Lewis Hamilton

Clyde Ankle · 2 Apr 2002, 08:14 (Ref:249645)

Any doubts I may have had about Hamilton's ability to cut it in the main FRenault Championship were blown away this weekend. His performance in qualifying and the race was impressive.

I was also delighted to see a Watts-McLoughlin 1-2. Two under rated and under funded drivers beating the over hyped and over funded.

hysen · 2 Apr 2002, 08:46 (Ref:249660)

Quote:

Originally posted by Clyde Ankle
Watts-McLoughlin.

Two over rated, adequately funded and over experienced drivers beating the inexperienced but talented.

**bella** · 2 Apr 2002, 09:59 (Ref:249689)

lewis performed very well, despite a minor off in qualifying. at least he finished and scored points.

admittedly, both watts and mcloughlin have been in the series for a while, so if they didn't perform well at the beginning of the season there really is something wrong. i expect them to be caught up by those who are in their first year after a few rounds, maybe oulton will be the last round dominated by the experienced.

lewis' attitude and mental state is brilliant, and a lot of other drivers should learn from the way he approaches races and testing. mclaren have picked up a very talented young driver.

**gomick** · 2 Apr 2002, 10:07 (Ref:249698)

how good was will davison who finished 7th

**bella** · 2 Apr 2002, 10:23 (Ref:249713)

he's done well in testing, and once he's got the hang of the races and everything, i expect him to be in the top 6 a lot.

Paul Rayner · 2 Apr 2002, 12:47 (Ref:249862)

Will was disappointed to have not done better in qualifying, but 7th in a first race was impressive. It looked like a good race, should be very good when on T.V.

sgrok · 2 Apr 2002, 20:50 (Ref:250307)

I thought the laugh of the weekend was to hear that Little Lewis' car had been specially painted silver for him at the McLaren factory.

Nice thought Uncle Ron, but did you notice the two cars at the tail end were also a very similar silver?

What a waste of that hard earned Hamilton budget.

And Hysen :

"Two over rated, adequately funded and over experienced drivers beating the inexperienced but talented."

Should have read -

Two long suffering, bare minimum budget, experienced drivers beating an inexperienced, mediocre talent with a bigger budget than the rest of the renault field put together.

**bella** · 2 Apr 2002, 21:12 (Ref:250344)

i'll assume you know something we don't know, sgrok, because i certainly don't see the same picture.

hysen · 2 Apr 2002, 21:19 (Ref:250349)

Quote:

Originally posted by sgrok
Two long suffering, bare minimum budget, experienced drivers beating an inexperienced, mediocre talent with a bigger budget than the rest of the renault field put together.

Well we all have our favourites, can't understand why you picked those two tho.

Paul Rayner · 2 Apr 2002, 22:01 (Ref:250391)

Quote:

Originally posted by sgrok
Two long suffering, bare minimum budget, experienced drivers beating an inexperienced, mediocre talent with a bigger budget than the rest of the renault field put together.

Maybe I've been reading too many Renault technical regulations, but I'd really love to know (whether on the bulletin board or off the record so that I'm better informed when I make statements like this) what loads of money could get you in the series.
Sure, lots of money will get you a drive for Manor or Motaworld instead of a lower team, but what else can you buy?
Even if Lewis had £200,000 more than Long, Griffin, or Viso what could he do? More testing? No. That's limited. More tyres? No. They're limited. Better engineer? Surely a team like Manor already has the best.
I've seen nothing yet to indicate that Hamilton isn't talented. From talking to the guy I have seen that he's got his head screwed on, is intelligent, focused, and although I might be insanely jealous of him for getting a McLaren deal so young, I can't hold that against him.
He's good. At least.

Takuma · 3 Apr 2002, 04:52 (Ref:250571)

It might just me been a cynic, but remembering how Mclaren "rebuilt" Nick Heidfeld's f3000 Lola, is it perhaps possible that Lewis's car had more than just a "paint job" when it was in Woking????????????

**bella** · 3 Apr 2002, 09:21 (Ref:250694)

the only advantages that money can get you (as far as my little innocent mind is concerned) is better preparation skills. i can't see how a rebuild would help, unless they mysteriously knew how to make a formula renault car quicker.

sgrok · 3 Apr 2002, 09:57 (Ref:250710)

Simply that Lewis Hamilton's budget for this year and the next few years is watertight and will cover everything he needs both on the track and off.

