A bit of a positive slant on Hamilton

[Fire99]

I know there is alot of brow-beating about F1 at the moment..(Plenty of it from me to be honest)

But one positive thing struck me about Hamilton and the race at Fuji. He is entertaining. You have to hand it to the guy that in these modern days of Team Orders and strategy etc i find it quite refreshing to see Hamilton being hot-headed and prepared to do a few bonkers moves to try and get infront of his rivals.. Even if he doesn't need to.

I certainly think F1 as a spectator sport is better with him being around..

[zac510]

I agree

[anonymous-user]

Without a doubt! It's just a shame that the "cost" to him of this approach could be high!

[Rob P]

I agree.

Although I dispise the FIA on an almost Gordon Brown level and I want to stop watching, I cant!

Next two races will be drama filled I'm sure, even if for all the wrong reasons!

[skeggysteve]

I agree as well - he's a racing driver and I expect him to race!

His boss agrees with you as well.

"Team principal Ron Dennis said: "He's a racing driver. That's what makes him the driver he is. He is going to fight for positions at every opportunity and you're not going to stop him doing that.

"Of course, with the benefit of hindsight it would have been nice if he could have been a bit more prudent in the first corner but that's the benefit of hindsight. Some of the things he does you're in awe of him. How long did it take Felipe to get past the Honda? Five laps? Six laps? And Lewis just blasted past him.

"You can't just cherry-pick aspects of drivers. The simple fact is he is a great driver, we're going to fight for the world championship but it's sometimes an uphill struggle."

[Saied]

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot. Purely my opinion, you understand.

I agree with the OP, however. He is a highly entertaining racing driver to watch and absolutely refuses to be intimidated out on the circuit.

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

[Curry Burns]

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot.

So he's just the same as the rest of the drivers then

[Holst]

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot. Purely my opinion, you understand.

I agree with the OP, however. He is a highly entertaining racing driver to watch and absolutely refuses to be intimidated out on the circuit.

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

I feel the same way. Last year when he was new he was less cocky and I quite liked him. Every interview and every race I like him less and less, but he is fantastic to watch.

I think he may become a fast version of Eddie Irvine :P

[Saied]

Curry Burns said:

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot.

So he's just the same as the rest of the drivers then

Not in my view.

[Fire99]

Yeah i have to agree (with the agreeers. ) that his off-track persona doesn't do him a huge number of favours.. Saying that Massa seems to want a piece of that action. (best leave that issue to the other 200 threads)

I have to say it's great that we have another 'character' on the track. Some do seem like corporate robots and Hamilton, for whatever reason, seems to be able to be agressive and a touch wreckless and still keep his job.

I have to agree about the FIA though.. It's really annoying that whilst we have a bit of action worth watching on the track, the whole organisation seems run by complete numpties and seems almost intent on driving viewers and fans away..

[durbster]

Saied said:

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

Unless you're going to marry him or invite him to the pub, you might as well

Totally agree with the OP. It's so refreshing to see any injection of personality into F1 and yet all many seem to do is moan about it.

[RacerMDR]

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot. Purely my opinion, you understand.

I agree with the OP, however. He is a highly entertaining racing driver to watch and absolutely refuses to be intimidated out on the circuit.

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

That is because he is the best - if i was 22 - as good as he is, i'd be much more of a tt.

the boy is a genius, the best since Senna - and as such - he deserves to be an arrogant tt.

[lewis1]

RacerMDR said:

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot. Purely my opinion, you understand.

I agree with the OP, however. He is a highly entertaining racing driver to watch and absolutely refuses to be intimidated out on the circuit.

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

That is because he is the best - if i was 22 - as good as he is, i'd be much more of a tt.

the boy is a genius, the best since Senna - and as such - he deserves to be an arrogant tt.

yes hes good but im not sure hes quite good enough to be called the best since senna.

[tossbag]

lewis1 said:

RacerMDR said:

Saied said:

I cannot stand Hamilton's persona: arrogant, smarmy, overly cocksure and a poseur to boot. Purely my opinion, you understand.

I agree with the OP, however. He is a highly entertaining racing driver to watch and absolutely refuses to be intimidated out on the circuit.

Maybe I should just try to watch him as a driver and ignore his personality.

That is because he is the best - if i was 22 - as good as he is, i'd be much more of a tt.

the boy is a genius, the best since Senna - and as such - he deserves to be an arrogant tt.

I would agree, but only for the reason that it's too early to tell, just out of interest, who do you think has been better since Senna after less than two seasons?

yes hes good but im not sure hes quite good enough to be called the best since senna.

[heebeegeetee]

Fire99 said:

Yeah i have to agree (with the agreeers. ) that his off-track persona doesn't do him a huge number of favours.. Saying that Massa seems to want a piece of that action. (best leave that issue to the other 200 threads)

But neither you or saied know what he's like (assuming you haven't spent time with him). all you've seen is some footage of what he's like at work, which is hardly an insight to a mans character.

