[Driver] Lewis Hamilton is the best driver in F1. Discuss

[cptkablamo]

He is probably the best right now. In 2010. This is the first time that I would have said he is the best driver on the grid. In the past I would have said Alonso was better and Alonso could be the best again if he gets his head together.

I think the Hamilton will have to do a lot more to be considered a great of the sport and he will have to win for another team as well.

[old man]

Originally Posted by rocketracer

x2

My point exactly

[N.A-D.R]

Originally Posted by ralf fan

So you'd put him behind Schumacher, Webber and Vettel?

Yes.

Schumi is the best driver on the grid. Just not anymore because hes old...

Vettel is also better than Hamilton. Webber i used to not think so, but this year Webber is really doing a great job. I'd probably say Hamilton is slightly better than him.

What really bugs me is some people consider Hamilton a Schumi or a Senna. Sorry hes not. Get over it. Alonso is the best driver currently on the grid followed by vettel and kubica.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by N.A-D.R

Yes.

Schumi is the best driver on the grid. Just not anymore because hes old...

........

perhaps you will allow us to introduce the concept of tenses to you; repeat after me: Schumi WAS the best driver on the grid

[deeks6]

Lewis is pretty good, lets face it, thats a fact.

However, I would say that if you put Lewis, Alonso, Vettel, Webber, Kubica, Button and maybe even Rosberg now (and Massa before the accident) in the same car and ran 7 races you could get 7 different results. There would be less than 0.1% between these guys - they are ALL fast, fit, determined, single-minded, aggressive and have reflexes that make us ordinary humans look like snails.
Do they all make mistakes? Yes
Do they get precious? Yes
Do they regard winning as everything? Yes
Thats what makes TOP CLASS sportsmen! Full stop.

What us fans tend to like in drivers are just these qualities...we all have our favourites but I firmly believe that we respect the other guys because we KNOW they are good, we know they are fair dinkum, we know they won't give up. My exception to this is Vettel who does seem to sook a bit and I think he is the worst overtaker and decision maker of the above mentioned bunch.

I like Lewis for all these reasons ... I curse him sometimes but I GET IT about him. He will do ANYTHING to win (except be deliberately unsporting) and thats OK by me.

The best? Well, lets just say I don't think there are any better but I do believe that there are a few as good. Boils down to equipment and luck when that is the case.

[Born Racer]

Vettel is also better than Hamilton.

With respect..

[Super Hans]

Vettel is very quick but for me there are question marks over his racecraft and his overtaking-ability. He may prove me wrong, but on the evidence of this season, I don't think he's as good as Hamilton.

[Born Racer]

Yeah, I think that as well and was being a bit naughty not backing up my smiley by saying so.

He'd assert more dominance over Webber if he was as good as Hamilton as well, I feel.

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd put Lewis top of the list. I agree iwht the assessment that he's learnt from Button in terms of attitude and mentality, which when coupled to his superior speed has left Jenson largely unable to keep up. Jenson's excellent pit call in Australia and Lewis' late failure in Spain have kept them close on points, but Lewis is clearly the superior driver. He's beaten Jenson in four successive fair fights.

Alonso is harder to guage, but he doesn't look strong mentally this year. He's developed a mindset of thinking everyone and everything is against him. He hasn't quite maximised what's been available to him this year, although he's had awful luck at times. I'd go along with the theory that they were close in 2007, but Lewis has visibly improved since then and Alonso hasn't.

The things which stop Vettel being up there with Lewis are racecraft and maturity. The racecraft could come with time, but if anything he's been mollycoddled more than Lewis ever was. I dread to imagine how Alonso would be reacting in Webber's shoes....

Kubica and Rosberg are the wild cards of this argument because they haven't been in one of the very top teams. Rosberg's pace was always obvious, but he's really starting to add maturity and focus to this. He's dealt admirably with the pressure of having a figure like Schumacher alongside him. Kuboca had a tough off-season, but (benefitting from a car which is faster than expected, and a few organisational blunders from other teams) he's ekeing out some great results this year.

