Lewis Hamilton

[Europa1]

This thread's gone all funny.

[iandc]

Europa1 said:

This thread's gone all funny.

Wrong. Its not in the remotest funny.

[anonymous-user]

iandc said:

Europa1 said:

This thread's gone all funny.

Wrong. Its not in the remotest funny.

Oh yes it is. It’s become laughable.

[HardtopManual]

It's one of the worst threads on PH. YouTube comments level. And yet in a few months it'll be 500 pages long and closed. Let's hope it doesn't get continued.

[Blink982]

What is about Hamilton that brings out the very worst in people and makes them post absolute drivel? This thread has gone like the numerous HYS BBC articles that feature Lewis and don't get me started on the cesspit that is Twitter.

[TheDeuce]

Blink982 said:

What is about Hamilton that brings out the very worst in people and makes them post absolute drivel? This thread has gone like the numerous HYS BBC articles that feature Lewis and don't get me started on the cesspit that is Twitter.

Something in the British nature seems to lead to people being automatically negative about anyone successful. I quite often get to drive attention grabbing cars at home, and around Europe. In most countries if people show an interest they generally are excitable and I leave the encounter feeling they're happy that my life worked out in such a way that I get to be behind the wheel.

In the UK... let's just say the reaction is normally none existent as people will see the car out the corner of their eye at the petrol station, and then make a conscious effort not to look directly! Those that do show their interest are normally quick to comment on the depreciation/fuel consumption etc - their way of dealing with something they can't have themselves is generally to find and focus on a negative aspect of it. No matter how hard they have to dig to find one!!

If only they knew that I could never afford to own most such cars either

I hope it doesn't upset anyone, but the more I have traveled (and I think, crucially worked overseas), the more depressed I find coming home and listening to the debate of the day and people's miserable and worrisome reactions to things that elsewhere would raise a carefree smile

This thread I think is an example of witnessing greatness and finding a way to undermine or doubt it. It's as if some members forget we only have F1 in the first place to work out who the best drivers really are. He's won that competition 5 times already, about to be 6 times and this time next year I'm fairly confident he will have nearly won a 7th time. Each time he wins the detractors have to stretch to ever more ridiculous arguments to prove he's not as good as he clearly is.

[eccles]

TheDeuce said:

Blink982 said:

What is about Hamilton that brings out the very worst in people and makes them post absolute drivel? This thread has gone like the numerous HYS BBC articles that feature Lewis and don't get me started on the cesspit that is Twitter.

Something in the British nature seems to lead to people being automatically negative about anyone successful. I quite often get to drive attention grabbing cars at home, and around Europe. In most countries if people show an interest they generally are excitable and I leave the encounter feeling they're happy that my life worked out in such a way that I get to be behind the wheel.

In the UK... let's just say the reaction is normally none existent as people will see the car out the corner of their eye at the petrol station, and then make a conscious effort not to look directly! Those that do show their interest are normally quick to comment on the depreciation/fuel consumption etc - their way of dealing with something they can't have themselves is generally to find and focus on a negative aspect of it. No matter how hard they have to dig to find one!!

If only they knew that I could never afford to own most such cars either

I hope it doesn't upset anyone, but the more I have traveled (and I think, crucially worked overseas), the more depressed I find coming home and listening to the debate of the day and people's miserable and worrisome reactions to things that elsewhere would raise a carefree smile

This thread I think is an example of witnessing greatness and finding a way to undermine or doubt it. It's as if some members forget we only have F1 in the first place to work out who the best drivers really are. He's won that competition 5 times already, about to be 6 times and this time next year I'm fairly confident he will have nearly won a 7th time. Each time he wins the detractors have to stretch to ever more ridiculous arguments to prove he's not as good as he clearly is.

I love the way you only see the detractors are at fault.

I am one of those who irrationally dislike Lewis, there's something about him that just rubs me the wrong way, I am open about that but I recognise he has a talent and is arguably the best out there. There must be something in this as all you have to do is take the blinkers off and see how divisive he is, often for no particular reason.
To me, many of the fanbois are just as guilty of crediting him with stuff when to many others are doing the same in a less look at me kind of way.

