Vettel is the new Mansell (at best) Hamilton reckons

[Born Racer]

If Vettel is the new Mansell and Webber was the new Mansell, then Webber is now the old Mansell, which means Mansell is no longer Mansell but must be the new someone else. But it can’t be Senna because Hamilton’s the new Senna, nor Alonso because Alonso’s the new Prost. And Mansell would never want to be Piquet. Perhaps he is now Webber.

So as Mansell is a new Lotus driver and Renault are the new Lotus, I can only conclude one likely outcome:

































Webber to Renault.

[ralf fan]

TGF is the new de cesaris

[Mr V]

And De Cesaris is the old Hamilton.

[Knowlesy]

Webber is the new Pizzonia.

[flor]

But where does all this leave Wayne Rooney?

[chunterer]

Mucking about with an old tyre and rope?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Mr V

And De Cesaris is the old Hamilton.

Who then is the new Hamilton?

[Purist]

It's probably mind games, or an attempt at it, but with a title now under his belt, I think there's less chance than before of Vettel buckling to any pressure.

I think Hamilton has gotten too distracted by his own doings, and by stupid stuff that his team has pulled. I also don't see Button as a particular title threat going forward, as compared to Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso, and Rosberg. I can't see Schumacher being a title threat again, and he's quite a long shot even for a race win or podium. I think Alonso lost his edge with all the bickering at McLaren, and was dulled just a bit more by his two seasons in limbo back at Renault. I think Webber is too hot-and-cold to be taken seriously for titles here on out.

Kubica is the biggest title threat next to Vettel, in theory, but who knows if we'll ever see his potential borne out now.

Kobayashi, Rosberg, and Petrov still need to prove that they're title-contention material; that's the biggest thing. They need to show consistently good results.

So, I'm really only factoring in two of those former champions as serious rivals to Vettel, and the other driver I see as the biggest challenger is out of the seat at least until 2012.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by flor

But where does all this leave Wayne Rooney?

Originally Posted by chunterer

Mucking about with an old tyre and rope?

Is that what they call those dodgy grandmothers he hangs about with?

[Super Hans]

Rooney is the new Yamamoto.

He has to buy his ride.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

What happened to the old one?

They couldn't find him.

[Marbot]

F1 is the new X-factor.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Is that what they call those dodgy grandmothers he hangs about with?

Dreadful!!

Perez is surely the new Alonso, Di Resta, the new Stewart, Maldonado, the new Estupinan..............

[Bononi]

I guess we're done here...

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Thinking about it, I'm not sure any contemporary F1 driver can compare himself to Mansell. He (with the help of his wife Roseanne) practically dragged himself to the very top from nothing. Doing proper jobs, remortgaging his house...etc

The current crop have been wafted to the top on velvet cusions by comparison.

When Mansell was coming through the ranks that was good enough. Try remortgaging your house today, and you might get a half decent ride in Formula Renault UK, unless you're doing pretty well for yourself. Money went a lot further back then, so to say today's drivers have it easier is a bit naive. Yes some don't have to work terribly hard, but lets not forget, if Timo Glock doesn't injure himself a couple years ago, Kamui would be working in his dad's sushi joint, and that Romain Grosjean has a legitimate career as a banker outside of racing as well. Another thing is the fact that most of these guys start crazy early. Mansell didn't start racing in F1 until he was 27! He was 23 years old before he graduated to cars! I mean comparing the careers of any of the drivers of that age to the careers of the guys now is pretty much ludicrous. If someone took Nigel Mansell's career arc today, they'd be laughed out of the GP2 paddock, nevermind the F1 paddock. Unless of course their last name is Senna.



I wonder how 20 year old Nigel Mansell would have handled being stuck into a car halfway across the world on a track he's only seen on TV. Hell, I wonder how 27 year old Mansell would have done. Too many people expect too much out of these kids. They aren't getting handed anything, they aren't "wafting to the top on cushions". They're working hard just like any driver before them did.

[Super Hans]

Fair points really. It's always a sticky one, comparing eras. I just got carried away with my admiration for Our Nige.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Fair points really. It's always a sticky one, comparing eras. I just got carried away with my admiration for Our Nige.

I must say I got a lot of time for Nige; the way he packed F1 in and went to the States and won the Indy driver's title. That takes some doing just to uproot like that.

[Knowlesy]

Absolute epic racer of the highest order was Mansell. His drama. His grit. The way he went to Indycar and ran on the ovals first time out (although bizarrely getting blown away on almost every road course).

Massive drama queen though. So irritating. But I think part of this is his Brummieness.

[Marbot]

Fernando is much more subtle than Lewis......

"Twelve points is not far below the world champion's average last year and two title contenders finished behind me. So, overall, the Australian Grand Prix can't be defined as disastrous."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/9440647.stm

Considering that Webber, Button and Massa finished behind him, which 'two' "title contenders" could he possibly mean ?

[mattt]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Fernando is much more subtle than Lewis......

"Twelve points is not far below the world champion's average last year and two title contenders finished behind me. So, overall, the Australian Grand Prix can't be defined as disastrous."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/9440647.stm

Considering that Webber, Button and Massa finished behind him, which 'two' "title contenders" could he possibly mean ?

He must mean Webber and Button since there is no way he would consider Massa as a title contender due to him being Ferraris number 1 driver and team orders being permitted.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by mattt

He must mean Webber and Button since there is no way he would consider Massa as a title contender due to him being Ferraris number 1 driver and team orders being permitted.

RS, SD, LDM: "Please confirm that you understand that message, Felipe"

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by E.B

I thought that was the function of the #2 driver at Red Bull.

I though the same. Webber is more likeable as "the new Mansell" or "the new Reutemann".

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Dreadful!!

Perez is surely the new Alonso, Di Resta, the new Stewart, Maldonado, the new Estupinan..............

For me Maldonado is like JM López but with enough money and support behind. Whatever the Venezuelan will do in F1, is like the Argentinian could have done there.

[Mekola]

Back to the main thread, I think Hamilton should accept that Vettel is... his main rival (aside Alonso).

[Super Hans]

I wonder who Vettel would consider his main rival? It'd probably be Alonso too. Whereas has Alonso has said previously that Kubica is the driver he fears the most. Still, we're probably not getting the truth from any of them.