The 2007 Chinese Grand Prix

[mlittle]

Thanks to mlittle for "Let's just relax a moment and realize something; all of us who post here(whether on a regular basis or not) are part/parcel of what is IMHO the most civilized, best motorsports-related site on the Internets and we shouldn't forget that."

Amen, I say, to that. (We're probably all just getting cranky because we realize one of the best seasons in past years is almost over and we have to wait through the holidays for March to come again!

to you all: & may your driver win (whatever it is you want him to win)

Jim Watt

Thank you, Jim.

[Bundy]

Still. On Speed tv (which covers F1 for us in the States), they showed Lewis making the rounds shaking his mechanics' hands and laughing with them after his disastrous excursion into the gravel in China; just the kind of think Michael used to do. And it seemed, at least to my tired old eyes to be sincere. Indeed, it's hard for me to believe I could face anyone after having just thrown away a certain lock on the WDC! That sort of gentlemanly behavior is very winning to me.

The fact that there was a camera there to show it makes me believe even more so that it is just an act. I suspect that once the cameras were off he was looking for someone else to blame.

21 drivers can't ALL be wrong!!!

[The Conduit]

Surely, by the time a driver reaches the hallowed ranks of F1, he will have made any number of off track excursions thru driver error.
This, afer all, is supposed to be racing, as in driving the car to it's, or their limits. As such one would expect errors from every driver, on occasion, yes?
One would also expect a level of maturity at this level. IMVHO, A few expletives at the time, with the visor still down, would surely suffice?
Anything else at all would be for public viewing, after all these fellows expect cameras to be on them at any time.
It is of far more interest to me to discover what caused the error, rather than to observe theatrical antics worthy of a two year old. Sadly we have an air-headed ITV pit person of little knowledge, asking inane questions at inappropriate times. Mark Webber should be congratulated for his, imvho, entirely appropriate on air response, after being shunted off behind the safety car.
At least I was left in little doubt.

[RE30B#16]

I think a few of us need to take a chill pill right about now!!!

There is a lot of talk about opinion on this board, yet nobody can stand it when the opinion differs with their own.

I've been away from this board for a few months. Before I left, I was not reading all of this "down with Hambone" stuff. Some of these comments have been so vehement, I have taken to researching what actually took place (that I wasn't aware of) to make everyone go sour on Lewis Hamilton. What I found was nowhere near close to being as controversial as any of a number of incidents involving Michael Schumacher, yet ON THIS BOARD (as I stated in my post), I haven't detected the same level of vitriol with respect to him. Michael Schumacher always came off as fake or measured or rehearsed whenever he gave an interview to me. He never sounded more phony than when he had to remark about Senna in the post race press conference at Imola in 1994.

RE: "hating"
Maybe some of y'all aren't hip to American current cultural events, but the term "hating" has been transformed into a catch phrase for merely expressing dislike for something (thanks to hip hop and rap music). I did not mean you actually hated Lewis Hamilton. I was trying to be au currant in my lingo. Sorry about that. Maybe some of your responses to my posting would not have been as strong if you understood that (jacfan and gkaytaz).

It is true I do not know Lewis Hamilton personally, and I am not defending anything he has done. I just find some of the remarks about him of late to be over the top. It is difficult at best to speak to someone's sincerity when you don't know them personally (this is why I said Michael Schumacher always "sounded" phony TO ME). On top of this, the FIA controls the drivers remarks to the point of nearly scripting them these days. It makes everyone sound phony. I love listening to Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, and other former F1 drivers give interviews now that they are retired and Uncle Bernie can't do anything to them. I am looking forward to hearing a more candid Michael Schumacher emerge.

RE: 'Get A Life'
IF you read my post correctly, I am telling those who wish for, pray for hope for, et cetera Lewis Hamilton to have and accident, to GET A LIFE!!! I did not tell anyone (particularly Gkaytaz or jacfan) to 'get a life' unless you fall into this sad group of individuals. This sport is extremely dangerous. I have watched many of my favorite driver die in a race car over the 30 some-odd years I have followed Formula 1. To make a remark like that is juvenile at best and pathetic at least. For anyone who has made remarks like that, you do need to get a life! Quickly!!! If witnessing Robert Kubica's wreck in Canada didn't cure you of that nonsense, you need to get out of my face for calling you on your immaturity.

I suggest to anyone wishing to respond to my post to read it carefully.

Thank you and good luck!

[RE30B#16]

I don't believe Lewis is charming with the press. I think he uses & manipulates the press for his own purposes. He may be articulate but I'm sure he knows that and uses it to his advantage.

I couldn't care less what race etc he is. I'm a half Pom, half Greek, 6ft 2in, thinning, 31 year old, Holden supporting, Aussie w*nker.

Maybe I missed something. Who mentioned race??!?

[RE30B#16]

The reason why I dislike Hamilton is that he does not know his place on or off the track (mostly off the track). Big words and "I am the One!" attitude is just tasteless. I just wish that something will happen to his car and make him lose the WDC title. That'll put him in his place and rightfully so.

I could have a ball wit this one, but I won't.

gkaytaz, I used to think that your responses were relatively balanced, but you have undermined all credibility with this remark.

[RE30B#16]

I hate to say it Gkay but you are wasting your time and energy. I have said many of the things you have said many times and still I get attacked on a personal level for daring to have an opinion.

jacfan, be honest!! When have you ever been attacked by me (RE30B#16) on a personal level on this board???

[The Conduit]

As the Castle burns, there is an F1 season still in top flight, yes?
I would enjoy the opinions of all, in the Brazil thread, BEFORE the race, yes?
Posts Mortem are but an exploration of the deceased, are they not?

