2019 United States Grand Prix - Austin, 1-3 November

[TAG]

Complain all you want about anyone, driver or team principal claiming that Ferrari dropped some top end speed this weekend. Data on Racefans is pretty conclusive as Ferrari was the only team down on their average top speed deficit for the year.

[MtthsMlw]

Complaint all you want about anyone, driver or team principal claiming that Ferrari dropped some top end speed this weekend. Data on Racefans is pretty conclusive as Ferrari was the only team down on their average top speed deficit for the year.

By a whole lot of 0.2 kmh. If you look at Sochi for example that gap was over 3 seconds.

[zac510]

For the average punter it's a bit harder to see when Lewis gets 4-5 more laps from the tyres than another driver as most people are just fixated on laptimes. It doesn't always translate to a win, but it's indicative of greater skill and control.
And in the early days he did rag the tyres pretty hard. Now he's the opposite.

[TAG]

Complaint all you want about anyone, driver or team principal claiming that Ferrari dropped some top end speed this weekend. Data on Racefans is pretty conclusive as Ferrari was the only team down on their average top speed deficit for the year.

By a whole lot of 0.2 kmh. If you look at Sochi for example that gap was over 3 seconds.

It's F1... the top 3 on Saturday were 0.06 right?

[izzy]

For the average punter it's a bit harder to see when Lewis gets 4-5 more laps from the tyres than another driver as most people are just fixated on laptimes. It doesn't always translate to a win, but it's indicative of greater skill and control.
And in the early days he did rag the tyres pretty hard. Now he's the opposite.

well Lewis got labelled various things including 'aggressive' and a 'tyre shredder' didn't he, but Brazil 2009 for example he could already whisper those tyres when that was what he wanted, 18th to 3rd in a 1-stopper. He can vary his style as he said in Mexico, steering a bit with a back end is part of it i think, sometimes at least. Skill and control as you say, and not stuck with one style but able to dial it in on the day according to what's needed

[GPR-A]

For the average punter it's a bit harder to see when Lewis gets 4-5 more laps from the tyres than another driver as most people are just fixated on laptimes. It doesn't always translate to a win, but it's indicative of greater skill and control.
And in the early days he did rag the tyres pretty hard. Now he's the opposite.

There was an article a few years back in Autosport, where it was outlined how Lewis has given this notion to the world that he is a harder driver and less intelligent, but underneath, he is probably the most intelligent and adaptable driver for cars, tires, rules and racing situations. In Bridgestone days, you could put those tires through a great deal of stress but would survive and hence, a lot of drivers used them hard, includign Lewis. When 2014 cars came and with fuel restrictions, he was always the more economical driver, despite being faster than team mate who had to do a lot of lift and coast.

In 2017, he gave a glimpse of understanding post the US GP. At the start Vettel overtook him, but later got overtaken again after his tires gave away. Post the race Lewis mentioned that, when chasing Vettel, he observed that Vettel was attacking the turn 9 harder to stay ahead and Lewis quickly realized that it would kill Vettel's tires which was the case that allowed Lewis to overtake Vettel. So having that understanding of attacking some and going soft through some other sections of a track is critical to save the tyres, while the natural ability to carry more speed through the corners while lifting slightly early instead of breaking hard which reduces the stress on the tires is another aspect that have helped him.

[Dazed1]

To quote Justin Timberlake ‘cry me a river’.

Or Ella Fitzgerald...

Or Joe Cocker

Or Diana Krall

Or Linda Rondstadt...

They all good!

[Just_a_fan]

Article about Hamilton with insights from the Mercedes team. Some interesting stuff about him in and out of the car.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/50284993

[digitalrurouni]

Article about Hamilton with insights from the Mercedes team. Some interesting stuff about him in and out of the car.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/50284993

That was great reading especially about his braking. Thanks for sharing!

[epo]

For the average punter it's a bit harder to see when Lewis gets 4-5 more laps from the tyres than another driver as most people are just fixated on laptimes. It doesn't always translate to a win, but it's indicative of greater skill and control.
And in the early days he did rag the tyres pretty hard. Now he's the opposite.

There was an article a few years back in Autosport, where it was outlined how Lewis has given this notion to the world that he is a harder driver and less intelligent, but underneath, he is probably the most intelligent and adaptable driver for cars, tires, rules and racing situations. In Bridgestone days, you could put those tires through a great deal of stress but would survive and hence, a lot of drivers used them hard, includign Lewis. When 2014 cars came and with fuel restrictions, he was always the more economical driver, despite being faster than team mate who had to do a lot of lift and coast.

In 2017, he gave a glimpse of understanding post the US GP. At the start Vettel overtook him, but later got overtaken again after his tires gave away. Post the race Lewis mentioned that, when chasing Vettel, he observed that Vettel was attacking the turn 9 harder to stay ahead and Lewis quickly realized that it would kill Vettel's tires which was the case that allowed Lewis to overtake Vettel. So having that understanding of attacking some and going soft through some other sections of a track is critical to save the tyres, while the natural ability to carry more speed through the corners while lifting slightly early instead of breaking hard which reduces the stress on the tires is another aspect that have helped him.

