Hamilton cop out?

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68810
http://www.f1technical.net/news/9664

The story reminds me of the challenge between Rossi and Alonso. I think this is very poor sportsmanship. While nobody expects an F1 driver who fights for a championship to do it right on the spot both Alonso and Hamilton could have committed to the challenge for a date after the season.

... ...

[mx_tifoso]

That comes to show whether Lewis Hamilton is man enough to make decisions in his life or not. His father pulls all the strings and Lewis simply reacts. What a little b*tch to be honest.

[Motley]

Why is it that people who dislike Hamilton so strongly can do nothing but endlessly pour over and react to everything he says or does?

If you don't like him, then ignore him. By commenting on all the stories that emerge about him you justify the media interest in Lewis that you all claim to despise...

[freedom_honda]

What a loser.
i was hoping Jenson to kick Hamilton's ass!


chicken!

[twoshots]

I'd be very surprised if a team let there driver compete in a triathlon during the course of the season. Especially a team which is in the mix for the drivers title.

Just seems like Hamilton would've enjoyed a little bit of competition and then someone reminded him he was not being paid a lot of money to be distracted (triathlons are damn hard and would required specific training) or turn up shattered to testing/race weekends.

In the off-season it would be a bit of fun...

[kekekeke]

If it goes ahead: Massive bashing of Hamilton based on the fact that he should be concentrating on driving the car, but once again has let his ego and love of media attention get in the way and is doing some silly PR stunt. Father criticized for not looking after the best interests of son, calls for him to be sacked.

If the plug is pulled: Massive bashing of Hamilton based on the fact that he is a 'chicken' who has bottled a challenge. Let his ego get the better of him in accepting Jenson's challenge, and then his power-obsessed father pulls the plug as it is for charity whilst he is only interested in making money from commercial activities. Calls for Lewis to sack his father.


The reality for me is that during a bit of light-hearted banter, and after a bit of goading, LH mentions that he is happy to take JB on in a triathlon. His management later points out that in reality he will be concentrating on his driving, so cannot currently agree to his friend's request. Not exactly anything to get worked up about now is there!

That's a reply from PF1 forums. I couldn't have said it better. The truth is, the same people who bash him for withdrawing from the bet would be the same people that would have bashed him if he did do it.

[sharkie17]

Honestly, i could care less what LH does, since im not a fan...

But how can he, who have never competed in triathlon event in his life, claim that he is fitter than JB and that he could beat him?

Hes just a cocky young pup who thinks hes invincible (which isnt a bad thing to a certain degree) but come on LH!

Oh, and i can tell you the outcome of this wager if it were to happen.
JB will be the winner.

[mcdenife]

Honestly, i could care less what LH does, since im not a fan...

But how can he, who have never competed in triathlon event in his life, claim that he is fitter than JB and that he could beat him?

What is it with people and LH? if you could care less what LH does then you wont bother responding to any hearsay about him, at least not until you know what was actually said/meant. It seems some just troll around looking for any excuse to trash the guy. A quick read of the full press conference (its not restricted reading material) and the banter between all 3 drivers should give an idea of what was actually said.

[axle]

As a Brit, I'm starting to get seriously peed off with LH's persona. Especially the one he shows to the media. He's being a d1ck most of the time and he's not in a position to be so cocky.

Talk about it all going to your head...and his sickening, the team are great PR bs is wearing even thinner...

I think a fall is in order to turn him into a man instead of this petulant child.

Go Heikki

[Spencifer_Murphy]

I really don't understand the hatred that this story is creating...he thinks he's fitter than Jenson...so what? Maybe he's right, maybe its a friendly rival talking up some hype (Like you've never played mind games with a fellow competitor)

@ Sharkie17; Why is it that the fact that lewis has never done a triathalon therefore mean he isn't capable of beating Jenson...up until 3years ago I had never competed in a triathalon, my mate from my high school athletics days (one of the best atheletes in the school at the time btw) had done 4 of them, when I raced him in my first trialthon 3years ago I beat him, by over a minute. Now the fact I had never done one before is irrelevant..If I'm fitter, I'm fitter.

