Rosberg vs Hamilton

[Peter Mallett]

He sounds demotivated judging by his comments on the BBC website. Prost, who we can ignore if we wish, suggests he will need to change his approach next year.

[jsTrecu]

He'll find his confidence again once he has a winning car. That's all he needs in my opinion, to be sure he can fight for the WDC.

When he got those poles in Silverstone, Germany and Hungary he was driving better and better and seemed fully motivated. Then after Spa when Vettel won the race and halted Lewis and Merc's momentum, Lewis went backwards again.
At least that's how I see it. His best result since Spa is 5th, whereas Rosberg has scored a couple of podiums, finished ahead of Hamilton in 5 of those 6 races, and outscored him 63 to 36. So it's not the car.


But to be fair, I think that's just part of the problem. His driving style is too aggressive for these tyres and he is struggling to adapt. And add to that the fact that he is the only top driver to change teams and he has had to adapt to a new car too, which is very different from the stiff McLarens he used to drive his entire F1 career.

We can expect a better season for him next year I believe. He'll know the team better, he'll know the car better, and according to Pirelli the tyres will be more durable so he won't struggle to maintain a consistent pace throughout a whole stint.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I hope Nico does overhaul Lewis' points total. He's had more pace throughout the season, with a mid-season blip not being his fault, and without the car breaking on him at Hungary and Australia he'd already be ahead in the points.

How is Nico's 4-race Canada-Hungary slump not his fault?

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by jsTrecu

He'll find his confidence again once he has a winning car. That's all he needs in my opinion, to be sure he can fight for the WDC.

So all the time he doesn't have a winning car he's just an "average" driver? What he needs to be doing is beating Nico whatever the equipment they have at their disposal.

[BSchneiderFan]

I'm not making a definitely pronouncement, but is this perhaps indicative of a fundamental psychological frailty in Lewis? Some of the best have it - Alonso spitting the dummy at McLaren, Reutemann choking at the last race in 1981 - and it doesn't diminish his speed or ability, but it does look a little bit like Hamilton needs everything to be going well, personally as well as professionally, to get the very best out of himself. Of course, Lewis at 95% is still pretty damned good.

[jsTrecu]

Originally Posted by Mr V

So all the time he doesn't have a winning car he's just an "average" driver? What he needs to be doing is beating Nico whatever the equipment they have at their disposal.

He is one of the best drivers no matter what car he is driving, no doubt.
But maybe his motivation/confidence is affected when he knows he can't win. Or maybe it's Vettel's run that is depressing him, or maybe he misses that girlfriend he had.
I don't know, I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but it's strange how his mood swings from an extreme to the other so easily, and how that seems to show in his results, isn't it ?





Nico is praising the development of the car lately, telling the media he is very happy and everything is improving, Lewis OTOH can't find an explanation for his lack of pace in the race.
Hamilton was in traffic most of the time, but the difference is big. 20s in the last 20 laps.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by jsTrecu

He is one of the best drivers no matter what car he is driving, no doubt.
But maybe his motivation/confidence is affected when he knows he can't win. Or maybe it's Vettel's run that is depressing him, or maybe he misses that girlfriend he had.
I don't know, I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but it's strange how his mood swings

I'm not saying he isn't one of the best, trouble is, the team pays him to deliver his best no matter what the circumstance. It would appear that stuff like his separation from Nicole has affected him but compare that with Fernando and Kimi, who have both, as I understand it, recently gone through divorces, but their on track performances haven't suffered as a consequence.

[Marbot]

Rosberg was very impressive in yesterdays GP. Pity that he had some bad luck with reliability at the beginning of the season.

Hamilton's probably beginning to wonder if Rosberg is just any other team mate.

[Knowlesy]

Hamilton has been pretty average since Italy really and Rosberg has continued to plug away and is impressing again after his lull, especially on the run of Tilke tracks which he seems to enjoy so much (he is ace at all the twiddly technical stuff).

On the balance of the season I would say Rosberg is starting to edge ahead, but it has been a pretty good season for Hamilton all the same. It is just a shame he seems to have tailed away at the end.

[Aysedasi]

I'd be surprised if Lewis ever thought that Nico was 'just any other team mate'. I'm sure he thought he could beat him most of the time but I doubt that he expected to lord over Nico like Vettel has over Webber.....

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Mr V

I'm not saying he isn't one of the best, trouble is, the team pays him to deliver his best no matter what the circumstance. It would appear that stuff like his separation from Nicole has affected him but compare that with Fernando and Kimi, who have both, as I understand it, recently gone through divorces, but their on track performances haven't suffered as a consequence.

I don't really know about the status of the driver's relationships because it is thoroughly disinteresting, but it is obvious that people will react differently to such things. And separations aren't all the same; whilst Lewis is possibly devastated, another man may be delighted to be free of his marriage and reinvigorated. It isn't really a character weakness, even if it is somewhat unhelpful at times.

But I don't think his performance of late is down to lack of focus, it is just one of those little periods of time where a driver seems to struggle with things whilst, at the same time, his teammate seems to have found a groove. It happens to them all. Heck, even Fernando has looked less than impressive at times compared to Massa this season, unthinkable twelve months ago.

[Razzzor]

Maybe it's more to do with Nico than Hamilton, Nico's always been hot and cold. His time with MS sometimes he was dominant, then other times MS was way in front.

Another season as teammates if Nico can prove he's as good as Hamilton, and MS proved he's pretty equal to Nico in 2012, then that means a 40yo MS is = to Nico/Hammo in their prime. Which means MS in his prime is > than Nico/Hammo in their prime. yay

[Aysedasi]

No matter how many times you look at them, some sums just do not add up, do they.... Bloody maths.......

