Was Hamilton underrated

Was Hamilton underrated

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Chipmunk1

Original Poster:

1,314 posts

161 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
By many on here in various posts over the years had written LH off, as the over hyped nearly man.

Can't adapt to changes , can't manage tyres , not a thinking racer, can't change his on the edge seat of the pants style, can save fuel and tyres.

Now with the right car he seems to be coping with the above very well

DHB07

80 posts

120 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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He's always been able to.

I remember him saying something like "Everyone thought Jenson was going to trash me on tyre deg, and that I can't manage them like he can, but that's clearly not he case" when Jenson joined him at McLaren.

The reason people think he's not a calm driver is because he's not calm emotionally.

Swordman

452 posts

163 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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I would say so. There were many here that were utterly convinced that Jensen Button was a better driver. Even Murray Walker said he was a has-been, which is a bit odd, considering that back then, he was only in F1 for a few seasons.

Personally, I think LH is the fastest driver Formula 1 has ever seen, and I always suspected that he'll get his moment to shine.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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I wouldn't say he was ever underated; the speed was always there it was just after his championship he ended up in the wrong place mentally with many distractions plus; as he threw the car around and wasn't particulalry smooth, everyone said he wouldn't be able to adapt to the changing regulations over the years, primarily looking after tyres.

Now he is in a better place mentally, has proven during his Jenson Button/McLaren years that he can adapt and now he is in a fantastic car.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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HTP99 said:
Now he is in a better place mentally,
I think Hamilton is a great driver but is hugely affected by what goes on in his life outside the car.


vonuber

17,868 posts

164 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Underrated? Not at all. But like any of the 'top' drivers, give him a car that is roughly 1s a lap quicker than anything else then he'll win (like Vettel).

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
el stovey said:
HTP99 said:
Now he is in a better place mentally,
I think Hamilton is a great driver but is hugely affected by what goes on in his life outside the car.
Oh most definately; there was the issues with his dad (whatever they were) the celebrity hanger ons, his on/off relationship with Nicole etc, he is now older, wiser and seems to have done away with many of his early distractions and hanger ons and also seems alot happier at Mercedes than when he was at McLaren

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Not by me. I always felt that he and Alonso were the two drivers who could take a moderate car and get it higher that it "should" be.

It appears Hulkenberg also falls into this category.

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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I don't think he's been underrated.

Personally I think the Pros (Bundle et al) have always had him reasonably well pegged, but he's a driver whose modest enough to always look for ways to improve his craft and try to adapt to changes so whilst they might have said in the past he's all raw talent and passion and not a great thinker, it might be fair to say he's changed in that respect in more recent seasons.

His biggest critics, especially on here, are simply fans of other drivers (and the odd soul who seems concerned with skin tone and his interests outside of the sport being "Gangsta" rolleyes) but for the huge majority it's the same pantomime bias as any other Sport. It's part of the fun of watching in the same way my brother claims Chelsea football club are X or Y, or their fans are glory seekers who've never even set foot in Chelsea, let alone their ground - which is clearly an important thing for Man U supporter from Cardiff who's been to Manchester once wink.

Durzel

12,232 posts

167 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
Chipmunk1 said:
By many on here in various posts over the years had written LH off, as the over hyped nearly man.

Can't adapt to changes , can't manage tyres , not a thinking racer, can't change his on the edge seat of the pants style, can save fuel and tyres.

Now with the right car he seems to be coping with the above very well
Was he ever really underrated?

Stick Alonso in his current car and he'd be the one having won 3 races on the trot. Likewise Vettel, perhaps even Button. I don't think it does Hamilton a disservice to say that, clearly he needs to be as capable as his competition.

This season is proving quite clearly how influential the car is when margins of a second or so difference before the driver even sits in it are involved. It also imo exposes Mark Webber's relative talent as well - I'm confident had Hamilton been in last years Red Bull that he would've given Vettel a run for his money right up til the last race.

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

216 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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el stovey said:
I think Hamilton is a great driver but is hugely affected by what goes on in his life outside the car.
Totally agree. Is he a great, top tier driver in terms of ability? Absolutely. Is he single minded enough to be one of 'the greats', probably not.

