Hamilton releases the pressure
There has been a noticeable shift in Lewis Hamilton's mood this weekend at the Turkish Grand Prix.
The clouds have parted to reveal an occasional glimpse of the world champion's trademark smile back in place as he was spotted going about his paddock duties, jumping into cabs and hanging out with pals at his hotel.
It has been a troubled season for the 24-year-old and as a result he has been keeping a low profile.
For the first time in his racing career, from karting through to Formula 1, he finds himself grappling with an uncompetitive car.
On top of that, Hamilton has had to deal with the fall-out from "lie-gate" where he admitted misleading race stewards under the guidance of his team at the Australian Grand Prix.
As David Coulthard pointed out in his BBC column in April: "Hamilton has had to cope with the swinging pendulum between mass public praise and then widespread criticism."
Tellingly, Hamilton's shift in attitude has coincided with his admission, at the seventh race of the season in Istanbul that his title defence is now out of reach.
The Englishman commented: "This is going to be a challenging year for us, obviously, but I have no doubts at all that next year we will bounce back."
The pressure valve, building up since the season began, has finally been released.
Hamilton revealed this weekend that he knew the car was not up to scratch the first time he drove it during a filming session for one of McLaren's sponsors - and that was before the first major test of 2009 in Portugal.
Now that the world champion is racing without the pressure of saving his season it will be pretty interesting to see how he performs free from the weight of expectation.
As for the man himself he says: "I think you grow from these things. It has definitely been a learning experience."
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~51~RS~)
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Whilst this season has given the Hamilton haters plenty of ammunition I still think it could be good for him. It will give him a sense of perspective and hopefully a little more respect for the folk battling at the shallow end of the grid.
I hope that when Mclaren come back with a competitive car he still has the energy and drive to get beck to his winning ways.
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I don't blame Lewis for feeling down this year. He is a born winner and competitor and his car is not up to the job. To compound this, the British media are the vilest in existence, and especially when they have another Brit (who some prefer for their own unpleasant reasons) they love to put the boot into Lewis and embellish the truth about what he does and says. It's not the first time he has struggled in his racing career - he hasn't always won. But this is the first time it has been done in the glare of ridiculous publicity and bad reporting. His fans know what a great guy Lewis is and despite the media wanting to turn his fans away, they are just getting behind him even more. Win or lose, Lewis is the best. Button (and his teammate), neither of whom have done anything of note in F1, are just riding the crest of a wave in the best car by a mile on the grid. Last year Button was always moaning about his car, and never mentioned his Honda team toiling in the factory, but he never got anything like the criticism Lewis is getting now. Go figure!
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I wasn't aware that there were any "Hamilton Haters"? As a brit i am very proud that the current world champion is british and with luck the next one will be too! Come on JB. Lets cheer them both on and be proud that the two best drivers in the world come from our great nation!
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biglewisfan, are you implying the media in Britain are racist? because thats quite a big accusation to be making.
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biglewisfan, you're nothing but a hypocrite, for sure Jenson is winning this season because the car is the best exactly the same as how Lewis was in 2007 and 2008 in the mclaren making winning look easy.
These days were always gonna come for Lewis and he looks right now like he's accepted it, his fans not so.
Sour grapes anyone?
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The McLaren was NOT the best car in 2007 and 2008. The Ferrari was definitely up there, if not a touch better. But at least there was a fight for points instead of the walk in the park this year.
sportsfan1986, racism doesn't exist. We all know that don't we?
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This is easily solved, if you don't like it don't watch it.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
#2
"Button and his team mate have done nothing for F1"
How old are you three and a half? Jenson Button has been a formula 1 driver for 10 years and Rubens Barrichello for 16 years both are top quality racers and in competetive cars both have shown their ability. Lewis has been in F1 for what 2 and a bit seasons and he is the top driver? Grow up, as like Lewis has, and admit when he has sustained enough experience to develop his driving style into more than attacking every lap, which he learned today was not the right way to do it, he will possibly win the championship again. I do not hate Lewis i just think he is still in his rookie stage and has a bit more to learn, any of the current drivers on the grid given the 2007 & 2008 Maclaren could have done as well if not better as is shown this year with there only being approx 2 seconds from front of grid to back. I do hate rather immature people making ridiculous comments with no backing, perhaps you need to change your name to troll or go and loiter somewhere else and let the big boy fans comment on the big boys sport
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1. It took Jenson 6 years and 113 races to win 1 race.
