Sir Lewis Hamilton?

[Paradise City]

I screen out most of the media. I don't buy newspapers and the like so my exposure to 'celebrity Hamilton' is limited. I like it that he has some appreciation of the history of the sport and from what I've seen of him he's become more gracious and dignified in recent years. I think he's more interesting than Nico Rosberg but less interesting than Alonso, Verstappen and Kimi. He's doesn't annoy me nearly as much as Red Bull era Vettel did. So that's kinda my take on him - he's OK and not a bad lad. I don't see the soccer player arrogance that some seem to be seeing?

Does he deserve a knighthood? Tbh, honours systems don't carry much moral weight with me; they just seem to be a device to raise the popularity of the establishment. So I'm indifferent to the matter. I suppose if you take it all at face value you'd weigh up his contribution to the industry and any charitable work he's done and give him an award proportionate to that.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

This thread is going round in circles.

Does it have the lap record?

[GregUK]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Does it have the lap record?

No, but track limits have been violated a few times ....!

[chunder]

I mean he was British, but does he actually live here at all anymore? Other than to visit his team and the British GP?

Some people ahve an issue with it, that's all

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by GregUK

No, but track limits have been violated a few times ....!

[S griffin]

I seem to remember reading Jim Clark was only allowed to visit Britain a few days in 1967, because he lived abroad in France. Plus ca change as they say at Le Mans

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by chunder

I mean he was British, but does he actually live here at all anymore? Other than to visit his team and the British GP?

Some people ahve an issue with it, that's all

A lot of British people don't live in Britain. I never once heard anyone say that about Jenson, or DC, or anyone else for that matter. People just love to hate Hamilton.

Vettel lived in the UK for some of his Red Bull years. I guess he was a Brit, and not German. The red top newspapers would have your head for having the German as a Brit.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by chunder

I mean he was British, but does he actually live here at all anymore? Other than to visit his team and the British GP?

Some people ahve an issue with it, that's all

Guess that means that Jackie Stewart wasn't British, neither was coulthard, button rosberg wasn't German OR Finnish, Mo Farah is American as is David Beckham. I guess we will have to disown quite a few of our sports stars and Sirs if you want to judge if someone is British, depending on wether they still live in the country.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Guess that means that Jackie Stewart wasn't British, neither was coulthard, button rosberg wasn't German OR Finnish, Mo Farah is American as is David Beckham. I guess we will have to disown quite a few of our sports stars and Sirs if you want to judge if someone is British, depending on wether they still live in the country.

Yeah, but I tell you what, the second Usain Bolt steps foot in Scotland, we're kidnapping him and claiming him. He can live in Glasgow somewhere. This changes everything.

Also Adam. There's clearly something wrong with your location and flag. Normally I would suspect this is an attempt at some sort of humour, but that is unlike you.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Yeah, but I tell you what, the second Usain Bolt steps foot in Scotland, we're kidnapping him and claiming him. He can live in Glasgow somewhere. This changes everything.

Haha...yeh but can you imagine him with a Scottish accent 😜

Haha believe it or not, I have a sense of humour....I just shake my head in utter bemusement at some people's blindness and bias against anything pro Hamilton. Hell Im not saying he's the messiah...but some on here really do need to take their heads out of their asses and give credit where it's due

Ps it's not all that bad on here.,,,don't ever go onto the BBC website post GP.....that REALLY brings the freaks out 😂

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by GregUK

No, but track limits have been violated a few times ....!

Good one!

Richard

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Yeah, but I tell you what, the second Usain Bolt steps foot in Scotland, we're kidnapping him and claiming him. He can live in Glasgow somewhere. This changes everything.

Also Adam. There's clearly something wrong with your location and flag. Normally I would suspect this is an attempt at some sort of humour, but that is unlike you.

Not an attempt at humour, it is to make sure people can't have a little joke at my expense. So no one laughs at me I'm also going to get a dog and record some music.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Does it have the lap record?

No, too much oversteer, it makes the corners a little tricky.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by GregUK

No, but track limits have been violated a few times ....!

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by chunder

I mean he was British, but does he actually live here at all anymore? Other than to visit his team and the British GP?

Originally Posted by chunder

For Gods sake what a pathetic argument?

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

but some on here really do need to take their heads out of their asses

100% agree. I've said exactly that before too.
Careful though, you might receive a red dot for speaking the truth.

[chunder]

OK tell yourself this.

Do you feel ANY pride in him winning as a Briton?

If you do fair enough. But I do not, to me he is simply an international person who grew up here, like a David Beckham or Nick Faldo, they spend all of their time on planes or living in tax havens, and cling to their nationality as a link to their past and to their fans who they hope to sell merch to.

I feel no pride as a Briton in Lewis winning, he does not represent me.

Sorry if that offends anyone, but that is just how I feel.