[strider]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I'd put Lewis top of the list. I agree with the assessment that he's learnt from Button in terms of attitude and mentality, which when coupled to his superior speed has left Jenson largely unable to keep up. Jenson's excellent pit call in Australia and Lewis' late failure in Spain have kept them close on points, but Lewis is clearly the superior driver. He's beaten Jenson in four successive fair fights.

Jenson's been driving really well. His big problem is that he can't qualify as well as Lewis. Even EJ admits that he is being a superb World Champion and a real ambassador for the sport.

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Vettel is very quick but for me there are question marks over his racecraft and his overtaking-ability. He may prove me wrong, but on the evidence of this season, I don't think he's as good as Hamilton.

I don't consider Vettel to be a racer in the Hamilton/ Alonso sense anyway. He's a driver that when ahead doesn't make mistakes generally. Race-craft and maturity may temper some of mistakes, but I would say he's more in the Button/ Prost mould than Lewis/ Alonso.

[Crispy12]

Prior to this season I could list several reasons why Lewis is not the best though now at particular moment in time I've got to admit Lewis is the best all round as well as probably being the fastest for out right pace of all the drivers.

A little earlier in this thread someone mentioned other drivers that are on the top of their game and I'd like to add Barrichello as a potential name. Whilst I don't feel at this stage in his career he will ever be considered the best driver in the sport, I do still think he's lost none of the speed and desire to win that attracted the attention of Ferrari many moons ago.

With regards to Vettel, I've no doubt that with time he will reach the level of Lewis and Alonso but for now he still has some maturing to do.

[Knowlesy]

You wonder if Vettel will ever be any good at overtaking and being mid-pack though.

TGF never handled it with nigh on 20 years experience after all.

[Crispy12]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

You wonder if Vettel will ever be any good at overtaking and being mid-pack though.

TGF never handled it with nigh on 20 years experience after all.

Im sure he'll improve with time but I see your point, I guess he doesn't look like he's going to be one of the best 'racers' of recent times but as you mention TGF isn't the best in this area and it's not stopped him getting the odd win or two.

[Ubique]

Rubens is the best driver I mean he must be he is faster than the Stig!!

Seriously though Rubens has to be counted as one of the best drivers in F1 and is really turning Williams around in a way Webber never could.

Is Lewis the best driver currently in F1? Simple answer is Yes. He has matured so much since his debut season and seems to get better all the time.

As for the others:

Jenson - Awesome driver in the races but is let down by his qualifying.

Alonso - Undoubtably one of the best but he blows races by not controling his emotions.

Vettel - Young but getting better all the time a definate star of the future.

Webber - Ultra fast but has always fell out with his team mates (except DC) and poor race craft when not leading infact I would argue he is the most dangerous driver on the grid and most likely to be involved in a major incident (ask Heikki).

Rubens - Great at setting up a car and out performing it on a regular basis.

After those 6 who I consider the best in F1 today I would put Rosberg, Heikki, Massa and Sutil all of whom are very good drivers but not quite on a par with the others on a consistent basis.

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by Ubique

Rubens - out performing it on a regular basis.

This year? what happened to those skills in 2000 to 2005 and at Honda from 2006 to 2008 and Brawn last year

[rocketracer]

i think in terms of the current pack, rubens is some way off being in the top 6. let's not forget that rosberg was consistently over-achieving in the williams in the recent seasons before rubens, and i think would be doing at least what rubens is currently, had he chosen to stay. I'm delighted rubens is in good form, but we've had 17 years to see that he's not of that top shelf.

it appears to be consensus (judging by this thread) that the top calibre of drivers currently is hamilton shading alonso. I think both these drivers are really very even that their form could swing either to the top of the list from race to race but currently, alonso is behind hamilton.

Vettel probably has at least the same speed and driving talent as the above 2, but where he is not quite there yet, is that he doesnt really enjoy a hard fight. Or at least he doesnt seem to. The above 2 revel in it.

Kubica is an unknown quantity in the steely end of a championship campaign, but i tend to think he is not too far behind hamilton & alonso in terms of driving talent, speed and race craft.