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I don't really know about the status of the driver's relationships because it is thoroughly disinteresting, but it is obvious that people will react differently to such things. And separations aren't all the same; whilst Lewis is possibly devastated, another man may be delighted to be free of his marriage and reinvigorated. It isn't really a character weakness, even if it is somewhat unhelpful at times.

Sh-t if Nicole Switchenburgerwhatever dumped me, I'd be devastated as well. But did she dump him, or was it mutual? Maybe it never did affect his racing like everyone thought it did.

Remember when Schumi's mummy died just before a race weekend, then he goes and wins the race. If you can still win under that condition, then Hammo having a multiple race slump because he misses his gf seems a pretty weak character. I'd use the dumping and turn it into aggression to improve my race speed, not be driving around with tears in my eyes.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Sh-t if Nicole Switchenburgerwhatever dumped me, I'd be devastated as well. But did she dump him, or was it mutual? Maybe it never did affect his racing like everyone thought it did.

Remember when Schumi's mummy died just before a race weekend, then he goes and wins the race. If you can still win under that condition, then Hammo having a multiple race slump because he misses his gf seems a pretty weak character. I'd use the dumping and turn it into aggression to improve my race speed, not be driving around with tears in my eyes.

Off topic comment alert I have to type this or my brain will explode! Why do people find Nicole Whatsherface attractive? Thanks for reading, you've been a wonderful audience. Don't forget to try the veal and tip your waitress. We now return you to the topic

[davyboy]

Whether it's woman trouble or something else, Lewis doesn't appear to be in a good place right now... and he seems to be unable to compartmentalise it away from his driving.

In terms of the root cause, I wonder whether the management upheaval taking place at MB, and in particular the uncertainty over Ross Brawn, has anything to do with it. Brawn was pivotal in attracting Lewis there.

[Dragger]

I've been impressed by Nico's driving, a win at Monaco is a big win.

Hamilton's one of the fastest drivers in F1... when he's on his A-game. But if all the stars don't align he loses a bit of his edge.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

Sh-t if Nicole Switchenburgerwhatever dumped me, I'd be devastated as well. But did she dump him, or was it mutual? Maybe it never did affect his racing like everyone thought it did.

Remember when Schumi's mummy died just before a race weekend, then he goes and wins the race. If you can still win under that condition, then Hammo having a multiple race slump because he misses his gf seems a pretty weak character. I'd use the dumping and turn it into aggression to improve my race speed, not be driving around with tears in my eyes.

Well yes, but people are different as I said.

When my father died last year I went back to work a couple of weeks later as if nothing had happened (although emotion caught up many months later). Whereas someone else would be a wreck and have to use their entire holiday allowance for the year before they went back to work and still be in bits after that.

Does that make them weak? Does that make me cold? No, we're just people.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Well yes, but people are different as I said.

When my father died last year I went back to work a couple of weeks later as if nothing had happened (although emotion caught up many months later). Whereas someone else would be a wreck and have to use their entire holiday allowance for the year before they went back to work and still be in bits after that.

Does that make them weak? Does that make me cold? No, we're just people.

Well said that man.

[Bononi]

Uhn... oh yes. If there's one thing that can turn the life of a man upside down, make him out of his mind, push him down and spin around, make him feel miserable, lose his dignity and feel like the last human being on the planet... that's a woman.


And I mean in both ways, good or bad.

[Dragger]

Originally Posted by Bononi

Uhn... oh yes. If there's one thing that can turn the life of a man upside down, make him out of his mind, push him down and spin around, make him feel miserable, lose his dignity and feel like the last human being on the planet... that's a woman.


And I mean in both ways, good or bad.

I agree.

I think that is one reason Dario had a winless season in Indycar this year, a 4 time Champ with a great team. He's been separated from his wife.

It affects different people differently.

[b1ackcr0w]

I will admit that I do kind of prefer hot/cold drivers like Hamilton who only have a thin veneer of professionalism but are probably only just containing an inner core that's nuttier than an explosion in the Snickers factory. They're the ones that tend to have the most entertaining flashes of brilliance. See Senna, Hunt, Hakkinen etc for details.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by b1ackcr0w

I will admit that I do kind of prefer hot/cold drivers like Hamilton who only have a thin veneer of professionalism but are probably only just containing an inner core that's nuttier than an explosion in the Snickers factory. They're the ones that tend to have the most entertaining flashes of brilliance. See Senna, Hunt, Hakkinen etc for details.

Very good point, these drivers have much more mass appeal than the automatons and pure PR media factory spawned bores. The Lewis's Ayrton's, Gilles and Montoya's of this world are far more likely to have some kind of flashpoint at some time or other that will either enthral us with on track genius moments, or some off track indiscretion!

Should drivers where their hearts on their sleeves? Heck don't even bother with the sleeves!!

[andy666]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

The Venison was delicious and I generously tipped the waitress , so can I make an off topic remark ? I don't understand why people find Nicole S@@tslinger attractive either

[andy666]

Originally Posted by andy666

The Venison was delicious and I generously tipped the waitress , so can I make an off topic remark ? I don't understand why people find Nicole S@@tslinger attractive either

Venison ? I don't like Veal ! During Abu Dhabi when Massa made that great move around Hammy and he shouted down the radio "I have no grip " . There has to be something affecting him at the moment , not very often you see Lewis lose 2 places like that . Nico is looking the stronger driver at the moment .