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1 Jan 2013, 23:11 (Ref:3183675) | #76 | ||
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Inevitably, when the answer to a question relies mostly on perception and personal favouritism, it descends into an argument rather than a discussion. To directly answer the question, there is no substantial evidence to support the theory that Hamilton is currently the best driver in Formula 1. There is always an element (be it big or small) of bias in journalism due to factors such as national pride.
Like I said before, the argument as to who is the best driver in Formula 1 can be wittled down to three drivers relatively easily: Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel. From there on in, it`s anybody`s guess. |
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2 Jan 2013, 01:05 (Ref:3183692) | #77 | |||
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Now, onwards and upwards. Quote:
Last edited by Born Racer; 2 Jan 2013 at 01:29. |
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3 Jan 2013, 00:20 (Ref:3184019) | #78 | |||
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I'd go so far as to say that over the whole season the McLaren was the best car, but there was far too much finger trouble. |
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3 Jan 2013, 02:02 (Ref:3184031) | #79 | |||
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And then Hamilton became the equal of Jenson Button. A driver who's career would be well and truly over if it wasn't for the luck and combination of 2009. I'm not saying Button is a bad driver but it is difficult to compare drivers with others in different stages of their career. Button is better now than he was in 2008 for example, Hamilton is about the same level whilst Alonso is much better than he was in 2007 (or 2004). Schumacher wasn't as good as he was in 2006 but Raikkonen is much better than he was in 2009. People have different peaks and lows at different times. |
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3 Jan 2013, 09:40 (Ref:3184134) | #80 | |||
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In answer to the thread question my answer would be 'no' he is not the best in F1 at the moment, although he maybe the fastest. I still believe Alonso currently to be the best. Last edited by John Turner; 3 Jan 2013 at 09:46. |
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3 Jan 2013, 15:27 (Ref:3184230) | #81 | |
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Good points about Button's calls, John. He's almost an integral member of the strategy team!
I believe it's so close to call that the debate is academic, albeit good fun to discuss, but only without people reacting so angrily to different opinions. Let's all remember that no-one is trying to convince each other that the Earth is flat, and enjoy the variation in perspectives. |
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3 Jan 2013, 17:28 (Ref:3184253) | #82 | |||
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Wise words. Trouble is, people do in fact try to convince others that their view is the only accurate one, and in a discussion like best drivers, it is only a personal view with no proven scientific fact, although some people do consider it scientific fact that driver-A is the best out there because he has won the championship. To me, ( in my view, not scientific fact) winning championships is mostly about a car, not a driver, and has been thus for many years. Greats didn't win championships every year that they competed (well ok, there was that German fellow that almost did, but he did have a good car ) so do some people think they weren't a "great" in the year they failed to win a championship? I don't. I'll bet the car he had, and what cars others had, had some bearing. Stirling Moss was a great. To the original question, I say no, Hamilton isn't the best. However, I do think he's mighty close to who I do think is the best. |
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3 Jan 2013, 18:22 (Ref:3184266) | #83 | ||
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I think we can agree that Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton (and, I would say, Button and Raikkonen) are operating at an incredibly high level - the equal of the groups of greats of the mid-80s and mid-60s. On his day, Webber can be up with them too - remember Silverstone. Beyond that, any further refinement is a matter of taste and opinion.
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4 Jan 2013, 00:21 (Ref:3184424) | #84 | ||
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4 Jan 2013, 01:20 (Ref:3184435) | #85 | |||
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I would have to disagree slightly.. For me winning championships is about all of the pieces falling into place.. The car,driver,car reliability,pit crew,team strategists,the amount of money a team has to throw at upgrades.. And last but not least lady luck.. |
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4 Jan 2013, 10:09 (Ref:3184528) | #86 | ||
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I would have to agree completely The driver's part is only a small part
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4 Jan 2013, 12:52 (Ref:3184580) | #87 | |
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4 Jan 2013, 14:10 (Ref:3184597) | #88 | ||
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Not really, they're decent drivers, but Webber almost won a championship in that time and as much as I like Webber, I don't put him in the Alonso class.
