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

[Teretonga]

The best? One of the best yes, but I honestly don't think we can say that any one driver is superlatively better than all the others this year. I tend to group drivers rather than rank them in linear order.

Certainly Hamilton is a more complete driver than ever before, but is he a more complete driver and markedly superior to Kubica, Button or Webber. He is a better qualifier than Button, and maybe fractionally faster and fitter than Webber who is probably at his peak age wise. Kubica's performances this year have been superb and if he was in an identical car then we'd have a more accurate picture of the relative performances.
I don't rate Vettel at the moment with the above four because I don't see the tactical and emotional maturity displayed by my top four.

Alonso, Massa, Vettel, Rosberg make up my next group with Kovalainen's performances best of the rest. So do I think Kovy would do better than TGF in the Brawn Mercedes seat? Yes.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Andy77

By the amount Hamilton gets preferral treatments lately he will be champion at the end of season. But that isn't making him a better driver than Vettel or Webber this year

Play on.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

Alonso, Massa, Vettel, Rosberg make up my next group with Kovalainen's performances best of the rest. So do I think Kovy would do better than TGF in the Brawn Mercedes seat? Yes.

Wow, that either means you rate Kovalainen quite a bit more than I do or you think Schumacher is really very bad right now. Which is it? Maybe we could continue this in the Nico VS Michael thread.

[GORDON STREETER]

I have been a Hammy fan since he started in F1 having seen him in the feeder formulas previously. His ability to drive round handling problems better than his team mate show why he has that "edge", although Jenson can match his times when his car is perfect on the day. I think he is a good ambassador for the sport and very rarely spits the dummy out in public even when the chips are down, unlike some others !

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

unlike some others !

Naming no names. You didn't give the contents of that pot a stir.

[deeks6]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The best by an absolute mile.

... but did you see the race (s)?

[rocketracer]

Hamilton this year, is reminding me of his driving in his championship year of 2008.

That year, the ferraris seemed to be the quicker car (certainly throughout the first half of the year), but they never seemed to maximise points, were squandering chances by making mistakes, and whenever there was a sniff, hamilton was on it, scoring wins. That has been his strength, which hasnt gone amiss.

In terms of weaknesses, a question mark in the past was probably held over his arrogance, and the need to be managed. But i think he's proven he is smarter than that, and proof, as strider mentioned, is how he has learned from Jenson this year in many ways. That has really added to his driving. I do find him immensely impressive.

However, in the ebb and flow of driver form, i dont think Alonso is really that far apart. kubica also (although, he still isnt a known quantity in the heavy end of a championship fight).

I guess the best gauge would be who would you choose to drive for your team. And it would be hard to argue against Hamilton as no.1 pick.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by deeks6

... but did you see the race (s)?

Yes.

[N.A-D.R]

hes not the best. but he'd be in top 5.

Alonso, Vettel, Kubica, Schumi (hes the best, just not anymore because hes past his peak) and possibly Webber.

[old man]

This interesting discussion is purely subjective from where we all sit but I admire the way he has learned to control his race, has apparently learned from Jenson and his sheer speed is awsome given the lack of testing now allowed. I believe he was right to not have his father as manager as there is no more biased person than a drivers Dad, ask any junior Karting driver. That bias leads to poor advice where the actual racing is concerned and may have been the reason for the arrogance that we now percieve has reduced.

Alonso on the other hand is showing the Latin temperament and his "no more radio" instruction yesterday shows, IMO, that he is too easily distracted. Being at Ferrari is not what he thought it would be because of the sheer rate of development in other teams and as a team I think they are missing the calming influence of Brawn, the genious of Byrne and the constant test and reject process that they had in the past at Fiorano.

We always said that this would be a great season

[ralf fan]

Originally Posted by N.A-D.R

hes not the best. but he'd be in top 5.

Alonso, Vettel, Kubica, Schumi (hes the best, just not anymore because hes past his peak) and possibly Webber.

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

[Born Racer]

Without wanting to tread over tired 2007 ground (or at least can we stamp it underground once and for all?), Hamilton was pretty equal to Alonso in 2007 and probably a little bit better, so with the overall improvements Lewis has made to his game since then, it's hard to see Alonso as being better than him these days.

[F.O.F.]

When asked this question in the last couple of years, I used to say Alonso. He could be counted on to get the very best out of the situation that he found himself in, that would be it more-or-less in a nutshell.

Now though, since his championship, it's Hamilton by a mile. I'm still supporting the underdog Aussie for the WDC this year but I know who the best driver on the grid is and it's Lewis. He's as good as "God".

[chillibowl]

i think you have to give credit where credit is due, and LH has improved tremendously over the past few years and that is saying a lot because he already was a tremendously talented driver.
but because Button is on the team? obviously you learn things from other people, its a natural process but i dont for a second think that LH would be struggling if JB was not there. this is not like the Alonso relationship, when arguably FA lead the way with development and set ups which helped LH in his first year.
potentially Button's relaxed demeanor has provided a better work environment and Button's wins have forced LH to push harder but in a different way, but i believe LH would have responded in kind regardless of who his team mate was.
its hard to quantify but i just have the feeling that Button has more to learn from LH than the other way around. although its not really that unquantifiable in so much as we are discussing whether or not LH is the best while no one is arguing that Button is.

