Lewis: I blew Alonso away in my rookie year

[SUPER NUMBBER]

On the Hammer's helmet debacle: He's been wearing a yellow helmet since his early karting days. There's only so many colors in the spectrum you can use.

 

[Ardius]

^Yeah, I've been told there is a reasonable story behind that helmet choice, its not as disrespectful as some think. I can't remember where its found (I think in a biography somewhere) though.

Ironically it makes Lewis one of the few drivers to never alter his helmet design, which I far prefer than say, Alonso's helmet colours which change each team he goes to. Helmets used to be a way of recognising a driver, but now its just a thing to play around with when the drivers get bored of certain colours.

My favourite helmet was always the Hill family's. Very recognisable, simple and effective. Senna too is an obvious one and now Hamilton has inherited the dreaded-yellow-helmet-in-your-mirrors.
My least favourite helmet is Vettel's...it changes almost every race!

It will be interesting to see what happens if Bruno and Hamilton are ever in the same team.

 

[P1]

^Yeah, I've been told there is a reasonable story behind that helmet choice, its not as disrespectful as some think. I can't remember where its found (I think in a biography somewhere) though.

Ironically it makes Lewis one of the few drivers to never alter his helmet design, which I far prefer than say, Alonso's helmet colours which change each team he goes to. Helmets used to be a way of recognising a driver, but now its just a thing to play around with when the drivers get bored of certain colours.

My favourite helmet was always the Hill family's. Very recognisable, simple and effective. Senna too is an obvious one and now Hamilton has inherited the dreaded-yellow-helmet-in-your-mirrors.
My least favourite helmet is Vettel's...it changes almost every race!

It will be interesting to see what happens if Bruno and Hamilton are ever in the same team.

Yeh but there all really cool helmets and only the top and the colour scheme changes the rest stay the same.

Hamiltons dad says that his helmet is yellow becuase it was easier to spot in his kart races.

 

[Bram Turismo]

My least favourite helmet is Vettel's...it changes almost every race!

Not to mention it consists of the most dull colour combinations ever in history.

 

[P1]

Not to mention it consists of the most dull colour combinations ever in history.

Is this dull? Link

 

[Ardius]

Is this dull? Link

Also, the other thing I don't like about Vettel's helmets are:
1. They use colour schemes like that, which at 100mph+ are quite difficult to see and end up just being a blur of mostly blue.
2. The large amount of Red Bull advertising, which means the colour of his helmet is too similar to the rest of the Red Bull drivers.....
Alguesuari helmet: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46089000/jpg/_46089617_jamiehelmet226.jpg
Buemi helmet: http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Scuderia+Toro+Rosso+2009+F1+Launch+0LCLBoCoF6Rl.jpg

Though 2. is more a complaint about Red Bull drivers in general, at least Webber's incorporates the Red Bull logo better, but thats really just coincidence.

I have to resort to the T-cameras to pick drivers out more and more because of this (and the fact the Toro Rosso and Red Bull liveries again look quite similar at speed).
Ya know what? Screw Red Bull! They are anti-individualists!

 

[ExigeEvan]

Firstly, it's possible see that Hamilton may have meant it in the context that he "shocked" Alonso.

Secondly, I don't care if it comes across as arrogance. The guy has achieved amazing things in 3 seasons, he's a media darling, majority of fans probably like him, and untill very recentley he was in a relationship with an extremely fit women. All while he competes in one of the most exclusives sports in the world.

Personally, if he wasn't arrogant in the slightest about that he'd be an ungrateful tosser.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Is this dull? Link

That's a one-off, doesn't count. And even so, the artwork covers a minimal space, you'd never notice he was using a different helmet in the race anyway. As Ardius mentioned, it's the whole Red Bull livery that screws it up. Let the driver decide, why not go with the german colours instead? Timo Glock has in my opinion and arguably the nicest looking design out of the field (http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/066/261/66261/big/GlockHelmet_th001.jpg)

 

[P1]

That's a one-off, doesn't count. And even so, the artwork covers a minimal space, you'd never notice he was using a different helmet in the race anyway. As Ardius mentioned, it's the whole Red Bull livery that screws it up. Let the driver decide, why not go with the german colours instead? Timo Glock has in my opinion and arguably the nicest looking design out of the field (http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/066/261/66261/big/GlockHelmet_th001.jpg)

Not really there are about 5 or 6 different helmets for his 2009 season but i see what you mean but i think the Red Bull logo on the helmets actually looks good especially Vettels German GP helmet in my avatar.