Both sides are as guilty as each other if you look on from the outside.

[swisstoni]

Twaddle.

[TheDeuce]

eccles said:

I love the way you only see the detractors are at fault.

I am one of those who irrationally dislike Lewis, there's something about him that just rubs me the wrong way, I am open about that but I recognise he has a talent and is arguably the best out there. There must be something in this as all you have to do is take the blinkers off and see how divisive he is, often for no particular reason.
To me, many of the fanbois are just as guilty of crediting him with stuff when to many others are doing the same in a less look at me kind of way.

Both sides are as guilty as each other if you look on from the outside.

You're right, it's not the detractors only. It's anyone that is either obsessively detracting or obsessively supporting. Both are illogical and pointless. We already follow a sport that exists solely to find out which teams/drivers are 'the best'. Although I would say that after a year or two of success, first the detractors appear and then as a result the equally OTT supporters appear.

I kind of am looking at it from the outside - whilst I'm impressed by the length and level of his talent in the sport, I'm never really been a fan of any driver as such... More a fan of the sport and the technical prowess of some teams work.

[epom]

I'm growing to like him, he really does seem like a good lad. His image however...

[TheDeuce]

epom said:

I'm growing to like him, he really does seem like a good lad. His image however...

The more I've heard of him during sensible interviews off track, conducted by people with sensible questions to ask, the more I have accepted he's a pretty decent guy.

I do agree that his image isn't really compatible with me

I doubt we could ever be mates or find very much in common! Even if he wasn't a world famous record smashing F1 driver I really don't think our social circles would cross over, nor our interests, other than turning fuel in to noise and speed of course.

But it's fine - I have enough friends. All I need as an F1 fan to like a guy is for him to exceed expectations, be impressive and prove that as the sport and drivers evolve, what can be achieved is forever improving. After a very long spell of Shumacher holding many 'unlikely to be beaten' records, Lewis is now delivering on that. It was always the case that one day a driver would beat those records, and I am grateful that it turns out the driver who is doing that, happens to be a decent chap that I really can't find much bad to say about. Except possibly some of the really terrible hairstyle experiments he has inflicted upon millions of viewers.

[Blink982]

What exactly has Lewis done ON TRACK to make him so fking unlikable? Cards on table, I'm a huge Lewis fan, he's utterly peerless on track in my opinion. I can take or leave some of his motivational crap he posts online and sometimes wonder if it's genuine or from his advisors but I genuinely cannot fault the guy as a driver. It would appear that some single him out for criticism based on where he chooses to live, his hairloss blah, blah, blah. Get a grip!

Edited by Blink982 on Saturday 31st August 22:55

[HardtopManual]

TheDeuce said:

I doubt we could ever be mates or find very much in common! Even if he wasn't a world famous record smashing F1 driver I really don't think our social circles would cross over, nor our interests, other than turning fuel in to noise and speed of course.

But it's fine - I have enough friends.

Paging Armando Iannucci, I have the makings of the next Partridge script.

[TheDeuce]

HardtopManual said:

Paging Armando Iannucci, I have the makings of the next Partridge script.

[TheDeuce]

Blink982 said:

What exactly has Lewis done ON TRACK to make him so fking unlikable? Cards on table, I'm a huge Lewis fan, he's utterly peerless on track in my opinion. I can take or leave some of his motivational crap he posts online and sometimes wonder if it's genuine or from his advisors but I genuinely cannot fault the guy as a driver. It would appear that some single him out for criticism based on where he chooses to live, his hairloss blah, blah, blah. Get a grip!

Edited by Blink982 on Saturday 31st August 22:55

I can only assume that it's in part his motivational 'copy and paste' speeches and his trendiness - but he's a huge public figure these days, I imagine that showing he cares about 'whatever' makes life easier in several ways. He probably does genuinely care about most of the stuff he latches on to, but that's fair enough too - he has to live in the spotlight and it's a two way road. He has to to care about what the masses care about, but he's also exposed to what the masses care about and probably does genuinely get sucked in to a lot of popular trends.

