The Official 2008 F1 Series Thread

[Jon325i]

And speaking of potential drivers for Honda in 2009....

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-bruno-senna-set-for-honda-test/

Jon

[E30Kaiser]

Hamilton jumped into an already fast car, not a lap marker like the ferrari used to be in 1995. He has show little development abilities, riding Alonso's race set ups. NOTE: Anyone notice how McMerc is running a very soft rear end this year?

He's good, no doubt about that. But i would put him 5th of 6th best abilities of the current drivers.

I think this is why McMerc is so lucky to have such a great tester in Pedro De La Rosa, since they have basically two relative newbies to F1 as their drivers.

[hugh jass]

There are a few others out there Carly, dont get so emo on us.

Put it this way, would you like it if someone came into your place of business and started owning everyone/everything? I dont like the guy based on the ideas that he is the next Schumacher. Let me know in 15 years if the guy is the next Schumacher.. its not going to happen.

Hamilton jumped into an already fast car, not a lap marker like the ferrari used to be in 1995. He has show little development abilities, riding Alonso's race set ups. NOTE: Anyone notice how McMerc is running a very soft rear end this year?

He's good, no doubt about that. But i would put him 5th of 6th best abilities of the current drivers.

so you think alonso's setups would automatically work for hamilton? each car is set-up for each drivers' strengths and weaknesses, and if hamilton isn't much a development driver, its even more impressive that he can hop straight into an f1 car, which was setup for another driver, and almost win the championship his first year. hes proven his abilities with drivers aids and without, and i would certainly put him higher than 5th or 6th in abilities within the current grid. hes great in the dry, and even better in the wet. how many drivers out there right now are like that?

[TDE30]

I think Joe was saying that there is a distinct correlation between LH's poor performance and the fact that they are using Alonso's old MP4-22 setup, that Alonso's old setup is working shit for Hamilton.

[z31maniac]

so you think alonso's setups would automatically work for hamilton? each car is set-up for each drivers' strengths and weaknesses, and if hamilton isn't much a development driver, its even more impressive that he can hop straight into an f1 car, which was setup for another driver, and almost win the championship his first year. hes proven his abilities with drivers aids and without, and i would certainly put him higher than 5th or 6th in abilities within the current grid. hes great in the dry, and even better in the wet. how many drivers out there right now are like that?

I do think Hameeelton is a hell of a talented driver. He just comes off as so arrogant in interviews and his dad/manager always walking around the garage. Go sit in the stands!

[Hick]

so you think alonso's setups would automatically work for hamilton? each car is set-up for each drivers' strengths and weaknesses, and if hamilton isn't much a development driver, its even more impressive that he can hop straight into an f1 car, which was setup for another driver, and almost win the championship his first year. hes proven his abilities with drivers aids and without, and i would certainly put him higher than 5th or 6th in abilities within the current grid. hes great in the dry, and even better in the wet. how many drivers out there right now are like that?

yeah, as a matter of fact i do. if it were another car/team trying to use the set up then your arguement would be valid. However, since the two McMerc cars share... well, ALL its components then knowing the other, more experenced [not to mention TWO time world champion] set up would certinly help.

Dont forget that is was well known that Hamilton was using Alonsos set ups all the way until Hungary when the shit hit the fan cause of Stefanie Gate. Soon after you saw Hamilton run his tires off at China to lose the race, and championship. The guy has some ability to set up a car, but not the same to develop the car.

Massa has dominated several races, including a wet Monaco what was handedt to Hamilton because he ran into the wall, stopped for new tires and lucked out with a safety car soon after.

[TDE30]

I agree with most of that Joe, except for the first part about Hamilton using Alonso's setup and how it should certainly better LH's results. Like hugh was saying, every driver is different. If that was a valid argument, then why aren't Räikkönen or Massa winning races like mad using a setup similar to Schumacher's? I see what you're saying about Hamilton not being able to develop a car and explain the strengths/weaknesses well enough to his engineers, but to say that using Alonso's race setup = lots of victories is a little far-fetched IMO.

[Hick]

I was speaking of last year, not his performance this year. My point was more that McMerc has been riding the developments of last years car, which was hands down the best car on track.

[E30Kaiser]

Its a fact that Hamilton was using the same setups as Alonso most of last year. Until he decided he was competing with Alonso and started using his own setups which weren't good at all. I don't see what people are arguing about in that regard, Varsha, Matchett and Hobbes have said that many times.
As for the McMerc basically just being a hand me down from Alonso and still being competitive I don't even thing that is possible. Credit for developing the car now should definitely go to Pedro De La Rosa.

[Hick]

This is a misunderstanding. De La Rosa may help with the developments, but not with the race set up [not the finite details]. De La Rosa gets a lot of the credit for making McMerc what it is, Hamilton does not. That is my main arguement.

Where as Alonso has a lot to do with the development of the Renault. From being a second off pace at the begining of the season to winning a race outright is a giant step forward.

[hugh jass]

This is a misunderstanding. De La Rosa may help with the developments, but not with the race set up [not the finite details]. De La Rosa gets a lot of the credit for making McMerc what it is, Hamilton does not. That is my main arguement.

Where as Alonso has a lot to do with the development of the Renault. From being a second off pace at the begining of the season to winning a race outright is a giant step forward.

it isn't like hes winning by dominating the competition. you have to admit that his 2 victories sort of fell in his lap and luck was smiling on his side.

[Hick]

The last one... no. Japan was not a gimme. He short filled the second stint and put a good distance between him and Kubica. You never know how it would of worked out had your boy Hamilton not blown the first corner like a rookie.

[TDE30]

it isn't like hes winning by dominating the competition. you have to admit that his 2 victories sort of fell in his lap and luck was smiling on his side.

But they were both well-earned. Races have "fallen" into the laps of many, and they usually drop the ball at some point and screw it up. Alonso proved in those two races that he can remain composed and keep the car in the right direction throughout the duration of the race.

[Jparkr]

Alonso has excellent pace, again, so far this weekend. I hope we see a battle between him and lewis.

[Bimmerista]

If Alonso knocks Lewis out to give way to a Massa win...I will be pleased.