[Peter Mallett]

Great driver. I just don't like his personality. Same as I didn't like Senna's personality, I don't need to justify my position. So, if he gets the knighthood then fine, but there are many others who should have got that (John Surtees for one) and didn't.

As to living in a tax haven? Jim Clarke and Jackie Stewart, to name two, are also "guilty" of that. Doesn't/didn't make them less British.

[midgetman]

Wow Chunder that's a pretty sad view of the world. Let's open our eyes a little wider. All those OAPs having a great time in their retirement on the Costas (I don't mean the coffee shop!), by your definition they're not British. There are several members here who work overseas and can only come back a certain number of days for tax reasons who aren't the super rich - are they less British than you?

What about the other way round? Aussies, Europeans, Africans, Americans, all living in the UK and earning money here. Should they revoke their nationality?

Chunder, you've said some pretty provocative things in the past to stir up a hornets' nest but that's just plain daft to suit your prejudices.

Should Hamilton be given a knighthood? Frankly I don't give a ****, the best part of it is that all this keyboard fury is generating AdWords revenue for the site owners so this excellent forum can keep going. Apart from that, it really doesn't matter. If he feels good about getting it and people enjoy bestowing it, then why not? It really doesn't affect 99.9% of us.

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by chunder

and cling to their nationality as a link to their past

This statement sits a little uncomfortable with me. Not offended as such, but feel it is a slightly cynical view.

My wife could be considered International', having been born outside the UK and not living there until later in life, although registered as British. When we talk about visiting 'home' nowadays, I know she always has a tinge of sadness as I feel that I am a Salopian having grown up there, whereas she feels no links to any particular place.

I haven't lived in Shropshire for many years, including a lot of time outside the UK, but still see myself as a Salopian Brit. I don't see how it should be different for Lewis - part of who he is will come from where he was born and raised, which makes him British to me and his achievements give me a sense of national pride.

[steve_r]

Nigel Farage isn't British because he spent too much time in Belgium.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by chunder

Do you feel ANY pride in him winning as a Briton?

Yes.

Next.

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by chunder

MG, If you are inferring anything to do with race or colour then that says more about you then me and is rather embarrassing for your yourself.

Hypocritical don't you think??? You bought up the race card and tried to turn it around on MG. Truth of the matter is, it is YOU who has issues with his race and nationality. Says more about you, and rather embarrassed yourself.

I figure you're not alone on this forum in having an issue with Hamilton's race/heritage. But at least you can admit it, while others will find every and any excuse they can to dislike/hate him, while hiding behind their bigotry.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Hypocritical don't you think??? You bought up the race card and tried to turn it around on MG. Truth of the matter is, it is YOU who has issues with his race and nationality. Says more about you, and rather embarrassed yourself.

I figure you're not alone on this forum in having an issue with Hamilton's race/heritage. But at least you can admit it, while others will find every and any excuse they can to dislike/hate him, while hiding behind their bigotry.

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Agreed; seems to me that some people will find any old reason to dislike him.
I have my own theory on the real reason, which will go unsaid but doesn't require a great leap of imagination to guess.

No, this is the guy who brought up race, but in your words, "hid behind his bigotry and didn't admit it".

[chunder]

I bought up the race card as there was an unspoken hint in a post that was why I did not like him, I have no idea if that is what was meant, as no-one would ever admit accusing someone of that either on here or privately. As is the case with that poster.

I have absolutely no problem with it, but I do not feel any pride in him winning, not because he is black or of mixed race, but because he doesn't live in Britain and likely never will again. I am not patriotic at the best of times but struggle with false Britness a little that's all. People with money from sport or any other profession like to use tax havens and tax dodging routinely, It annoys me, and motorsport is full of them.

You can try and spin my words around me as much as you like to suit yourself laddo, but I have no issue whatsoever with him being of mixed race or having Grenedan heritage or anything.

My issue is basically that he is an ex pat waving flags in my face and being a pseudo Brit while living abroad for tax reasons, would be the same with Button, Coulthard, anyone who did it. Toseland, Crutchlow etc. Some of them do it in a way that seems almost OK, and others don't wave flags at all or play that card.

The rich have their own rules, we all know that, and for that reason alone most knighthoods are a farce when you consider that for me most people who served in the military for life or life long NHS nurses deserve them far, far more.

On basic terms he deserves it, he has done something no other Brit has done, won 4 world titles. Did Steve Davis or Stephen Hendry get them for winning multiple snooker world titles? Or Phil Taylor for winning countless darts titles? Are they less deserving than Chris Hoy, or Steve Redgrave? Stirling won one for not even winning it!

Some will say they are, but I think the ability to be that good for that long deserves recognition. They don't have car advantages, power advantages, people to chalk their cue for them or take their darts out of the board.