Driver styles/preferences

[Sevach]

The driver i see most in Leclerc is Alonso, he beats the car into doing what he wants.
If he overshoots he is still comfortable correcting and just keeps going.

Hamilton did do a lot of microcorrections back on grooved tires, but he always had a soft touch on the wheel, which imo is quite similar to what Max is now.

[timbo]

Hamilton did do a lot of microcorrections back on grooved tires, but he always had a soft touch on the wheel, which imo is quite similar to what Max is now.

Yes, grooved tyres vs slicks is a great deal of difference. Also, 10 years of suspension technology development, especially RECENT development, means A LOT. The cars now drive literally on rails compared to the way the cars drove before.
As for Hamilton's development, I guess this is a natural progression -- Schumacher early in his career was very busy with the steering but became much calmer over time.
Also, with modern cars and tyres, I really can spot very little difference between drivers.

[Wass85]

I sometimes wonder if Hamilton drove his 2007 now would his style be the smooth and precise style it is now or would it be the lairy style he had in his rookie season.....

[timbo]

I sometimes wonder if Hamilton drove his 2007 now would his style be the smooth and precise style it is now or would it be the lairy style he had in his rookie season.....

Yes, an interesting question. My guess that he would be smoother, maybe not by much, but noticeably. I think smoothness comes from experience, which allows getting the tyres in the best possible shape, predict where and how much grip there is on track, etc.

[Wass85]

I sometimes wonder if Hamilton drove his 2007 now would his style be the smooth and precise style it is now or would it be the lairy style he had in his rookie season.....

Yes, an interesting question. My guess that he would be smoother, maybe not by much, but noticeably. I think smoothness comes from experience, which allows getting the tyres in the best possible shape, predict where and how much grip there is on track, etc.

Or maybe it's just a case of the Mercedes being so much better? I did notice though he was smoother in the McLaren in his later years with the team.

[Wass85]

Lewis will never admit this but I feel he learned bucket loads from Jenson Button, this almost certainly moulded him in to the driver he is today.

[Just_a_fan]

Hamilton has developed as a driver over the last 13 years. Hardly a surprise. Indeed, the ones that don't develop don't succeed. It's how you become one of the greats.

[Wass85]

Hamilton has developed as a driver over the last 13 years. Hardly a surprise. Indeed, the ones that don't develop don't succeed. It's how you become one of the greats.

Well he was developed enough to give Alonso a serious headache in his rookie season, I don't know how much more you need to develop.

This is just a discussion of his drastic change in style, is it any quicker? That I do not know but it certainly must be easier on the tyres.

[Just_a_fan]

Hamilton has developed as a driver over the last 13 years. Hardly a surprise. Indeed, the ones that don't develop don't succeed. It's how you become one of the greats.

Well he was developed enough to give Alonso a serious headache in his rookie season, I don't know how much more you need to develop.

This is just a discussion of his drastic change in style, is it any quicker? That I do not know but it certainly must be easier on the tyres.

Different cars, different tyres, different approach required to get the best from the package in front of you. Drive a 2020 car like a 2007 car and I'm sure it would be slower and kill the tyres quicker.

Watch his Top Gear lap in a rubbish road car and, in the wet, he was as quick as Button in the dry. And he's not being ragged with it, he's using the back end to turn in to the corners and thus carry more speed. He used to do a bit of that in 2007 in the McLaren too. But today? The rears wouldn't last the necessary laps if you did that. Plus the longer cars of today aren't naturally going to want to have a mobile rear end, so don't try to make them do that.

[Wass85]

I was thinking more on the lines if the Lewis of today drove his early cars again, it would be fascinating to see if he was more precise in the machines.

[Just_a_fan]

It would be interesting to see if he was faster in the older car having had 13 years of F1 experience. I have no doubt he'd drive it differently to how he did 13 years ago because he is different with a broader skill set. Indeed, it would be interesting to see if the tyres worked better that way or by being ragged about a bit. I think that would be the biggest issue - the tyres.

[Wass85]

Out of all the modern drivers who would you people say looks the most impressive from their onboards?

[Just_a_fan]

What do you mean by "impressive"? For me, it's the one that looks like they're not trying but still put in the lap times. Chucking it about with lots of opposite lock, sawing at the wheel etc., doesn't fit in with today's cars. Back when it was manual steering, manual boxes etc., it was different, but even then the quick guys were often those who looked effortless.

[Jolle]

The circuit has a lot to do with it I think. Singapore is a street track with lots of bumps, what makes the car nervous while the Hungary tarmac is much more predictable. What you can see on Verstappen his lap is the moment the tires are past their prime. Towards the end of the lap the car gets more skittish.

[Sevach]

I sometimes wonder if Hamilton drove his 2007 now would his style be the smooth and precise style it is now or would it be the lairy style he had in his rookie season.....

Yes, an interesting question. My guess that he would be smoother, maybe not by much, but noticeably. I think smoothness comes from experience, which allows getting the tyres in the best possible shape, predict where and how much grip there is on track, etc.

This is a very tough call, not only the change from grooved back to slicks, than slicks with smaller fronts, tires that overheat, cars getting longer and longer (the Mercedes has a very high grip ceiling, but when it comes down to it, it understeers)... it's nearly impossible to know what guys would look like with rules reset, i'd say Hamilton still has in him the capability to go around "dancing with the car" from his wet performances...
How he would choose to drive i don't know.

I have to say that getting reminded of Mclaren+grooved tires Hamilton kinda makes me think that in terms of one lap speed the current rules kinda takes away a bit of his "special sauce".