[Born Racer]

I agree chillibowl. I don't see this thing with Button either.

I do however think that Button is a great addition to McLaren. Maybe they can finally get a constructors' championship. Button knows that Hamilton is considered one of the best (if not the best as we are debating here) drivers in the sport, and he is doing his reputation no harm at all, proving he can win outside Brawn nee Honda, and keeping up with Lewis on occasion- no mean feat.

He has vindicated (not that I think he should have needed it) his 2009 championship in the eyes of many, which is nice to see.

[chillibowl]

for sure a great addition to the team in terms of results and points but also in team chemistry.

that chemistry and your comment about Mac finally winning a constructors has now gotten me thinking about the effect Martin Whitmarsh's leadership has had on the team, both in terms of Buttons excellent showing and also in terms of Hamilton's development over the last two years.

Martin Brundle got a few words out of him before the race during his grid walk, and while it was just a short comment about Lewis, i was, as before, impressed with how well Mr. Whitmarsh gets his drivers.

[Flat12-Aircool]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Martin Brundle got a few words out of him before the race during his grid walk, and while it was just a short comment about Lewis, i was, as before, impressed with how well Mr. Whitmarsh gets his drivers.

Yes, I think it was something like "You know Lewis, if he's 4th on the Grid he thinks he can win the race."

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i think you have to give credit where credit is due, and LH has improved tremendously over the past few years and that is saying a lot because he already was a tremendously talented driver.
but because Button is on the team? obviously you learn things from other people, its a natural process but i dont for a second think that LH would be struggling if JB was not there. this is not like the Alonso relationship, when arguably FA lead the way with development and set ups which helped LH in his first year.
potentially Button's relaxed demeanor has provided a better work environment and Button's wins have forced LH to push harder but in a different way, but i believe LH would have responded in kind regardless of who his team mate was.
its hard to quantify but i just have the feeling that Button has more to learn from LH than the other way around. although its not really that unquantifiable in so much as we are discussing whether or not LH is the best while no one is arguing that Button is.

I don't think Button has improved LH's racing (he was always blindingly fast). What I think he has done is given LH someone to look at and think to himself "You are one cool dude, and yet you never get overly riled, say daft things, or cause paddock rucus's. I reckon I can do that". That's a worthwhile attitude change which may well improve his on track performance.

[PabloTeK]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I don't think Button has improved LH's racing (he was always blindingly fast). What I think he has done is given LH someone to look at and think to himself "You are one cool dude, and yet you never get overly riled, say daft things, or cause paddock rucus's. I reckon I can do that". That's a worthwhile attitude change which may well improve his on track performance.

I've actually noticed Lewis seems to be metering himself a little more than he used to. Before he'd drive everywhere at half a million MPH banging out enough fast laps to embarrass Fangio where as particularly at Canada he managed to respond beautifully to Jenson catching him, which says to me he's now keeping a little in reserve "just in case"...

[strider]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I don't think Button has improved LH's racing (he was always blindingly fast). What I think he has done is given LH someone to look at and think to himself "You are one cool dude, and yet you never get overly riled, say daft things, or cause paddock rucus's. I reckon I can do that". That's a worthwhile attitude change which may well improve his on track performance.

That's what I meant exactly. Being the fastest is one thing; being the best is another.

[strider]

Sorry, wrong topic!

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

the effect Martin Whitmarsh's leadership has had on the team

I can't remember what publication or site I read it from, but a journalist made a very telling point about his leadership.
Ron's personality gave Mclaren an edginess which probaly caused more problems than it solved. Whitmarsh has allowed the team to relax and I think you're seeing that in their improved team-work generally. Apart from the Monaco bung in Buttons car!
I also believe Buttons acceptance of such a fundamental error may have shown Hamilton exactly how to deal with adversity. Let's not forget, when he wasn't winning early in the season, he was blatantly rude to the team over the radio.

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I don't think Button has improved LH's racing (he was always blindingly fast). What I think he has done is given LH someone to look at and think to himself "You are one cool dude, and yet you never get overly riled, say daft things, or cause paddock rucus's. I reckon I can do that". That's a worthwhile attitude change which may well improve his on track performance.

x2

[ptclaus98]

You know, I tried to come up with a reason why he isn't, but I couldn't. I gotta say he's the best, or at least has the best form right now. He seems to have matured, and his relationship with Button seems to be going very well all things considered. I think he is now getting used to not having Pops around, and add the aforementioned Whitmarsh and Button influence, it seems like he is really gaining experience and coming into his own. I'm really starting to like that team again, which I haven't done since Kimi left. McLaren just seems to be "Been there, done that. Let's just keep our head down and let the the cards fall as they may." Which is something to be proud of in today's F1.




That being said, they'll probably wreck each other next race and get into a massive row.

[JeremySmith]

Let's face it, Lewis is a total racer... What are we looking for from F1? Most just do not know any more...