2. Lewis was fighting for the world title in his first season.
3. In his 10th season Jenson appears to be cruising to the title.
Could there be a problem with this sport's definition of "champion" ? Is it perhaps a misnomer ? Are we unfairly trivialising the contribution of the teams, hence the other great British world champions (of team sports) that never were, i.e. Martin Brundle, George Best, Ian Botham ?
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I am really liking the new Lewis, he seems much calmer. I guess he has come to terms with his car and everything that has happen so far this year. The last two years was so thrilling, exciting, it was great F1 and Lewis had a lot to do with that. This year, Jenson winning that's great too, I'm pleased for him. But it's not the same, next year I hope we can have a real battle with Jenson, Lewis, Massa, Kimmi, Fernando and anyone else that wants to join the party.
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@4
No he didn't imply anything like that at all. Infact it was YOU who said that in your own post!
What he said was, the British Media are vilest which is 100% correct. The other nations look at our media and think of it as the scourge of reporting.
It doesn't matter how good someone is at something, the British Media is the only media in the world collectively trying to bring them down to their own diseased level.
the British Media are the worst in the whole world and the BBC as much I still watch it, is no better. Unfortunately we don't have any good, unbiased reporters in this country, the reporters here are only interested in one thing... controversey. Success is just a little side earner for them to report on.
For instance, which of these had more headlines, column inches and minutes on national TV news.... Rooney scoring England's winning goal or Rooney's so called Pot Noodle thing.
This is what he was implying, and this is where he is 100% correct. Even the BBC gave the England striker a hard time when he was supposed to be treated like a National Hero as is done in all the other nations.
The UK is different in this sense, we are not happy unless we someone else failing! At least that is what the edittor and reporters here think anyway. Did you the CNN Channel on Freeview covers more British news topics than the BBC and Sky News... that sums it up all the way! CNN will report on everything they can, good and bad. BBC and Sky regurgutate the same controversial/sensational rubbish all through that given day!
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Number 12 poster: I'd suggest that 'who some prefer for their own unpleasant reasons' and 'Go figure' pretty much point us in the direction of biglewisfan's tacit implications, as indeed does his reply (the sixth posting) which certainly doesn't provide a denial but simply adds more fuel to the fire.
The simple solution would be for biglewisfan to post precisely what he meant with his comments. Then we'll all be the wiser.
For the record and before the thought police come to arrest me, I was gutted that Hamilton failed to win the championship in his first season, delighted that he won it in his second, and am equally delighted that Button is leading the championship this season. Should I go and hand myself in at the nearest police station for sdisplaying a blatant British bias?
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Yes, some in the British media have given Lewis a hard time (friends in America are shocked at his treatment), but I explain to them this is what they do, build you up, tear you down. Now, next year Lewis will be the underdog, so it will be build you up again next time. And if for some reason Jenson is not winning it will be knock down time. I think Lewis will be better able to cope with it all, because he has learnt a few lessons where the media is concerned. To be honest I don't take the media too serious, I just seek out the quality press and the quality websites and take it from there.
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Lewis "I vas chust following ze orders" Hamilton is old enough to understand how a lie works and the consequences thereof and for him to now try to play the role of ingénue is a real insult to all his ex fans. He is an intelligent adult and knew that his actions were mean and venal. Yet he persisted until queried by the 4th estate!
I was truly impressed with his ability and felt we had a up-and-coming world beater of the calibre of Schumaker, et al. But no more!
Hamilton, I fear, has more of Damon Hills' characteristics and as such is just a passing noise.
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Ok everyone!
Please realise that the driver of the winning F1 car isn't responsible for winning the race.
