RE: Hooning with Hamilton: PH Blog

[Chris Harris]

Donkey62 said:

RichB said:

Well there we go, an article involving Lewis Hamilton and already 20 or so posts in and we've got people slagging him off. Pistonheads can be a shameful place sometimes.

The author has to take some responsibility for their questionable wording of the article, PH doesn't always make easy reading especially in conveying stories in anything other than a tweet of blogging txt.

"I stick out my paw the way I always do and attempt to reciprocate the pressure of his handshake, fail dismally and continue."

There's a verb, subject and an object. If you can't understand that, I can't help you. Read it again.

[rohrl]

Chris harris said:

Several years later, when he signed for McLaren, I phoned the team and asked if it might be possible to invite Lewis back to Chobham - not for a competition, but to have him show us that he could now properly spank a road car. They said no. I didn't bother asking again.

Not really that surprising sadly. McLaren aren't much fun are they?

[SprintSpeciale]

Donkey62 said:

RichB said:

Well there we go, an article involving Lewis Hamilton and already 20 or so posts in and we've got people slagging him off. Pistonheads can be a shameful place sometimes.

The author has to take some responsibility for their questionable wording of the article, PH doesn't always make easy reading especially in conveying stories in anything other than a tweet of blogging txt.

We must be reading different articles. I thought the writing nicely captured the conundrum of maintaining a professional demeanour when confronted with a hero figure. It gained extra depth through the unstated, but clearly implicit, idea that the tables had been turned and apprentice had become master and vice versa. I think Chris is too modest to actually write that, because it relies on the premise that Chris was initially the master, but it is hard not to take that away (unless you are of the school of thought that a piece of writing says no more than the words written on the page).

[SmartVenom]

Chris Harris said:

Donkey62 said:

RichB said:

Well there we go, an article involving Lewis Hamilton and already 20 or so posts in and we've got people slagging him off. Pistonheads can be a shameful place sometimes.

The author has to take some responsibility for their questionable wording of the article, PH doesn't always make easy reading especially in conveying stories in anything other than a tweet of blogging txt.

"I stick out my paw the way I always do and attempt to reciprocate the pressure of his handshake, fail dismally and continue."

There's a verb, subject and an object. If you can't understand that, I can't help you. Read it again.

Obviously there is good reason to hate Chris (he has the best job in the world and jealousy is human nature) but I do love the fact that he comes on here and gives it back to anyone who slags him off! Good on you Chris.

[samoht]

Great article, thanks!

[jimbop1]

How does Hamilton always manage to look so pissed off and smug at the same time?

[HoagieLomax]

Remember Lewis correcting a big slide at 150mph last year in qualifying,looked like fun!

[PaulG40]

What a great article. Shame about the lack of pictures or video but I can understand Chris probably was probably too giddy to remember. It's a great feeling to meet your heroes!

[c_w]

I bet it was recorded, think Go-Pro style camera gets whacked in most things,espeically something like this - whether it will see the light of day though I'm not sure!

[smash]

[doubletakebrothers]Good job he stopped himself gushing all through that . . . . DOH!!!!!![/doubletakebrothers]

[Mike P Wood]

Greg_D said:

I did the sideways challenge when it was held at Brands Hatch - it started off at Cooper straight and then around surtees, mclaren and clearway. I didn't do terribly well due to the relative lack of power from my mx5 but i got it going for as long as the power and momentum lasted.

I did better than the MG test driver in the MGZT v8 who forgot to turn off TC (he took a ribbing for that) and Lotus test driver Alistair McQueen who took a monumentally brave, but ultimately ill advised amount of speed into McLaren, understeered into the barriers and turned the car over, oops.... oh yes, and vicki butler henderson who was just crap, lol.....

I did it the same year, in a WR1 which I'd set up to be very loose! Have the vid somewhere too of the day including an upside down ZT260. There was another chap there called Kris Meeke. Wonder what he's up to now...??