[JayVee]

RE30B#16,

What annoyed me from your comments is that you put everyone in the same basket. I for one never cheered for Hamilton and have and will always cheer for Alonso.
I for one have said far more stronger remarks on Michael than I ever said on Hamilton. If you need pointers to some really heated discussions on Michael I can look them up for you.

I was neutral on Hamilton and until Hungary I had nothing against him and my posts prove that. Following Hungary my view about him (and McLaren in general) started to change, OK I could be more leaning towards what Alonso says but so what, one has to form an opinion and take a side and I chose Alonso's as it made more sense to me.
Then Hamilton started rubbishing Alonso in the media after the hearing and in Japan compared himself to Senna, now that was it, from then I couldn't stand him talk cause to me all he says is phony.

And just to clarify, I do not wish for anyone to crash out (accident or otherwise), I would like to see a real fight even though the current point standings favour Hamilton, you never know he could make a mistake under the immense pressure particularly after beaching his car in the smallest gravel trap anywhere entering the pit lane!!!!!

[jacfan]

As the Castle burns, there is an F1 season still in top flight, yes?
I would enjoy the opinions of all, in the Brazil thread, BEFORE the race, yes?
Posts Mortem are but an exploration of the deceased, are they not?

Yes you are right. I thank you for wanting to hear from me but I am not sure anyone else does.

[gkaytaz]

The reason why I dislike Hamilton is that he does not know his place on or off the track (mostly off the track). Big words and "I am the One!" attitude is just tasteless. I just wish that something will happen to his car and make him lose the WDC title. That'll put him in his place and rightfully so.

I could have a ball wit this one, but I won't.

Be my guest.

gkaytaz, I used to think that your responses were relatively balanced, but you have undermined all credibility with this remark.

Really? Just cuz I voiced an opinion? Or because I wished something to happen to Hamilton's car? Perhaps it was the "put him in his place and rightfully so" phrase...

I just don't like Hamilton, period. I never wish for him (or any other driver) to crash but I cannot deny that it'll make me feel warm inside to see Hamilton lose the WDC title, be it by a mechanical failure or a bad pitstop.

[gkaytaz]

RE30B#16,

What annoyed me from your comments is that you put everyone in the same basket. I for one never cheered for Hamilton and have and will always cheer for Alonso.
I for one have said far more stronger remarks on Michael than I ever said on Hamilton. If you need pointers to some really heated discussions on Michael I can look them up for you.

I was neutral on Hamilton and until Hungary I had nothing against him and my posts prove that. Following Hungary my view about him (and McLaren in general) started to change, OK I could be more leaning towards what Alonso says but so what, one has to form an opinion and take a side and I chose Alonso's as it made more sense to me.
Then Hamilton started rubbishing Alonso in the media after the hearing and in Japan compared himself to Senna, now that was it, from then I couldn't stand him talk cause to me all he says is phony.

And just to clarify, I do not wish for anyone to crash out (accident or otherwise), I would like to see a real fight even though the current point standings favour Hamilton, you never know he could make a mistake under the immense pressure particularly after beaching his car in the smallest gravel trap anywhere entering the pit lane!!!!!

JayVee, we may have had different opinions in the past but I agree with you on this one.

[gkaytaz]

but I am not sure anyone else does.

You know that is not so.

[RE30B#16]

The reason why I dislike Hamilton is that he does not know his place on or off the track (mostly off the track). Big words and "I am the One!" attitude is just tasteless. I just wish that something will happen to his car and make him lose the WDC title. That'll put him in his place and rightfully so.

I could have a ball wit this one, but I won't.

Be my guest.

What exactly is Lewis' place? After Bundy insinuated Lewis defenders are concerned with race, your answer should be interesting.

When Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost came into Formula 1, they stepped on more than a few toes in the process no differently than Lewis Hamilton. Michael Schumacher had the same confidence/arrogance when he arrived. Fernando Alonso knew he was good enough to beat Schumacher at the height of his game, and he proved it. Some have done it graciously, and some haven't.

Maybe I could understand your point if Hamilton was blowing smoke up someone's butt while not possessing the talent to back up the remarks like Christijan Albers. Just because Lewis was taken on by Ron Dennis as a youngster, he could still have been a bust which he has proven not to be. If you can't stand that, you need to grow up and get over it.

gkaytaz, I have never known you to be so emotionally fragile. This is a F1 board for all of us to voice our opinions. I am voicing mine. I think eveyone has been over the top. Yes, I am lumping everyone into the category, because everyone deserves to be included.

[gkaytaz]

I could have a ball wit this one, but I won't.

Be my guest.

What exactly is Lewis' place? After Bundy insinuated Lewis defenders are concerned with race, your answer should be interesting.

When Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost came into Formula 1, they stepped on more than a few toes in the process no differently than Lewis Hamilton. Michael Schumacher had the same confidence/arrogance when he arrived. Fernando Alonso knew he was good enough to beat Schumacher at the height of his game, and he proved it. Some have done it graciously, and some haven't.

Maybe I could understand your point if Hamilton was blowing smoke up someone's butt while not possessing the talent to back up the remarks like Christijan Albers. Just because Lewis was taken on by Ron Dennis as a youngster, he could still have been a bust which he has proven not to be. If you can't stand that, you need to grow up and get over it.

gkaytaz, I have never known you to be so emotionally fragile. This is a F1 board for all of us to voice our opinions. I am voicing mine. I think eveyone has been over the top. Yes, I am lumping everyone into the category, because everyone deserves to be included.

Grow up? Emotionally fragile? Taking it on a personal level might just ruin your game dude.

If you can't deal with me (or JayVee or Jacfan or Bundy or anyone else) not liking Hamilton, well tough luck! I do not care about his color or creed. He is talented, no doubt. However in my book if a rookie with less than 20 F1 races under his belt dares to compare himself to a legend, he is asking for a good lesson. I just hope he will learn that very soon...