. It's as much a team sport as football. The best driver in an unreliable or inferior car is at the back of the grid. So having an high opinion of yourself is somewhat misplaced given that a large part your success is due to the team behind you and the money they have available to them.

 

[Frank]

How about David Coulthard?

Always seems like a very nice guy. As does Damon Hill, who handled pressure superbly not only as world champion in '96, but also in his dealings with Mansell, which would have tried the patience of a saint.

As you have mentioned above about the difficulties of even getting into the sport, you may well like to read up on Damon Hill, who had to take out loans to finance himself and take any drive and all sorts just to finally get into F1. All in all, a very admirable guy.

 

[yippeekiay]

Lewis Hamilton - yeah, not sure about his ego, as sometimes he really comes over well but other times not to much. But have to agree I hate those bog chains round his neck. Clearly doesn't have an image consultant.

David Coulthard - same with him too. I like his commentary and pit lane chat etc but sometimes you get a glimpse of pumped up belief of his self importance, and he is a bit poncy on occasion.

I've heard first hand experience of Damon Hill when he was at Arrows....not as admirable as you may believe and even before that I thought he was a prat and what I heard backed that feeling.

Some of the blame for these 'celebrities' attitude has got to be put down to the pampering and molly coddling some of them get. They are led to believe they are high and mighty in some cases and that has to have an affect on some who take it to be true.

As with them all, we don't actually know what they're like in reality and I expect we get all types of ego's from people we do actually know so can only judge them how we see fit on their public persona that they put out there.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Lewis Hamilton - yeah, not sure about his ego, as sometimes he really comes over well but other times not to much. But have to agree I hate those bog chains round his neck. Clearly doesn't have an image consultant.
As with them all, we don't actually know what they're like in reality and I expect we get all types of ego's from people we do actually know so can only judge them how we see fit on their public persona that they put out there.

That is the point. They don't have to be rude. I will always have better opinion of Kimi Räikkönen who says straightforward what he thinks, but doesn't talk down his team when he is not happy.

The other thing is that those guys are kids actually. Max Verstappen is 17! When I remember when I was 17 I had draught through my head like a storm (if you understand what I wanted to say)... They get rich so soon and then, as we would say (in direct translation) 'they get taken by it all.'

Of course, it is not that they don't have a big role model in Bernie Ecclestone who has lost all his directions and senses lately IMHO and whenever speaks says something between stupid and insane...

 

[Fanwheel]

I've been an f1 fan for many years and in my view Lewis really is gifted. I used to live near where he grew up and I remember seeing him karting at at the Rye House track: he stood out and you could see something special.

He has that rare ability to pull off breathtaking moves with a kind of unspoken confidence just like Schumacher, Senna etc. He is prone to being a bit up and down, but that makes him more interesting and to be fair, he has had to grow up in public. Remember this is someone who had genuinely came up from nothing through natural ability and merit.

He went through a couple of difficult years after his first championship but I think a driver really needs an experience like that to mould them into a real champion. So I think his current success is absolutely deserved. Personally I don't read too much into the radio transmissions - it's just about trying to get the best out of stressful situations. The bottom line is that these drivers need to be tetchy - they only have a limited career, need to focus and aren't there to make friends.

The only thing that worries me slightly is his lack of proper management and being guided by entertainment companies into fashion etc. He has hinted about releasing music one day - please keep that as a hobby and don't do it! What he needs is a Ford Puma for his car collection instead.

 

[PumaJay]

Its great that we currently have a dominant British driver, I just wish it was Jenson Button who was getting the wins.

As a driver Lewis is possibly the best the sport has ever seen. As a person? I think he can come across as a bit of knob at times. He obviously loves what he does the way he is on the podium after a win proves that. I just imagine him being very much in love with himself in his personal life. Almost like he's find it very hard to cut loose and go a bit crazy at a party.... just in case someone was to see him!

As a Brit i'l support and defend Lewis forever but the man ive always supported is JB!

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

The problem with JB is that I can hardly understand his radio transmissions! English is not my mother's lingo, fair enough, but his pronounciation is very difficuilt to understand! Where is he from, is that some special dialect or something?

 

[PumaJay]

Haha... yeah, he's from Frome in Somerset - its very unique British accent that the folk of the West Country have!!

 

[Dal]

On the F1 theme - my new favourite website:

http://hasmaldonadocrashedtoday.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[PumaJay]

Hahaha, I love that website.

Have you tried http://www.wtf1.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thats a great alternative to the likes of autosport and bbc