@ Freedom_Honda...how is he chicken? He accepted the challenge, his management said no.

@ mx_tifosi - How is Lewis being "a little bitch"? Oh because his management (that what its there for) said with hindsight that "Actually, unlike Jenson you could win a WDC this year, its going to be hard so you have to stay focused." KekeKeke is so right, think back a couple of years, when Montoya broke his shoulder mid-season everybody critisised him for being an idiot, doing such things in the middle of a championship...lets say lewis did this, was loosing to jenson, pushed to hard and tore a muscle or something...*poof* there goes his 2008 season hopes...I bet you'd then be critisising him some more claiming him to be an idiot for not focusing on F1?!

I agree with white blue to some respect, I wouldn't go so far as to say its poor sportsmanship...YET. Because they havent denied that they will compete after the season. But he's sport on right, nobody should expect a driver to have to do it mid season...

...Personally I'd love to see it, clearly I'm a LH fan, but (being a brit) I'm also a huge Jenson fan (please Honda, fix ure car for 2009!) I like both guy's on-screen personas also, and frankly I like the idea of F1 drivers being able to be friends outside of the car, have a kick-about for chaity or something (remember the footie matches Schumi used to do)

IF, LH refuses to do it after the season, then sure, critsize him...I'll join you in fact. IF however he does do it, then what's the criticsim for?

At the end of the day its just yet another story for the LH-Haters to jump onboard with.

Oh, Just wondering if there is any connection with the fact that the majority of "pro-lewis" answers in this thread are considerably longer than the "anti-Lewis" ones?

[mcdenife]

The point is when seemingly rational people just pick up on anything to trash him with whatever he says or does or however he says or does something, even perhaps his body language, you have to wonder. There is always something. Most of us are fans of one driver or another. Some we like more than others. Some we think are better than others. But when for the most part all we ever search for, troll for, see, talk about, say or even think about etc are the negatives about a particular driver or person, the you have to wonder.
I did not see or hear anything, implied or otherwise, in that press conference to warrant the attacks in this thread. For the most part the only rationale for a lot of the 'incoherent' attacks (and sometimes even on his dad) seem to suggest his real crime is 'driving while black' or 'being an F1 driver while black' go figure.So what he is cocky. A lot of the drivers are. we probably just dont see it cos they are not under the spot light. A lot has been written about F1 drivers egos and most of us were young and cocky once...I know I was. So what?. I dont think LH is any different so who of us is in a position to say whether/when/why/where/how he is allowed/should be or is in a position to be (or not) cocky.

[Spencifer_Murphy]

=D> =D> =D> Couldn't have said it better myself mcdenife. Lewis really is becomming a bit of a marmite character. You either love him or hate him. The last guy in F1 who was treated in quite this way was...humm...Michael Schumacher. Oh and before him? Ayrton Senna.

Maybe its something that comes from being a prodigeous talent, by being a fairly unique individual your very existance gets some peoples backs up, and, because they can't really find too much to complain about, they search for little things. Then when you really mess up (Lewis @ canada 08, Schumi @ Monaco 06, Senna @ Monaco 88) the haters have a field day because FINALLY (law of averages dictates it bound to happen at some point) thay have something to actually dig into him about.

Here's hoping he's as successful as those two then. It'll keep the forum active, thats for sure!

[Scuderia_Russ]

Geez. Bashing Hamilton seems to be almost as fasionable as bashing the government. Some people just need to grow up.

[guy_smiley]

re: the last few posts (spencifer and mcdenife)

let's not forget this is an f1 forum. the point is that people can go somewhere to share their opinion--whether it's bashing a driver they don't like or brainstorming like the great manchild used to do. anyway, im a bit surprised that you two are surprised by the posts in this thread. besides, you both defended your stance very well in response to some of the posts--again, the whole point of a forum....

[nae]

havent read all the posts but

he has 2 choices

do as he said in a public forum

or pay the 10K to charity

or (oh ok a 3rd choice)

arrange the event at another time

if he doesnt he will loose yet more kudos

red lights, failing on your word , what next cheating ?