Will Hamilton win the drivers Championship next year?
Discussion
As an Englishman and F1 fan it would be great to see Hamilton win the Drivers Championship. My only worry is that when you hear Hamilton,his team and an increasingly larger section of his fan base speak it sounds as if the 2008 Worldchampionship is already sewn up. Do you feel the remaining F1 drivers are racing for 2nd spot next year only Im not too sure...?
Definately not a given.
Depending on who his team mate is we could see yet another very close season. I see Kimi, Massa, Hamilton and, depending on where the spantard ends up, Alonso all duking it out.
possible suprise appearances from BMW and Williams. Accoring to JB honda are looking good... so that'll be another season to not write home about
I'm hoping htat the removal of TC will really allow drivers to shine and maybe level the field a little but no doubt the clever designers will make some careful changes (within the rules) that will negate the lack of computer assistance!
Depending on who his team mate is we could see yet another very close season. I see Kimi, Massa, Hamilton and, depending on where the spantard ends up, Alonso all duking it out.
possible suprise appearances from BMW and Williams. Accoring to JB honda are looking good... so that'll be another season to not write home about
I'm hoping htat the removal of TC will really allow drivers to shine and maybe level the field a little but no doubt the clever designers will make some careful changes (within the rules) that will negate the lack of computer assistance!
I don't see it as a given either, not sure why Ferrari aren't considered favourites in light of their late season form this year.
The Lewis situation at McLaren is interesting, must surely be tempting to have a number 2 two driver now given the problems they've had this year and historically. Either Hamilton or Alonso would have won the championship easily if they'd had a clear shot at it without their own team mate taking points off them.
The Lewis situation at McLaren is interesting, must surely be tempting to have a number 2 two driver now given the problems they've had this year and historically. Either Hamilton or Alonso would have won the championship easily if they'd had a clear shot at it without their own team mate taking points off them.
chris_w said:
I don't see it as a given either, not sure why Ferrari aren't considered favourites in light of their late season form this year.
I'm with you, I think there's a good chance that Kimi could become unstoppable next year. If Ferrari carry the momentum from this year, they'll be quick.MrKipling43 said:
chris_w said:
I don't see it as a given either, not sure why Ferrari aren't considered favourites in light of their late season form this year.
I'm with you, I think there's a good chance that Kimi could become unstoppable next year. If Ferrari carry the momentum from this year, they'll be quick.A few other factors:
- Being much less experienced in F1 than his principal rivals are, Hamilton should have more room for improvement than Raikkonen, Massa, and Alonso.
- Having driven powerful cars without TC and variable engine braking more recently than the others have done, Hamilton may make the transition to the '08 formula more readily than they do.
- Unless Massa starts the season as Kimi's designated butt-boy, the two Ferrari drivers will tend to take points from one another, as they did for the first half of '07 and Alonso and Hamilton did for the entirety of '07. It seems unlikely that the names in the frame for the 2nd McL. seat would be as likely to take points away from Hamilton as Alonso did, although they will be given equal team treatment.
- McLaren may be $100M poorer than they would have been, but in '08 they will enjoy the luxury of not being divided by a lunatic driver, nor being distracted by an FIA witch hunt.
- In the years before he was WC, Kimi was not known for his unstoppable work ethic. How will he react to having finally reached his goal?
- How will Hamilton react to the mind-boggling number of requests for and demands on his time? Will being separated from his home base help him to focus, or add to his stress?
- Might this Thursday's Renault verdict, or the forthcoming revelations that Nigel Stepney has promised us, affect what happens at the sharp end of the grid?
- Being much less experienced in F1 than his principal rivals are, Hamilton should have more room for improvement than Raikkonen, Massa, and Alonso.
- Having driven powerful cars without TC and variable engine braking more recently than the others have done, Hamilton may make the transition to the '08 formula more readily than they do.
- Unless Massa starts the season as Kimi's designated butt-boy, the two Ferrari drivers will tend to take points from one another, as they did for the first half of '07 and Alonso and Hamilton did for the entirety of '07. It seems unlikely that the names in the frame for the 2nd McL. seat would be as likely to take points away from Hamilton as Alonso did, although they will be given equal team treatment.
- McLaren may be $100M poorer than they would have been, but in '08 they will enjoy the luxury of not being divided by a lunatic driver, nor being distracted by an FIA witch hunt.
- In the years before he was WC, Kimi was not known for his unstoppable work ethic. How will he react to having finally reached his goal?
- How will Hamilton react to the mind-boggling number of requests for and demands on his time? Will being separated from his home base help him to focus, or add to his stress?
- Might this Thursday's Renault verdict, or the forthcoming revelations that Nigel Stepney has promised us, affect what happens at the sharp end of the grid?
I think he maybe in for a difficult year in 08. 2007 was an amazing start, but next year he will be expected to be even better and that isn't always possible, he will also in effect be the team leader (in a team that doesn't have them, I know) which will add other pressures. Maclaren have had so much to distract them from the racing so who knows if this has made them take their eye off the ball? Will the FIA hamstring them before the season starts? Also I think Kimi is going to be on another level next year, he has found his feet in the team, had well and truly put Massa in his place by the end of the season, and now he's got over the hurdle of getting his first championship. I really hope that Maclaren bounce back and get both the constructors and drivers championship in 2008, but Ferrari will have a good car I'm sure, the FIA and Mad Max will find away to get Ron again if they need to. The only thing that may shake things up a bit is the removal TC,but at this level the drivers will adapt pretty damn fast. Roll on 2008 it's going to be interesting!
flemke said:
- Being much less experienced in F1 than his principal rivals are, Hamilton should have more room for improvement than Raikkonen, Massa, and Alonso.