Drivers have a part to play, and top drivers are in the mix always, but the part of a driver isn't so impacting as it was in earlier years. Those days when speed came with balls, cars weren't as reliable, drivers crunched gears, missed gear-changes, over-revved engines etc etc. Then, drivers played a bigger part in my view, and I was more in awe of drivers in those days. I would probably more enjoy watching F1 drivers all in Porsche Supercup type cars. I love F1 and am an avid fan, but I don't think F1 is as good as it once was. Ridiculous braking distances, aero is king.... anyway I digress. |
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4 Jan 2013, 22:59 (Ref:3184872) | #89 | ||
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5 Jan 2013, 00:20 (Ref:3184911) | #90 | ||
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The bit where they fall off the circuit at high speed, and just keep the old foot planted and drive back on a few hundred metres later. There should be some sort of penalty for these mistakes, the old gravel traps used to at least penalise this behaviour! Perhaps, if you get all 4 wheels over the track borders; white line; you get to serve a drive through. Don't know quite what the answer is, but it seems wrong that a winner can make several massive mistakes during the course of the race. Still I suppose the bumping into your competition still generally eliminates you from the race and penalizes the error. Thankfully there is more wheel to wheel racing since the advent of DRS, so this skill has much greater emphasis which is good to see! |
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5 Jan 2013, 00:29 (Ref:3184913) | #91 | ||
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The outright danger has been replaced by the physical demands on the driver's body and the need for ultra lightning responses. Driving an F1 car is just as difficult as it ever was, just in different ways.
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"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose." |
5 Jan 2013, 00:32 (Ref:3184915) | #92 | ||
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Webber nearly won a championship against Vettel in 2010, the Vettel that started 2010, was a way different driver from the one who finished 2010 with 4 wins from five races. Vettel came of age in 2010, and just how decisive that was shows in how he has dominated Webber since! Webber, I think is way better than he is rated, it is just his team mate that makes him look ordinary. |
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5 Jan 2013, 00:41 (Ref:3184920) | #93 | |||
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5 Jan 2013, 03:55 (Ref:3184945) | #94 | ||
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http://www.pitpass.com/48190-Dennis-...aren-departure |
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5 Jan 2013, 09:31 (Ref:3185002) | #95 | |
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5 Jan 2013, 12:01 (Ref:3185042) | #96 | ||
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Back to the OP, if you were to put Lewis in Newey's E-Type ( not to race, because I feel that car is like F1 against GP2 relative to it's competition ) and let him do laps of Goodwood in it, I suspect he'd set fastest time against other current F1 drivers, even faster that Fernando, who I rate the best GP driver. Grosjean may surprise though, and be quicker.
I suppose I'm saying Lewis is the fastest F1 driver, but not the best overall. Second only to Alonso in my view. |
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5 Jan 2013, 12:31 (Ref:3185050) | #97 | ||
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5 Jan 2013, 13:05 (Ref:3185059) | #98 | ||
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fair enough.
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5 Jan 2013, 13:09 (Ref:3185061) | #99 | ||
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I think it would be completely impossible to predict.
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5 Jan 2013, 14:26 (Ref:3185074) | #100 | |||
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I think that motor racing is now what it always was: A challenge to take a Lump of Machinery around a Racing Course in the shortest possible time with the fewest possible competitors finishing in front of you. If that is your passion and all of your focus is on doing exactly that, then the "dangers" become (in a relative sense) secondary factors. The amount of danger does not make it a nobler enterprise if we distill racing down to its primary elements. |
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"He's still a young guy and I always think, slightly morbidly, the last thing you learn is how to die and at the end of the day everybody learns every single day." - The Ever-Cheerfull Ron Dennis on Lewis Hamilton. |
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