I have no idea why that should bother anyone though. They guy could walk around with his balls hanging out shouting offensive comments at passers by for all I care - he's a racing driver, he should be judged as such. Anything else is peripheral.

Perhaps some struggle because he's not just stupidly successful at what he does, but he also makes it look effortless. To the point he in fact proves it really is somewhat effortless as he clearly has time and energy left for endless side projects. There are some people who will see that as luck or unfair. In reality though, it's just life. The guy found his groove, he's in the right place for his natural talents to shine.

[Leithen]

Jim Clark and his Oxford Downs, Suffolk Downs and Border Leicesters would be very perplexed.

[Teddy Lop]

Blink982 said:

What exactly has Lewis done ON TRACK to make him so fking unlikable? Cards on table, I'm a huge Lewis fan, he's utterly peerless on track in my opinion. I can take or leave some of his motivational crap he posts online and sometimes wonder if it's genuine or from his advisors but I genuinely cannot fault the guy as a driver. It would appear that some single him out for criticism based on where he chooses to live, his hairloss blah, blah, blah. Get a grip!

Edited by Blink982 on Saturday 31st August 22:55

working class boy done good, is my theory, how dare he excel in a rich boys sport.

Cos lets face it, the constant wave of st many people want to pour on Lewis can't be explained through logic or reason so you're looking for their own hang ups and prejudices.

[iandc]

TheDeuce said:

The more I've heard of him during sensible interviews off track, conducted by people with sensible questions to ask, the more I have accepted he's a pretty decent guy.

I do agree that his image isn't really compatible with me

I doubt we could ever be mates or find very much in common! Even if he wasn't a world famous record smashing F1 driver I really don't think our social circles would cross over, nor our interests, other than turning fuel in to noise and speed of course.

But it's fine - I have enough friends. All I need as an F1 fan to like a guy is for him to exceed expectations, be impressive and prove that as the sport and drivers evolve, what can be achieved is forever improving. After a very long spell of Shumacher holding many 'unlikely to be beaten' records, Lewis is now delivering on that. It was always the case that one day a driver would beat those records, and I am grateful that it turns out the driver who is doing that, happens to be a decent chap that I really can't find much bad to say about. Except possibly some of the really terrible hairstyle experiments he has inflicted upon millions of viewers.

Very sensible post. (You will be banned soon!!). Agree entirely. Same in a lot of sports. For example I can't stand Liverpool FC and especially Jorgan Klopp, but can recognise their/his talent. I actually quite like Lewis Hamilton but that is an aside to recognising his talent on the track. After all that is what he is paid to do. The rest is just fluff.

[poo at Paul's]

Just dipped into this thread, so apologies if covered elsewhere, (cant see it but recent chat is about veganism etc), but did anyone else note his interview on Sat, when they said, "F1 drivers try not to get into politics but you've been passionate recently about the Amazon fires....."

Guy with his own private jet who makes his life driving around in circles in race cars, using 100L of high octane fuel in 1.75 hrs, at an event that brings in 100k people from around the world in planes, cars, motorbikes etc, producing nothing except "entertainment" preaching about the Amazon fires, seems ironic.
I am not sure Lewis's green credentials, vegan or note, really hold up to even the slightest scrutiny!

[swisstoni]

poo at Paul's said:

Just dipped into this thread, so apologies if covered elsewhere, (cant see it but recent chat is about veganism etc), but did anyone else note his interview on Sat, when they said, "F1 drivers try not to get into politics but you've been passionate recently about the Amazon fires....."

Guy with his own private jet who makes his life driving around in circles in race cars, using 100L of high octane fuel in 1.75 hrs, at an event that brings in 100k people from around the world in planes, cars, motorbikes etc, producing nothing except "entertainment" preaching about the Amazon fires, seems ironic.
I am not sure Lewis's green credentials, vegan or note, really hold up to even the slightest scrutiny!

Yeah. fk the Amazon!

We are all hypocrites when it comes to environmental issues.

It’s also worth remembering that he gets microphones stuck in his face and asked about random stuff that most F1 drivers don’t.

His heart is in the right place and he thinks he is using doing good IMHO. So that’s good enough for me.