This is true, although there is still that nagging question of how much experience brings to the table and how well Hamilton will do 'on his own'. I have confidence, but I suspect that Kimi and Massa will be better prepared.flemke said:
- Having driven powerful cars without TC and variable engine braking more recently than the others have done, Hamilton may make the transition to the '08 formula more readily than they do.
I suspect the difference this makes to the top runners will be minimal, but it will certainly be interesting finding out.flemke said:
- Unless Massa starts the season as Kimi's designated butt-boy, the two Ferrari drivers will tend to take points from one another, as they did for the first half of '07 and Alonso and Hamilton did for the entirety of '07. It seems unlikely that the names in the frame for the 2nd McL. seat would be as likely to take points away from Hamilton as Alonso did, although they will be given equal team treatment.
I guess this is a question of two things: 1. Has Kimi done enough by winning the world championship to secure his status bum lover, rather than bum lovee, in the Ferrari camp?
and...
2. How much of an effect will Jean Todt being out of the picture have on the role that Massa is given?
flemke said:
- McLaren may be $100M poorer than they would have been, but in '08 they will enjoy the luxury of not being divided by a lunatic driver, nor being distracted by an FIA witch hunt.
I don't think the lack of an FIA witch hunt is a given for McMerc, I suspect they'll still be the victims of the bizarre and inexplicable Ferra... sorry, FIA agenda.Although it will be interesting to see what a more balanced team environment does for McLaren - you could argue that they haven't had that since the DC/Mika days.
flemke said:
- In the years before he was WC, Kimi was not known for his unstoppable work ethic. How will he react to having finally reached his goal?
A good question, but I have a suspicion that this could be the start of the Kimi Era. Now he knows that he can do it, I think he'll want to dominate.flemke said:
- How will Hamilton react to the mind-boggling number of requests for and demands on his time? Will being separated from his home base help him to focus, or add to his stress?
We'll see I suppose, very difficult one to predict.flemke said:
- Might this Thursday's Renault verdict, or the forthcoming revelations that Nigel Stepney has promised us, affect what happens at the sharp end of the grid?
Who knows?! 
flemke said:
- Unless Massa starts the season as Kimi's designated butt-boy, the two Ferrari drivers will tend to take points from one another, as they did for the first half of '07 and Alonso and Hamilton did for the entirety of '07. It seems unlikely that the names in the frame for the 2nd McL. seat would be as likely to take points away from Hamilton as Alonso did, although they will be given equal team treatment.
This is what I find most interesting about the McLaren second driver question - they must be tempted to drop another Coulthard into the seat so that Hamilton doesn't have to worry about his team mate taking points off him. But Hamilton will still be developing as you say so someone quick should help keep him on his toes... I don't envy them trying to reconcile those two concerns.flemke said:
- In the years before he was WC, Kimi was not known for his unstoppable work ethic. How will he react to having finally reached his goal?
I'm not sure if this will be a problem, Kimi is a pretty simple fellow in my opinion - he just loves to race whether for the championship or otherwise. He's proven that he can win the championship with his low-voltage approach so will probably just keep on doing things his way.I would say all things (car/equipment) being equal, or even similar, then Kimi will win again.
But sometimes one constructors car is significantly better than anyone elses.
In which case it will be one of that constructors drivers.
The chances are of course that car will be a McLaren, a Ferrari or possibly
a BMW. Wouldn't completely write off Nick Heidfeld.
But, like I say, if the Ferrari is not too much worse than anything else then
it'll be Kimi, like last season. IMHO.
Far too early to tell. McLaren don't have the greatest record of stringing together world beating cars year after year, but they can usually manage a couple of seasons on the trot, so hopefully they can put another great car under Lewis and whomever.
Who knows for Ferrari, presumably the 07 car had a fair dollop of Schumacher development go into it? The 08 car is unlikely to. As above, Kimi isn't known for his desire to develop a car, so could they come unstuck for next year?
One big hope is that BMW continue their ascendancy towards race winning pace.
Who knows for Ferrari, presumably the 07 car had a fair dollop of Schumacher development go into it? The 08 car is unlikely to. As above, Kimi isn't known for his desire to develop a car, so could they come unstuck for next year?
One big hope is that BMW continue their ascendancy towards race winning pace.
None of the teams know were they stand untill at least the first race of next season, usually not until they get to the normal tracks in europe, how can anyone presume that Mclaren will have the dominant car?, sure they had great mechanical grip this season(for the loss of tc), but they were nowhere last year and there are quite afew teams that can make up the gap over the winter.
I think 2008 will be a two-horse fight between Raikkonen and Hamilton. Massa, good as he is, just isn't at the same level as Kimi.
This is of course assuming McLaren build another decent car. They have tended to alternate between extremely competitive and uncompetitive in recent years: the 2004 car was largely one to forget; 2005's MP4-20 was a corker, ruined only by appalling reliablilty; the MP4-21 was hobbled by the team trying to please two very different drivers simultaneously; and well, the MP4-22 was the class of the field this year, regardless of what Ferrari might have you believe.
Let's hope that the new car breaks that cycle...
This is of course assuming McLaren build another decent car. They have tended to alternate between extremely competitive and uncompetitive in recent years: the 2004 car was largely one to forget; 2005's MP4-20 was a corker, ruined only by appalling reliablilty; the MP4-21 was hobbled by the team trying to please two very different drivers simultaneously; and well, the MP4-22 was the class of the field this year, regardless of what Ferrari might have you believe.
Let's hope that the new car breaks that cycle...
Edited by hostile17 on Thursday 6th December 11:45
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