We always used to read the same about Schumnacher - everyone who never met him said he was arrogant, and everyone who had said he wasn't.

I prefer the Frank Williams approach, whereby he says he's met a few world champions in his time, and they're all bds.

I think when people start talking about arrogance etc with regard to top sportsmen, i think they are just giving away their own naivety. I mean, just what do think it takes to get to the top? And why is their personality so important?

Anyway, all i know is that i'll take 10 hard, arrogant bds if they drive like he does to any one of your Jenson Buttons etc. I'm watching motor racing, not a personality contest. I mean, surely the biggest crime is to be boring?

For me, i'm a fan of F1 first and great racing drivers next. I've always liked great, exciting racing drivers, and i've never really given a toss about their character, etc. Why is it important?

[paulg390]

heebeegeetee said:

Fire99 said:

Yeah i have to agree (with the agreeers. ) that his off-track persona doesn't do him a huge number of favours.. Saying that Massa seems to want a piece of that action. (best leave that issue to the other 200 threads)

But neither you or saied know what he's like (assuming you haven't spent time with him). all you've seen is some footage of what he's like at work, which is hardly an insight to a mans character.

We always used to read the same about Schumnacher - everyone who never met him said he was arrogant, and everyone who had said he wasn't.

I prefer the Frank Williams approach, whereby he says he's met a few world champions in his time, and they're all bds.

I think when people start talking about arrogance etc with regard to top sportsmen, i think they are just giving away their own naivety. I mean, just what do think it takes to get to the top? And why is their personality so important?

Anyway, all i know is that i'll take 10 hard, arrogant bds if they drive like he does to any one of your Jenson Buttons etc. I'm watching motor racing, not a personality contest. I mean, surely the biggest crime is to be boring?

For me, i'm a fan of F1 first and great racing drivers next. I've always liked great, exciting racing drivers, and i've never really given a toss about their character, etc. Why is it important?

+1

[heebeegeetee]

Ta ever so. But i just thought i ought to say i agree totally with the OP. Yes, he is entertaining. From the moment he arrived, we haven't had a dull moment have we, not a single one.

[rdjohn]

My opinion of his personality has only been influenced by his pre-race interviews with Steve Ryder, post-race press conferences, his appearance with Clarkson on Top Gear and his book.

There really has been absolutely nothing in these that suggests anything other than a pleasant, polite, family oriented 23-year old man who has been blessed with an incredible talent and encouraged by a father who also has an "I'll do whatever it takes" approach to life.

I occasionally read the stuff that Ed Gorman writes in The Times and find that he can take a very strong view based on one quote, usually taken out of context. By the time this view has been filtered down to The Sun, I can imagine that it can be used to kick the guy down – no doubt they were in “build him up mode” last year.

I don't know if there is a statistician out there who has logged on-track overtaking manoeuvres for each driver for the last couple of years, but I expect that Lewis is well ahead in the tally. Sure, when they go wrong they tend to have dramatic outcomes like this weekend, but if Ron can support him – he has seen a few good ones over the years, after all, then I have absolutely no doubt that Lewis is the real deal and potentially the best Brit driver of the modern era.

It is a pity that Shuey’s and Senna’s careers did not overlap and the Shuey retired just a Lewis came on the scene, but I do believe that it is fair to compare Lewis with these greats. The simple fact that he performs well against 2 WDC winners in Kimi and Fernando, should be good enough for others to forgive him whatever character flaws they perceive.

[RacerMDR]

ok - might have overdone it with the 'best since Senna' comment

He is certainly up there though

as for personality - a lot of it is a front as a racer - he has to believe he is the best or why would he do it at all?

[Fire99]

heebeegeetee said:

Fire99 said:

Yeah i have to agree (with the agreeers. ) that his off-track persona doesn't do him a huge number of favours.. Saying that Massa seems to want a piece of that action. (best leave that issue to the other 200 threads)

But neither you or saied know what he's like (assuming you haven't spent time with him). all you've seen is some footage of what he's like at work, which is hardly an insight to a mans character.

We always used to read the same about Schumnacher - everyone who never met him said he was arrogant, and everyone who had said he wasn't.

I prefer the Frank Williams approach, whereby he says he's met a few world champions in his time, and they're all bds.

I think when people start talking about arrogance etc with regard to top sportsmen, i think they are just giving away their own naivety. I mean, just what do think it takes to get to the top? And why is their personality so important?

Anyway, all i know is that i'll take 10 hard, arrogant bds if they drive like he does to any one of your Jenson Buttons etc. I'm watching motor racing, not a personality contest. I mean, surely the biggest crime is to be boring?

For me, i'm a fan of F1 first and great racing drivers next. I've always liked great, exciting racing drivers, and i've never really given a toss about their character, etc. Why is it important?

Before we get into debate number 3 million and 1, "off track persona" is how he comes across in interviews. Not what he is like at a dinner party.

I personally don't give a rats arse since he does admit when he makes a mistake but to a large number of the public and the press i can see from his interviews where they get their opinions from.

But as per my starting of this thread, we agree on something