Button / Webber / Rosberg all have strengths at least on par with the top 2, but i feel they also carry greater weaknesses.

And down from there, i think it's the weaknesses in the driver which start to become more apparent. They certainly have elements of their driving to match it with the best, but they lose too much ground with their detractions.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by herowassenna

This year? what happened to those skills in 2000 to 2005 and at Honda from 2006 to 2008 and Brawn last year

You mean like when he scored 2 wins last year? Or when he knicked a podium in one of the worst cars in the field in 2008?

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

You mean like when he scored 2 wins last year?

...to his teammates 6 wins and WDC?

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

Or when he knicked a podium in one of the worst cars in the field in 2008?

that was a good drive by a wise old head. But let's not forget alex wurz also knicked a podium in one of the worst cars of 2007, so one result doesnt really make for a strong case.

[N.A-D.R]

The main problem is too many brits think Hamilton is the best thing since sliced bread, yeah hes a bloody good driver, but hes not the best on the grid. Sorry to burst the bubble guys.

[ljakse]

At the beggining of this season, I'd hesitate to say so, but now, I must agree - Hamilton is the best.
As someone sad already, among several top drivers, it's not about if they are fast, they are, but it's about their weaknesses, and, at the moment, unlike the rest of top drivers, Hamilton isn't showing any.

[old man]

Originally Posted by N.A-D.R

The main problem is too many brits think Hamilton is the best thing since sliced bread, yeah hes a bloody good driver, but hes not the best on the grid. Sorry to burst the bubble guys.

Evidence please

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by N.A-D.R

The main problem is too many brits think Hamilton is the best thing since sliced bread, yeah hes a bloody good driver, but hes not the best on the grid. Sorry to burst the bubble guys.

Yep, it is just the Brits.

We also never like foreign drivers.

[old man]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Yep, it is just the Brits.

We also never like foreign drivers.

Something you could never say about Australians, they are such good sports

[peterelise]

Originally Posted by old man

Something you could never say about Australians, they are such good sports

We're not all bad sports and one eyed! I'm an Aussie and am hoping Webber has a hot run in the back half of the season and wins the WDC but am also capable of being objective.

Whilst I don't warm to Lewis I have to say that based on the evidence of this season so far I think he is doing the best job of all the current field. The Red Bull is clearly the best car (notwithstanding some reliability issues early) but Mark and Vettel between them have not made the most of it. I think the McLaren is probably the 2nd best car (but even that is hard to be confident of with Ferrari being very quick on ocassions) and yet he is leading the championship and is doing a great job. On that basis you would have to say he is the best so far this season.

I should note that the reason I don't warm to Lewis isn't because he's English and I'm an Aussie; I am a fan of Jensen and the way he goes about things. I find it hard to put my finger on it but I think its a bit of what I also don't like in Vettel; just a hint of throwing the toys out of the cot when things don't go their way but I have to say Lewis is even doing a much better job in that regard since Jensen has been in his team and I too have wondered whether that example is rubbing off.

And before anyone points out Mark has done a bit of toy throwing of his own, I agree. Whilst I fully understand his anger at what happened at the weekend, I was disappointed with his comment about the win being not bad for a 2nd driver because it didn't need saying; anyone who saw that race knew he had well and truly shown them all that he was world class and did not deserve to be treated like the 2nd string driver and that's why he didn't need to say a word about it.

If you believe James Allen (or was it Joe Saward) who reported on Mark's first win in Germany last year and the reaction of his partner when they congratulated her on Mark's maiden win ("thank you; its good to know someone is happy for him" whilst looking at Horner and Marko) you would understand that this feeling of being treated by some in management of the team as the 2nd driver has probably been building over the last two years until there was a tangible reason (the change of the front wing) to vent his anger/frustration. Anyway, its all speculation of course but for some reason this stuff really intrigues me.

Having said all that, GO MARK! I hope you and your side of the garage continue to embarrass Marko's prodigy and beat the 4 world champions in the field to take out the WDC. If that happens, I might even get back on here and pose a question of whether Mark was the best in season 2010?