I doubt that call was from him, 99% his engineer or team that makes those decisions. Especially if you hear him talking during the race, so unsecure I really doubt that.
Besides that don't make him bigger then he is. Great driver but then also in the greatest car ever in F1 without any competition from his teammate.

[Sieper]

Actually, something on the race then.

The whole Mercedes team was standing ready, "Lewis Box Box Box", the tires already removed from the heaterblankets. Lewis ignores the team instruction "I feel I can extend"and stays out one more lap. Lewis ends the race on 1 lap fresher tires and has kept Bottas up during 2/3 of a lap increasing his chance of staying in front at the end of the race. Eyebrow raiser for me.

[GPR-A]

For the average punter it's a bit harder to see when Lewis gets 4-5 more laps from the tyres than another driver as most people are just fixated on laptimes. It doesn't always translate to a win, but it's indicative of greater skill and control.
And in the early days he did rag the tyres pretty hard. Now he's the opposite.

There was an article a few years back in Autosport, where it was outlined how Lewis has given this notion to the world that he is a harder driver and less intelligent, but underneath, he is probably the most intelligent and adaptable driver for cars, tires, rules and racing situations. In Bridgestone days, you could put those tires through a great deal of stress but would survive and hence, a lot of drivers used them hard, includign Lewis. When 2014 cars came and with fuel restrictions, he was always the more economical driver, despite being faster than team mate who had to do a lot of lift and coast.

In 2017, he gave a glimpse of understanding post the US GP. At the start Vettel overtook him, but later got overtaken again after his tires gave away. Post the race Lewis mentioned that, when chasing Vettel, he observed that Vettel was attacking the turn 9 harder to stay ahead and Lewis quickly realized that it would kill Vettel's tires which was the case that allowed Lewis to overtake Vettel. So having that understanding of attacking some and going soft through some other sections of a track is critical to save the tyres, while the natural ability to carry more speed through the corners while lifting slightly early instead of breaking hard which reduces the stress on the tires is another aspect that have helped him.

I doubt that call was from him, 99% his engineer or team that makes those decisions. Especially if you hear him talking during the race, so unsecure I really doubt that.
Besides that don't make him bigger then he is. Great driver but then also in the greatest car ever in F1 without any competition from his teammate.

To is your opinion and to me is mine. If you do not want to believe what I wrote, it's up to you, but I wrote what I have seen and heard on tv and read over different places and it doesn't change one bit. You have your reasons to not like him and I have mine to like his talent.

[izzy]

I doubt that call was from him, 99% his engineer or team that makes those decisions. Especially if you hear him talking during the race, so unsecure I really doubt that.
Besides that don't make him bigger then he is. Great driver but then also in the greatest car ever in F1 without any competition from his teammate.

that's the teammate who just went pole,win?

and obviously it was his call how hard to chase Seb in front of him

and also obviously Lewis is part of that car being great. when he joined Mercedes the whole media circus moved down the pitlane with him and the whole team immediately knew that any car they came up with would be raced to the max. They could get the budget they wanted from the Board cos they knew it would pay off, and they could get any staff they wanted too. Lewis and the team is a virtuous circle, making each other greater

[GPR-A]

I doubt that call was from him, 99% his engineer or team that makes those decisions. Especially if you hear him talking during the race, so unsecure I really doubt that.
Besides that don't make him bigger then he is. Great driver but then also in the greatest car ever in F1 without any competition from his teammate.

that's the teammate who just went pole,win?

and obviously it was his call how hard to chase Seb in front of him

and also obviously Lewis is part of that car being great. when he joined Mercedes the whole media circus moved down the pitlane with him and the whole team immediately knew that any car they came up with would be raced to the max. They could get the budget they wanted from the Board cos they knew it would pay off, and they could get any staff they wanted too. Lewis and the team is a virtuous circle, making each other greater

It's not that people like epo are reading these things first time or unaware of these realities. They need something to hang on to that makes their contrived opinions seems legitimate, because for whatever reason Lewis is not the preferred driver of their natural selection.

[izzy]

It's not that people like epo are reading these things first time or unaware of these realities. They need something to hang on to that makes their contrived opinions seems legitimate, because for whatever reason Lewis is not the preferred driver of their natural selection.

yes so true, it's one of the ways F1 is like a miniature version of the real world isn't it. some people like to deal with other people in categories, as it simplifies everything and also then they can just gerdoink define various other categories as inferior to their own. Instant self-esteem, nearly, but fake. And there's a whole issue of in-groups and out-groups as well, or part of it

And Lewis is a massive challenge then of course. i mean that hair and the rest of his complexity, but a star, and then for me the lesson is perceiving the person underneath. And for all the constant bitching about him, i reckon it's a lesson a lot of people have gradually learned. Just not everyone