 

[Ardius]

That's a one-off, doesn't count. And even so, the artwork covers a minimal space, you'd never notice he was using a different helmet in the race anyway. As Ardius mentioned, it's the whole Red Bull livery that screws it up. Let the driver decide, why not go with the german colours instead? Timo Glock has in my opinion and arguably the nicest looking design out of the field (http://www.creativecrash.com/system/photos/000/066/261/66261/big/GlockHelmet_th001.jpg)

I think even Timo's is too cluttered, too many colours in such a small space. Its nice when still, but in motion you can't make out half of that, unlike the obvious yellow of Senna's helmet.
The drivers don't have to use a single base colour, but perhaps less intricate designs with fewer colours would be more effective.

His new Virgin one looks good though:
http://cdn.virginracing.com/1260895830/galleries/timo/timo_helmet.jpg

 

[homeforsummer]

I don't have any hate or insecurity to a successful man, theres being successful graciously then being the guy who loards it over everyone. Seriously the fact that he wears a Senna helmet put me of instantly, who does he think he is. Even Schumacher (who is also quite arrogant) was never this cocky early on in his career.

You're completely kidding yourself if you think that. In 94 and 95 Schumacher acted like the ground he walked on was sacred. People forget things so easily when they've got someone else to lay into...

To my knowledge Hamilton also hasn't been so single-minded that he's tried to run people off the road to meet his own ends either, which is far more of an arrogant and self-satisfying action than a few soundbites at a press conference.

As I mentioned earlier, I'd rather have polarising characters like Hamilton in the sport than dull, grey drones. Yeah, some people dislike Hamilton but he's brought a bit of excitement with him to the sport, not to mention that, along with Button last year, he's finally given British motorsport the kick in the backside it needed on the international scene. I don't see myself as particularly nationalistic but it's damn good to have seen British champions for the last few years.

My favourite helmet was always the Hill family's. Very recognisable, simple and effective. Senna too is an obvious one and now Hamilton has inherited the dreaded-yellow-helmet-in-your-mirrors.
My least favourite helmet is Vettel's...it changes almost every race!

It will be interesting to see what happens if Bruno and Hamilton are ever in the same team.

On that note, I can't wait to see Schumi's helmet design back in the sport.

And it always amused me how Ralf's was similar, but not as good. Sounds familiar used in context...

 

[yeti]

he's finally given British motorsport the kick in the backside it needed on the international scene. I don't see myself as particularly nationalistic but it's damn good to have seen British champions for the last few years.

Not 100% sure what you mean...

Of 56 championships - British drivers have won 14 of them. (A quarter of all seasons)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_World_Drivers'_Champions

To put that in perspective, the second best country is Brazil with 8th...

C.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Not 100% sure what you mean...

Of 56 championships - British drivers have won 14 of them. (A quarter of all seasons)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_World_Drivers'_Champions

To put that in perspective, the second best country is Brazil with 8th...

C.

then michael sch... i mean germany with 7

 

[niky]

A championship to the Finns... then seven to the Germans... then two to the Spanish... then another to the Finns...

It's been a long drought for the Brits... and now to have two back-to-back British champions... it's a good time for English F1 fans...

 

[Bram Turismo]

I think even Timo's is too cluttered, too many colours in such a small space. Its nice when still, but in motion you can't make out half of that, unlike the obvious yellow of Senna's helmet.
The drivers don't have to use a single base colour, but perhaps less intricate designs with fewer colours would be more effective.

His new Virgin one looks good though:
http://cdn.virginracing.com/1260895830/galleries/timo/timo_helmet.jpg

Well I guess it's me who just likes massive amounts of colours on helmets. I always browse through the helmets of driver at lemans.org because they always pack so many different colours. But you're right though, Glock's new helmet actually looks really really good.

 

[Radracing]

If they found Nelson P. jr. guilty of crashing then Massa should have gotten a few extra point then really Hamilton wouldn't have won the world championship title. Considering Massa won more races that season. So technically I don't consider him earning that title even if without question he is an excelent driver. I think he still has to really earn it on his own.

Alonso on the other hand I'm sure helped him in that season they were team mates by sharing his experience through sharing his car setups, but instead slaped him in the face by disobeying team orders to let Alonso pass at one of the races. Thats when all this riff all started. And if he really is a team player he would have listened to team orders.

 

[PeterJB]

They wouldn't be allowed to give extra points to Massa because it's nearly impossible to conclude the result had Nelson never crashed. For all we know Massa could have crashed anyway, or Lewis, or anyone. Plus, Lewis' penalty at Spa effectively canceled out the advantage he gained at Singapore and the disadvantage gained by Massa.

 

[Ardius]

If they found Nelson P. jr. guilty of crashing then Massa should have gotten a few extra point then really Hamilton wouldn't have won the world championship title. Considering Massa won more races that season. So technically I don't consider him earning that title even if without question he is an excelent driver. I think he still has to really earn it on his own.

