Well yes and no, he did secure Merc second in the constructors today, sure Lewis is the main factor for them being able to do it but he was out of position and lacking pace today, if Russell didn't secure p3 today all that effort would have been for nothing
Lewis has too many off weekends nowadays. If we go back to 2019-2020 when max did not have the best car and try to find verstappen off weekends you will not find any. Yes Lewis is still driving at a high level overall, close to Norris and Alonso imo, but not at the verstappen level. I do expect him to tighten the screws if the car is there, but I am not overly confident.DGP123 wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:12How on earth can anyone, who’s not in a dominant RB, showcase a level of driving, on a par with MV? Hamilton has been the best of the rest over the entire season, what more could he have done?Hammerfist wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:02Lewis drove like he checked out for the season races ago. To fight verstappen next year in a near equal car his current level isn’t good enough imo.
Hamilton’s level of performance this season has shown to be still very high. He raises his game once the car gets better. No worries from me regarding going up against Max. As with anyone at the front, take away that car advantage, and suddenly they don’t look invincible. Max would be no different.
In fairness to Hamilton, this year's Merc has been on a knife edge particularly in qualifying. Feels to me like the Aston and McLaren have been more "predictable" though their form has also varied throughout the season (mirror opposites really).Hammerfist wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:23Lewis has too many off weekends nowadays. If we go back to 2019-2020 when max did not have the best car and try to find verstappen off weekends you will not find any. Yes Lewis is still driving at a high level overall, close to Norris and Alonso imo, but not at the verstappen level. I do expect him to tighten the screws if the car is there, but I am not overly confident.DGP123 wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:12How on earth can anyone, who’s not in a dominant RB, showcase a level of driving, on a par with MV? Hamilton has been the best of the rest over the entire season, what more could he have done?Hammerfist wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:02Lewis drove like he checked out for the season races ago. To fight verstappen next year in a near equal car his current level isn’t good enough imo.
Hamilton’s level of performance this season has shown to be still very high. He raises his game once the car gets better. No worries from me regarding going up against Max. As with anyone at the front, take away that car advantage, and suddenly they don’t look invincible. Max would be no different.
People said this pre 2014, too.Hammerfist wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:23Lewis has too many off weekends nowadays. If we go back to 2019-2020 when max did not have the best car and try to find verstappen off weekends you will not find any. Yes Lewis is still driving at a high level overall, close to Norris and Alonso imo, but not at the verstappen level. I do expect him to tighten the screws if the car is there, but I am not overly confident.DGP123 wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:12How on earth can anyone, who’s not in a dominant RB, showcase a level of driving, on a par with MV? Hamilton has been the best of the rest over the entire season, what more could he have done?Hammerfist wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:02Lewis drove like he checked out for the season races ago. To fight verstappen next year in a near equal car his current level isn’t good enough imo.
Hamilton’s level of performance this season has shown to be still very high. He raises his game once the car gets better. No worries from me regarding going up against Max. As with anyone at the front, take away that car advantage, and suddenly they don’t look invincible. Max would be no different.
Hamilton had a couple of nigh-flawless seasons at his peak. The reason he never scored the sort of race win numbers Verstappen has is because Hamilton almost always had a WDC in the other car who had a free licence to race him, rather than going up against a midfield wannabee or a bunch of RBR academy failures who have to leap out of the way from the first race onwards. And, despite the mistakes, I don't remember him being dumpstered by a Ricciardo-level driver for multiple seasonsCHT wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:13Totally agree. LH didn't have a fantastic or flawless year either and being 7WDC, no one will fault him. like today he finished behind Yuki in a car that is good to finish on the podium. When LH was 25 years old, I remember him making many mistakes too, which is why LH himself never scored very well in terms of most race win in a season.
Outright sabotage?
Rosberg was lucky to have won the WDC by a thin margin because of LH's inconsistency, and Nico was smart to quit after that 1 hit to preserve his legacy as an unbeaten WDC. Personally, I don't consider Bottas a WDC-caliber driver although he is reliable.Incognito wrote: ↑27 Nov 2023, 01:46Hamilton had a couple of nigh-flawless seasons at his peak. The reason he never scored the sort of race win numbers Verstappen has is because Hamilton almost always had a WDC in the other car who had a free licence to race him, rather than going up against a midfield wannabee or a bunch of RBR academy failures who have to leap out of the way from the first race onwards. And, despite the mistakes, I don't remember him being dumpstered by a Ricciardo-level driver for multiple seasonsCHT wrote: ↑26 Nov 2023, 17:13Totally agree. LH didn't have a fantastic or flawless year either and being 7WDC, no one will fault him. like today he finished behind Yuki in a car that is good to finish on the podium. When LH was 25 years old, I remember him making many mistakes too, which is why LH himself never scored very well in terms of most race win in a season.