Also had an excellent day with Monkey hooning at Millbrook in the same car for a WRC magazine article. The photographer had a rwd STi too which he did the Sideways Challenge in if I remember correctly

[anonymous-user]

Mike P Wood said:

Greg_D said:

I did the sideways challenge when it was held at Brands Hatch - it started off at Cooper straight and then around surtees, mclaren and clearway. I didn't do terribly well due to the relative lack of power from my mx5 but i got it going for as long as the power and momentum lasted.

I did better than the MG test driver in the MGZT v8 who forgot to turn off TC (he took a ribbing for that) and Lotus test driver Alistair McQueen who took a monumentally brave, but ultimately ill advised amount of speed into McLaren, understeered into the barriers and turned the car over, oops.... oh yes, and vicki butler henderson who was just crap, lol.....

I did it the same year, in a WR1 which I'd set up to be very loose! Have the vid somewhere too of the day including an upside down ZT260. There was another chap there called Kris Meeke. Wonder what he's up to now...??

Also had an excellent day with Monkey hooning at Millbrook in the same car for a WRC magazine article. The photographer had a rwd STi too which he did the Sideways Challenge in if I remember correctly

Hello Mike! Ah, the good 'ol days when you were allowed to have fun at work eh! ;-)

[3795mpower]

I did the sideways challenge, think it was 2001 at Silverstone in my E34 M5.

Met Monkey, Sutters & all the crew.

Quite enjoyed a "demonstration lap" with Steve Sutcliffe in an E46 M3 through the complex, 3rd gear / 8 grand,
The works.

Heroic moment that year was Jason Plato executing a perfect drift (including transition) at the wheel
Of a Ford Granada Herse.

It's a shame they don't run events like that any more, but they can't.
Health & safety gone mad !

A.

[marka1781]

Good article from monkeys, Lewis is prone 2 a strop if things aren't going his way. But hey he is very competetive & striving 2 win again, once he is relaxed & all is good he's on fire & a petrolhead like us all. Albeit richer than us all & has a natural talent possibly not since Senna has some1 attacked like him! Keep up the great work Chris

[Scottie - NW]

Chris Harris said:

"I stick out my paw the way I always do and attempt to reciprocate the pressure of his handshake, fail dismally and continue."

There's a verb, subject and an object. If you can't understand that, I can't help you. Read it again.

Please continue writing as you do so. Those that struggle can always read the Sun

[D200]

Such a shame there is no vid, would have been great to see lh in his more chilled out post McLaren era. A bit pointless without a vid or proper pics. Total waste of a great opportunity for the article/vid of the year

[carinaman]

Where's that Z3M Breadvan now?

[D200]

SmartVenom said:

Obviously there is good reason to hate Chris (he has the best job in the world and jealousy is human nature) but I do love the fact that he comes on here and gives it back to anyone who slags him off! Good on you Chris.

Actually jealousy isn't human nature.

It's more accurately described as an ugly and pointless trait but I don't see any jealous comments here. People are entitled to give their opinions.

I find the I love Chris/you're amazing etc comments more annoying than the ones questioning his opinions

Not that this has anything to do with the article :-)

Edited by D200 on Wednesday 5th February 21:42

[original guvnor]

D200 said:

Actually jealousy isn't human nature.

It's more accurately described as an ugly and pointless trait but I don't see any jealous comments here. People are entitled to give their opinions.

I find the I love Chris/you're amazing etc comments more annoying than the ones questioning his opinions

Edited by D200 on Wednesday 5th February 21:42

i find that a bit odd. What's wrong with expressing your admiration for someone's work? Why is that annoying to you? Or is it when it is done in a sycophantic way?

I'm going to annoy you now because I'm going to say I really enjoy watching and reading Chris's stuff. He's a breath of fresh air in my opinion (although he's wrong about the Z4M Coupe!!)

[Itsnotagsr]

People seem to forget that Lewis was booked by the Victorian Police a few years back at the Melbourne GP for "excessive tyre smoke". So seems like the guy doesn't mind the odd hoon.