I knew when I went back to these boards that the renault discussions would not be about the man who qualified on pole and won the race by a mile, nor the second placed man who got the fastest lap, but about a little boy with a racing career in his lap.

BennyBoy1978 · 3 Apr 2002, 10:04 (Ref:250719)

now why does everyone have to be so sceptical! Whats would be the benefit to Ron Dennis to spend extra money on the car when his already spending loads on a driver surely he'd be best living the car as it is and making sure his not wasting his money on whats in the seat!

**bella** · 3 Apr 2002, 10:07 (Ref:250722)

i think it's time everyone gave lewis a break. he's just doing his job. anything else that's going on largely isn't our business. ron has invested his money wisely.

sgrok · 3 Apr 2002, 10:33 (Ref:250744)

I think someone should give Danny Watts a break. But we all have our favourites.

Dickie Thrust · 3 Apr 2002, 10:56 (Ref:250765)

I don't think that Lewis Hamilton/Ron Dennis needs to pay Manor any more money than they need to at the momment.
Free Merc F3 engines and a huge F3 budget in 2003 is probabaly all the incentive they need to put all the effort into Lewis and forget the other three.

BennyBoy1978 · 3 Apr 2002, 11:14 (Ref:250782)

yeah but thats just business and motorsport is a business is it not?

Mackmot · 3 Apr 2002, 12:23 (Ref:250854)

I think sgrog just wants to go against the grain in every dicussion. This is a discussion about how well the new kid did, fair enough, even if hes not your favourite he still did well. Sgrog just likes arguing.

**bella** · 3 Apr 2002, 12:26 (Ref:250859)

especially about someone who's got a better chance than others. don't begrudge lewis that, he worked hard for it, i'm sure.

BennyBoy1978 · 3 Apr 2002, 14:00 (Ref:250908)

Theres something I don't understand here if someone does well a few people decide they only got for 1 or 2 reasons, there either got big money backing or there PR people hype them up so much that people thing they could turn water into whine.
Now heres the way I see they get the big money backing cos they have talent to start with, NO ONE has enough money that they can afford to throw money at a driver who when it comes down to it won't have the skills to do the business

As for just being made super by some PR wizard well thats rubbish any team manager with half a brain could see once you put a bad driver in a car no matter how much PR you give the driver its never gonna happen.

Do you seriously think people like Ron Dennis would waste money on a driver that has great PR the answer to that of course is a big fat NO

it seems to me that the people moaning about the people only being in it cos they have money or PR are the ways that arn't IN IT

Russfeld · 3 Apr 2002, 14:10 (Ref:250915)

Well assuming there are 5 other drivers with the same ability and results as Lewis Hamilton, itd be foolish to admit that he isnt a better prospect as far as marketing

BennyBoy1978 · 3 Apr 2002, 14:22 (Ref:250924)

ok lets say theres five other drivers

Driver 1 likes to sleep in stay out late and ain't to keen on training

Driver 2 likes to chase women and dresses like a surfer that hasn't bathed for a week

Driver 3 was abit of a problem kid until racing got him on the straight and narrow

Driver 4 doesn't see why he should spend an hour talking to someone at the weekend who just gave him 50k (the boys a racing driver he deserved that money)

Driver 5 well I can't think of a bad thing for driver 5

but out of the 4 which one would you rather try selling to big money boys who are gonna want some sort of return?

hysen · 3 Apr 2002, 14:38 (Ref:250932)

Quote:

Originally posted by Russfeld
Well assuming there are 5 other drivers with the same ability and results as Lewis Hamilton, itd be foolish to admit that he isnt a better prospect as far as marketing

Which 5 drivers?

The case with Lewis is simple. He was racing for Zip when McLaren asked Hines which two drivers he should sponser, quite obviously Hines told him to back Hamilton and Wesley Graves(another Zip driver). Whereas Hamiliton went on to win the Championship and continue to win races, Graves completely under performed over the season and was promptly dropped. Hamilton since went on to the International karting stage, won the European Champs in FA and consistantly outperformed his team mate. The reason he keeps his backing is that he performs consistantly well at ahigh level, if he didn't he would have been dropped.

hysen · 3 Apr 2002, 14:40 (Ref:250933)

Double post - Ignore

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