The Sky panels Top 5 drivers.

[ENGINE TUNER]

China is included in that which is incorrect. He started at the back because of penalties etc. and actually had a great start. He was then hit by one of the squabbling cars in front that jumped across on him avoiding someone else's accident. That one isn't a "rubbish start" from Hamilton.

The others do include some absolute shockers, though, especially Japan. Spain wasn't a bad start, per se, but Rosberg managed the tow and sweep around beautifully. It's a shame he messed it up for both of them by being in "warm up mode" race than "race start mode" and his subsequent hamfisted defence. I do still wonder if being in "warm up mode" gave him a better get away ironically.

Not once did I hear wheelspin, it always bogged down, too low revs or incorrect clutch setting. Merc had a clear clutch problem in 2016 that affected both drivers.

Japan, Hamilton had compounded problems, because he was on a wet side of the grid, but even drivers on the same side had better starts than him.

His starts have been pretty good since 2017. I wish FIA/FOM put out numbers like 0-100km time, best drivers in and out of the pits, fastest drivers thru crucial corners, etc... instead we get nonsense numbers like tire life percentage and probability of overtake.

[PlatinumZealot]

Yep, we can blame the break down in Malaysia for Hamilton losing the title but he should have done more throughout the season to cover that.

He was very fast that year in qualifying and race pace but how many points did he throw away with terrible starts.

He won 10 races to Nico's 9 and it would have been 11 to 9 had it not been for the Malaysia failure. Note that Nico only came 3rd in that race even with Hamilton's failure. Also, Hamilton only failed to win from pole twice, the same as Nico.

Both had a 7th and a 5th place, but Hamilton was top three (or retired) all the rest. Nico had a couple of 4th places along with 2 retirements (one fewer than Hamilton, of course).

When you look at it in detail, you see that Hamilton's season was slightly better but he had that retirement from the lead and that cost him 25 points. It also gave Nico an extra 3 points. Without that, Hamilton would have won the title by 22 points. That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Not that it matters. Nico is the 2016 champion and no amount of gum sucking now will change it.

Yes and how many did Nico likely win because of Lewis' terrible starts? At the time I had the feeling the team and him weren't getting on and that they could have helped him fix these bad starts quicker.

Come on. The new regulation clutch mechanims were very basic in 2016. Documented that the admitted it was tricky to work and they fixed it.

[ENGINE TUNER]

China is included in that which is incorrect. He started at the back because of penalties etc. and actually had a great start. He was then hit by one of the squabbling cars in front that jumped across on him avoiding someone else's accident. That one isn't a "rubbish start" from Hamilton.

That was the famous " you came in like a torpedo race", where kimi half spun, vettel hit him as he recovered, kimi went off track and then rejoined unsafely. Nasr, moved to avoid Kimi and went into the side of Hamilton.

[izzy]

it's always nice to talk about Lewis isn't it?

anyway he only had two really bad starts in 2016 and Rosberg had one. They'd changed the clutch regs over the winter and Mercedes hadn't done a full redesign. But he'd have been fine with that, it was:

• punted by VB in T1
  ERS fail inQ1, started 22nd lost FW in T1
  ERS fail in Q3, started 10th, finished 2nd with a water leak.
  Back of grid for PU change
  bad Qualy, faulty engine mode in the race, started 10th finished 5th
  Blown engine in the lead

naturally trolls claim only a perfect season deserves the wdc, although Rosberg did

[izzy]

I wish FIA/FOM put out numbers like 0-100km time, best drivers in and out of the pits, fastest drivers thru crucial corners, etc... instead we get nonsense numbers like tire life percentage and probability of overtake.

those sponsored dumb figures are just annoying aren't they. They could do so much, if they weren't focused on dumbing it down. Tyre and brake temperatures, what a difference they'd make! They could just free stream the GPS and let independent web wizards run amazing sites with all those ideas you say and more

[nzjrs]

Yes and how many did Nico likely win because of Lewis' terrible starts? At the time I had the feeling the team and him weren't getting on and that they could have helped him fix these bad starts quicker.

Which starts are you talking about specifically? For example, in Spain, Hamilton got away as well as Nico but Nico then tucked in behind, got the tow and then took the long line around the outside.That wasn't a bad start, it was a bloody good move from Rosberg. It's just a shame that he messed up his settings (did that actually help him in the tow?) and then took them both out by hamfisted defending.

When I saw nico do that I thought the championship would be his that year. He was a head driver and his head told him to drive with his heart or balls that day. Austria too probbably.

It's the same thing Verstappen did in 2017/8 - drive so you will won't be seen as weak.