Frank Williams,as an example, in his heyday, caused races and championsips to be won as did some of his contempories. Enzo Ferrari was also of that calibre as was Chapman, Brabham and the like. Few and far apart!
The new hero is thus Ross Brawn, who having selected the appropiate team, including Button, has such strong managerial ability that his cars [under Honda aegis they were "junk" and a terrible public relations excercise] now win and the drivers are also able to put the "icing on the cake." Brawn has a proven record of many years.
Lets face it! Button [and Coulthard] had plenty mediocre principals [I'm betting that if I research their respective personal histories I'll find that their "fortunes" were inherited rather than "earned"] and I also place Branson in this category. He enjoys "risk free" publicity where he needs to just hunker down rather than really partaking in risky "extreme sports" ventures.
These mediocre principals merely wanted to be known as F1 owners and never really had the ability to be successful, rather like the absentee race horse owner. Quick to grasp the trophy and the kudos but too stupid to realise how hard the training staff had to work.
Now Button has a mentor worthy of his skills and please join me while I toast "more power to hIs elbow"
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#2 'especially when they have another Brit (who some prefer for their own unpleasant reasons)'
Totally, utterly out of order. With no doubt a few exceptions, the vast majority who prefer Button to Hamilton do so because Jenson has had to work damn hard, and show loyalty for years to a struggling team, to get his rewards - not just land in F1 in a dream car.
It's a joy to have two British drivers, probably successive world champions; of the two I prefer Button for the above reason, but the colour of Hamilton's skin is for 99.9% of genuine racing fans no more relevant than the colour of his socks, and to insinuate otherwise is an insult to us all.
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I am yet to take to Lewis as a fan and actually supported Massa last season (partially because he is one of my favourites and also cos I had a tenner on with my mate that he'd win the championship... I was so gutted). It doesn't make me happy to see him trundling around the back end of the midfield, however, I hope to be able to take to Lewis as a fan by seeing him mature and deal with everything not going his own way. So far he has been making a good impression, I don't think there have been enough plaudits for some of the drives he has put in this season. He is again showing what a world class driver he really is, even though he has yet to get a meaningful points haul
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also, I agree with #17 here. Jenson has worked extremely hard and is finally getting the reward of the race winning car he deserves. Also for #2 to say anything about how Rubens and Jens have never done anything of note can I remind you that in '04 Jenson was the only man on the grid to consistantly get near the Ferrari's, you seen once he got his first podium they kept pouring in. In '06 after he won his first GP in Hungary he out-scored every other driver on the grid for the rest of the season and kept faith in the same Honda team that is now Brawn GP because he knew they were capable of producing something special.
As for Rubens, he is aman who on his day was capable of putting in drives that made Schumacher in the sister car look ordinary, has been a championship runner-up and i'm not sure on his exact number of race wins but I'm pretty sure it is double figures, which is hardly a statistic of a driver thats never accomplished anything.
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As Jenson is finding out this year, the lows make those highs even higher. Jenson came so close to being out of F1, now he is World Champion elect. When Hamilton gets a competetive car (and maybe not at McLaren), he will win the WC again and it will be all the more sweet for this terrible year.
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#16
I think i'm probably not the only one who doesn't know what you are on about!
As for Hamilton, he hasn't helped himself this year on a few occasions but he just doesn't seem to be trying very hard either. It's like he can't bothered, not just that his car isn't very competitive. For my money Hamilton is the most talented driver on the grid but he's been annoying me this season. He just doesn't seem to be trying! http://www.loserscomesecond.com/
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With regards to #2 and Jenson having never done anything in F1, he took a very limited car to a few podiums early on at Honda, and was willing to buy out his original contract with Williams to stay at what he thought was a progressing team. As it turned out the team and car didn't progress at all. That is until Brawn came in, decided last year to write off the whole season to focus on this one (09).
As for Rubins, he was number 2 to Schumacher, and was never going to be Ferrari number 1 or champion. But still is a good driver.
No one has anything against Hamilton, but even in his first season, it was acknowledged that he had fallen on his feet with regards to the car Maclaren had. None of which takes away from his talent as a driver, jjst something to point out.