Chipmunk1

Original Poster:

1,314 posts

161 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
I think DR has shown up Mark quite badly aswell, but i think even the big bods at red bull knew to keep Mark and not have a real challenger like Lewis in the other car, that would have cost Vettetl a few of those 4 titles

RumbleOfThunder

3,546 posts

202 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Hamilton underrated? rofl

Corpulent Tosser

5,459 posts

244 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Swordman said:
I would say so. There were many here that were utterly convinced that Jensen Button was a better driver. Even Murray Walker said he was a has-been, which is a bit odd, considering that back then, he was only in F1 for a few seasons.

Personally, I think LH is the fastest driver Formula 1 has ever seen, and I always suspected that he'll get his moment to shine.
Fastest F1 has ever seen ! Very difficult to quantify and even as an opinion I thnk overestimates the man.
However I have never under rated him, always thought he was one of the fastest at the moment, possibly the fastest, but as others have said his head has not always been right, nor has he always had a winning car.

I hope he wins the championship this year as it would be a shame for someone of his talent to only have one WDC title.

Hungrymc

6,642 posts

136 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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LH made two big mistakes.

The issues outside of racing have been a distraction and have cost him a season of his career.

Sticking with McLaren when it became clear they were in trouble (some awful strategy, mistakes and reliability issues)!has cost him another season or maybe two.

He has gone some way to making up for this with his move to MBR (great decision) and his current form.

slipstream 1985

12,125 posts

178 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Hungrymc said:
LH made two big mistakes.

The issues outside of racing have been a distraction and have cost him a season of his career.

Sticking with McLaren when it became clear they were in trouble (some awful strategy, mistakes and reliability issues)!has cost him another season or maybe two.

He has gone some way to making up for this with his move to MBR (great decision) and his current form.
there was no other option at those times and mclaren did come up with a championship winning car twice after his first championship but the team threw it away.

Dunit

637 posts

204 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Maybe by some, Watched him in the cadets at Rye House and there was no doubt he was destined for a great future.
If he had gone to Red Bull in 09 could have been a 5 times champion by now.

entropy

5,403 posts

202 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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Hungrymc said:
LH made two big mistakes.

The issues outside of racing have been a distraction and have cost him a season of his career.

Sticking with McLaren when it became clear they were in trouble (some awful strategy, mistakes and reliability issues)!has cost him another season or maybe two.

He has gone some way to making up for this with his move to MBR (great decision) and his current form.
What was he supposed to do in 2011? RBR didn't want him, Ferrari didn't want him, Merc were an unknown quantity (hiring more chefs into the kitchen raised eyebrows) and the engine regs were being revised mid-season.

Hungrymc

6,642 posts

136 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
quotequote all
Entropy / Slipstream,

My comments come with 20/20 hindsight so I don't blame Hamilton. But it is why he has been under rated by some. Yes he has made mistakes (So has Seb and them all) and yes his head has gone walkabout for half a season but its hard to argue with his ability. The statistics (in my view) don't do his ability justice and we might be about to see that start to be reversed.

SuperDude

2,348 posts

121 months

Tuesday 22nd April 2014
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I think most peoples problem with Hamilton was/is his 'lifestyle' choices. Some people seemed to care a little too much about his girlfriend, his mates, his dog, the colour of his private jet...

All that piled up, plus the hype surrounding his driving, and his, um, 'questionable' comments he'd occasionally make, the second he put a foot wrong he'd be jumped on.

Meanwhile, everyone else sat quietly appreciating that the boy IS by far and away the fastest man on that grid.

Who else has the one lap pace, race distance consistency, and constant razor sharp attacking style? Alonso, I believe, doesn't have the speed over one lap. Vettel doesn't have the race consistency (yeah fine he decimated the field the last four years, but he was driving the fastest car at 7/10ths in race trim) , or race craft. Button, one lap. Kimi, quali pace. Maldonado (oh give the lad a break) doesn't have the race craft. Or a brain. Or any grace in any way shape of form (but he IS quick)

Hulkenberg maybe. He needs a better car, and team mate.

I've always rated Rosberg, and I truly believe he's one of the few on that grid that can give Hamilton a good run. And I hope he does.