Anyway, fair play to Rosberg, great championship and without that year there would the niggling feeling that Hamilton was a Mercedes powered Vettel.

And they are all great drivers BTW. Lists a dumb.

[kimetic]

There have been greats in each generation, the question now is when the current generation is going to give way to the new.

[bill shoe]

Prost/McLaren essentially pulled the same stunt on Williams two years later in 1986 when Prost pulled a title from what was clearly a better team.

In 86, Prost benefited from Mansell's tyre exploding in Australia. But for that Mansell would have been champion that year. Of course, Williams pitted Piquet, understandably, after Mansell's puncture and that helped Prost too.

Yes, but the Williams advantage was huge and they should never have been within reach at the last race. Wasn't there one of the summer European races where Williams lapped Prost's McLaren in a straight fight? Williams didn't get the job done in the previous 15 races before Australia despite a huge-normous speed advantage. Prost/McLaren did everything they could all season long and won out over a much better car.

I'm a current and true-blue Williams fan, so I don't enjoy saying that.

[Just_a_fan]

Prost/McLaren essentially pulled the same stunt on Williams two years later in 1986 when Prost pulled a title from what was clearly a better team.

In 86, Prost benefited from Mansell's tyre exploding in Australia. But for that Mansell would have been champion that year. Of course, Williams pitted Piquet, understandably, after Mansell's puncture and that helped Prost too.

Yes, but the Williams advantage was huge and they should never have been within reach at the last race. Wasn't there one of the summer European races where Williams lapped Prost's McLaren in a straight fight? Williams didn't get the job done in the previous 15 races before Australia despite a huge-normous speed advantage. Prost/McLaren did everything they could all season long and won out over a much better car.

I'm a current and true-blue Williams fan, so I don't enjoy saying that.

Of course, Frank had his life changing accident just before the season which really didn't help the team's performance during the year. Head was left to run the team and be the technical brains too.

But yes, the car was very good.

[Pyrone89]

I think Alonso is a heart driver. Definitely not a head driver. He got tricked on track, and tricked in the paddock a handful of times. You could even say he has tricked himself too!

Button is definitely Head.

Hamiton.... I think he was a heart driver but only until after he teamed with Button. He relaised heart a lone wont cut it. And He transformed himself a Head driver since. If we look back on it, he has played the paddock politics well. Mastered social media, driver sponsorships. He has psychologically defeated his opponents on track (Nico, Vettel, Bottas 2.0. And he has mastered these "thinking man" regulations with how he manages fuel and tyres.

Max.... Is all heart for the time being. Not sure he has done anything drastically ballsy as yet. But I think he has it in him.


A ballsy champion?? Hmm.. I would say Nico Rosberg. It took a lot of Balls to transform himself and do what he did. Sadly his buldging balls shrunk a like raisin in the sun after he won the championship.

Outside of Blanchimont?

Cars are on rails these days. Thankfully competitors are humane and they lift. The MSC v Alonso one there was a lift. iiRc.

2015 cars were not yet on rails. Especially not a TR and Sauber of that year.

Also the pass around the outside on Rosberg in Silverstone in the Meggots/Beckets complex and turn 2 in Interlagos, both in wet conditions. Pretty balsy if you ask me.

If you mean balsy as in risking their life: then all drivers from the last 20 years are automatically disqualified from that competition, and happy it is that way.

Agree that Max has the (lion) heart and (by my opinion the balls) reputation. But if you follow him closely he has a lot of 'head' during races if you listen to his board radio. The reputation he does not have head is mostly based on his temperament in which he sometimes shoots of his mouth or is a bit to overenthusiastic on track.

[PlatinumZealot]

Thought you were referring to this. I mixed up my tracks too!

[TheGkbrk]

Hamilton’s retirement will be the end of this generation, making way to the new one. He is like the one you have to beat to gain any long term success and reputation since the beginning of V6s.

[Wass85]

It's all about stepping in to the right car at the right time. I personally think Verstappen is the most talented driver on the grid atm but if Leclerc or Russell get in the right car they could quite easily take the glory from him.

[TheGkbrk]

Yes, timing defines careers. Hamilton made the right decision moving to Mercedes, Vettel to Ferrari. Just in the right time. Verstappen with his long Red Bull contract, depends on what Red Bull makes for the next seasons. Nonetheless, he is a great driver who can shine and show his rarity in unperfect circumstances. Similar to Fernando.

[izzy]

Hamilton’s retirement will be the end of this generation, making way to the new one. He is like the one you have to beat to gain any long term success and reputation since the beginning of V6s.

Yes they will have to come and get him! Find that immaculate judgment to race hard without contact. That's not natural at 22

I hope they can be as interesting, eventually, that'll be even more difficult