Alonso on the other hand I'm sure helped him in that season they were team mates by sharing his experience through sharing his car setups, but instead slaped him in the face by disobeying team orders to let Alonso pass at one of the races. Thats when all this riff all started. And if he really is a team player he would have listened to team orders.

I can easily counter that by saying that Massa didn't deserve the points he got over Hamilton at Spa either.
Both Massa and Hamilton made mistakes and had awful luck. I rate both very highly so I don't think either of them are "undeserving".

As much as I want to pretend Damon is a double world champion I cannot know that he wouldn't have crashed out later in Adelaide anyway. Either way, Schumacher deserved the title by his earlier performances alone and he later proved it in 1995. If I can accept that, why can't you accept Hamilton won?

 

[LewyOs]

+ the points massa gained when let through by kimi.

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

Geez, I thought we were done with the argument of Massa's hypothetical championship...

 

[Roo]

If I can accept that, why can't you accept Hamilton won?

Geez, I thought we were done with the argument of Massa's hypothetical championship...

It's the off season, so there's no major controversies to stir up, so the only way to get people fired up is to recycle an old one.

 

[Ardius]

It's the off season, so there's no major controversies to stir up, so the only way to get people fired up is to recycle an old one.

I would have thought this particular off season is the most controversial what with the whole mess currently with USF1 and the new teams, etc. As well as Schumacher's return, testing and so on.

 

[lpb-nissan-gt-r]

Yeah usf1 suck from what I have heard about them shame really would of been great for america to like f1 again, ther are so many good tracks over there.

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

No United States Grand Prix = No American sponsors = No American teams.

So thanks Bernie

 

[niky]

If they found Nelson P. jr. guilty of crashing then Massa should have gotten a few extra point then really Hamilton wouldn't have won the world championship title. Considering Massa won more races that season. So technically I don't consider him earning that title even if without question he is an excelent driver. I think he still has to really earn it on his own.

And I think if the FIA didn't change rules in the middle of the season to penalize Lewis for a move that was legal when he did it (the overtake on Kimi after he let Kimi back through after going off), Lewis would have won the other championship... eh?

It's over, done, fini, finis, fin. That's racing.

 

[Senna729]

in terms of skill and race craft, he is a very talented and gifted driver. no doubt about it.
but i respect drivers more when they earn their way to the top. and i expect them to show humbleness and gratitude toward others. making a statement like this just shows how immature he is.

 

[Ardius]

Funny you should revive this thread today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8550027.stm

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he mishandled the situation alongside Fernando Alonso during his Formula 1 rookie season at McLaren in 2007.

Hamilton told BBC Sport he had "misinterpreted and misunderstood the goals and how the team worked".

Amid bitter recriminations, Alonso left McLaren after one year but Hamilton said he would not make the same errors alongside Jenson Button in 2010.

"It's different [now]," said Hamilton. "We've learnt from experiences."

Hamilton said he would work well with Button, who arrives at McLaren as the reigning champion, just as Alonso did in 2007.

"We understand each other very well," he said.

Both Alonso and Heikki Kovalainen, the Finn who partnered Hamilton at McLaren in 2008 and '09, have claimed that McLaren focused on the Englishman to their detriment.

But Hamilton said he did not agree with their point of view.

"At the beginning of my first year I was up alongside the two-time world champion and he was seen as the guy to win the world championship and I think at the time I misinterpreted and misunderstood the goals and the understanding of how the team worked.

"But since I've been here they do everything to give us individually the best package possible. I've never had more than the guy next to me, we've always had equal opportunity, which is the greatest thing in a team.

"It's not easy to manage that, because one guy can be ahead of the other.

"Inevitably people say things sometimes when they haven't done so well," he said. "You say things out of anger; you say things that you potentially don't mean. That's how I see it from the others."

Hamilton added that he had made mistakes in the past, and that the 2010 world title battle would be so close that winning it would depend on minimising errors.

"Having made lots and lots of mistakes in my career, hopefully this will be a year of a lot fewer!" he said.

He says he is particularly looking forward to racing against seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who comes out of retirement with Mercedes this year and has never shared a grid with Hamilton.

"It's different to having the young Michael, who's building his way up and is at his best. (But) I'm sure he's going to be just as good as he ever has been.

"It's great for the sport, great for the fans, and for me it's going to be a great experience to have such a legend on the track with us.

"In testing I had a little bit of time behind him (on the track), and it was crazy to think, 'This is Michael Schumacher in front of me, wow. This guy's won seven world championships and I've done it once and it was so hard.' To do it seven times is remarkable."