1 other thing to end, Jenson's career throughout karting, gp ford etc, is as good as anyone's. Just now the car is good enough and reliable enough for him to show it
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Now I will preface this by saying I am Lewis fan, but that aside my point I believe to be unbiased and I do wish Jenson well.
That said for all of you talking about Jenson's loyalty and hard work to get him to where he is today, can we please remember the following:
- Jenson was contractually FORCED and financially incentivised to stay with the Honda team, when he had all but signed for the (relatively) more successfully Williams team back in 2003
- Ross Brawn's only alternative to Jenson was an unproven GP2 driver and so rather than placing trust in Jenson skill, was forced to hope he was up to the job.
There is no doubt that Jenson is a smooth driver and caresses a car around a lap, equally he has stripped Rubens this season. But can we really say that he will be as worthy a champion as Kimi in '07 and Lewis in '08..... For my money Im afraid not. The Brawn car is just too superior .5sec a lap conservatively. So whilst I wish Jenson well, I think Lewis's driving performance in Istanbul showed true class and for my money was the drive of the day. Just getting that McLaren to complete one lap seemingly is an accomplishment.
For this season Congratulations Ross Brawn (with over a years development) for his and his design team's interpretation of the new rules and on out-designing Adrian Newey.
Ross Brawn is our 2009 F1 champion and Jenson has been his passenger.
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I agree with those who say that Ross Brawn is going to be the true champion this year, though we may yet see Jensen having to display more than the ability to just bring it home from the front.
As to Rubinho's record, it's all there on Wikipedia - 274 starts, 13 pole positions, 9 wins, 65 podiums, 17 fastest laps. And he hasn't been out of work in F1 for 16 years. Some people think he can drive.
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Judging somebody on talent is completely based on individual opinion. And you know what they say about opinion, Opinions are like _______, everybody has one!!
Jenson completely deserves what he's getting now, and whoever says that he was paid money to stick with Honda, I don't think Hamilton or anybody else is taking a pay cut for driving an uncompetitive car, are they?
To everybody who say Jenson is just a benefactor of Ross Brawn's genius, I guess that puts Michael Schumacher in the same box then, according to you? I think not...You can build the greatest machines in the world, but they'd be useless if nobody knew how to make it work...Everybody has a part to play. If it was just about the machine, all teammates would perform identically, won't they?
As for Lewis, this year is actually good for him in the long term, because it's giving him an invaluable lesson in adversity. You can appreciate the highs better when you have seen the lows...
And for people slating Ross for having the benefit of extra planning and execution for his 2009 programme, answer one question...
If you run out of ammunition in a battle, what would you do? Retreat and prepare to fight another day, or just stand there and do nothing?
He had the luxury to plan ahead, because he had no ammo to continue the fight at that point...
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It's strange how good drivers make their cars look good, though.
When Schumacher won in 1994 everyone said it was because his Benetton B194 was miles better than anything else on the grid. It was only afterwards that the team explained that actually it was a nervous twitchy car and that's why the second driver couldn't do anything with it. When Hamilton won last year everyone reckoned the McLaren was the best on the grid, except most people now realise it was very very twitchy and nervous.
If you want to go back to real domination because of a car, you have to look at Mansell's win in 1992. The FW14 still sets the benchmark, it's still the best F1 car ever made by quite a long way. But even then Mansell had to drive the thing to victory, something I couldn't have done.
I actually don't think the Brawn is any better than the Red Bull. It probably was in Australia but there's really nothing in it now. The difference is that Button keeps the car on the tarmac and Vettel doesn't. Newey is the best designer in F1 today and he's designed a peach of a car.
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- A GUEST APPEARANCE BY MURRAY WALKER ON THE BBC FOR THE BRITIS GP 2009.
Copy & paste at end of you blog
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ah so its true the drivers of F1 are not drivers but just sit there and look good its all the car and a drivers championship is a joke.
or is it just a case of mcclaren having poster boys and not drivers.
a driver helps set up his car and improve it during the season.
many teams it seems have gone for poster boys rather than honest hard working drivers.
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