Gimmick. Want to see real night time racing? Go to the Le Mans 24-hour or the Britcar 24-hour (Silverstone this weekend I think).
What makes you say the Singapore GP is a gimmick?
There's no reason to have that race at night other than for marketing purposes - an attempt to make F1 more interesting.
Fair enough mate, thought it was at that time to suit European viewers (GP's usually start at 1pm our time), that said the Japanese, Malaysian and Aussie GP's arn't night races so you may have a point, that said it does make good viewing.
I agree - it is good viewing... Still a gimmick though. ;-)
Is Fernando Alonso the scummiest and luckiest man in sport? He has been outclassed all weekend, and Hamiltons bad luck (yet again) means he extends the advantage over him. Hamilton, through no fault of his own, should have marched to this world crown.
Scummiest? Someone who speaks about 4-5 languages, plays the piano, is a keen magician in his spare time and is one of the very few people in F1 who doesn't live in a tax haven? He's deserved every bit of his luck this season through faultless driving and an ability to race the wheels out of everything put under him.
Alonso lacked a bit of class back when he and Hamilton were both at McLaren, but I think he's matured since then and is definitely a fantastic driver. He may not always be the very fastest driver out there but he pretty much always extracts the maximum out of his machinery and always drives smart. He leads the Championship because he has the sense not to risk losing good points for finishing 3 rd taking silly risks chasing second and first places that aren't really there for the taking. He' been hugely consistent and basically error free - he certainly hasn't been lucky.
Hamilton has been a bit unlucky with the car and pit stops etc at points but he hasn't totally eradicated some of the hot headedness that has cost him in the past.
On top of that, he expects the team to keep working hard for him while his management team do their best to whore him out to the highest bidder. Hamilton is exciting to watch and I'm naturally drawn to him because he's British, but I find it increasingly difficult to like him.
Alonso lacked a bit of class back when he and Hamilton were both at McLaren, but I think he's matured since then and is definitely a fantastic driver. He may not always be the very fastest driver out there but he pretty much always extracts the maximum out of his machinery and always drives smart. He leads the Championship because he has the sense not to risk losing good points for finishing 3 rd taking silly risks chasing second and first places that aren't really there for the taking. He' been hugely consistent and basically error free - he certainly hasn't been lucky.
Hamilton has been a bit unlucky with the car and pit stops etc at points but he hasn't totally eradicated some of the hot headedness that has cost him in the past.
On top of that, he expects the team to keep working hard for him while his management team do their best to whore him out to the highest bidder. Hamilton is exciting to watch and I'm naturally drawn to him because he's British, but I find it increasingly difficult to like him.
Hasn't been lucky?
Yes he is a good driver (along with Hamilton the two best in F1) but Hamilton must have lost close to 70 points through no fault of his own this year:
- Conked out today - Wiped out by Grosjean at Spa - Taken out by Maldonado in Valencia - Pit stop malarkies earlier in the year - Puncture in Germany - Barcelona farce - relegated to the back of the grid for carrying 0.05secs less fuel, when he was 6 tenths clear.
Pound for pound, he has been the fastest this year and if he had shared the luck of Alonso (Vettel has been shafted as well to be fair) he would be miles clear.
The Ferrari can't match the pace in the dry - and Malaysia is another example (along with Silverstone qualy). Ferrari are off the pace, and the heavens open, handing it to Alonso.
Even Brundle was referring to his 'magic dust' of luck that he has had this year.
Tell me where Alonso has been lucky, other than not being decapitated by Grosjean at Spa (not really fair to say he had luck Hamilton didn't in that race)? While others have dropped points Alonso has been steadily and cosistently picking up points. If other teams can't get their acts together, that's hardly Alsono's fault. The heavans opening hardly hands it to Alonso it might lessen the gap between his car and Hamilton's but it also sorts the men from the boys in terms of driving ability and allows Alonso to show he immeasurable class. He won in the wet fair and square.
Hamilton was partially at fault in Valencia anyway. Maldonado got the punishment but I maintain Hamilton was stupid fighting for the place. Maldonado was so much faster on fresher tyres it was a matter of time before he passed Hamilton. Ultimately Maldonado should have avoided him but Hamilton took a pointless risk putting his car in a position where Maldonado might hit him. It was exactly the kind of position where Alonso would have settled for few less points rather than risk losing all his points.
I don't disgaree that Hamilton can feel a bit hard done by in some of the races, but if Alonso wins the title he'll be a worthy winner.
Tell me where Alonso has been lucky, other than not being decapitated by Grosjean at Spa (not really fair to say he had luck Hamilton didn't in that race)? While others have dropped points Alonso has been steadily and cosistently picking up points. If other teams can't get their acts together, that's hardly Alsono's fault. The heavans opening hardly hands it to Alonso it might lessen the gap between his car and Hamilton's but it also sorts the men from the boys in terms of driving ability and allows Alonso to show he immeasurable class. He won in the wet fair and square.
Hamilton was partially at fault in Valencia anyway. Maldonado got the punishment but I maintain Hamilton was stupid fighting for the place. Maldonado was so much faster on fresher tyres it was a matter of time before he passed Hamilton. Ultimately Maldonado should have avoided him but Hamilton took a pointless risk putting his car in a position where Maldonado might hit him. It was exactly the kind of position where Alonso would have settled for few less points rather than risk losing all his points.
I don't disgaree that Hamilton can feel a bit hard done by in some of the races, but if Alonso wins the title he'll be a worthy winner.
Sorry but after going to Monza and having bananas and abuse getting thrown at a Brit on the podium around me, whilst Alonso simply ignored it and whipped them into a frenzy, it is the Brit all the way for me.
Workgin for Mercedes means I support all drivers with an MB engine, but I am a big Hamilton and Di Resta fan. Great to see Di Resta's good position yesterday. If Hamilton does leave McLaren for Mercedes, then I think we will see Di Resta in the McLaren with Button.
I do dislike Vettel and love to see it when he loses. He just can't hide the fact that he is a bad loser.
If Hamilton doesn't do it this year then I hope that Alonso wins the Campionship.
As I said above, Hamilton has been immense this season and driving as well as Alonso. The only reason that he is not leading the Championship is a mixture of apalling luck which is partly combined with failings on Mclarens part. Fuel cock ups in Spain robbing a certain win. Mechanical failure in Singapore robs a certain win. Tyre mistakes, pit errors. It goes on and on.
Mclaren will suffer massively as Button is not equipped in my mind tyo drive the team forward.
The ingredients are all there at Merc now. They have Brawn. They have a top tech team. They are the works Merc team who are developing the new turbo engines coming in to play in 2014. They have (along with Alonso and Vettel) one of the top tier talents in F1. There are no excuses now.
Mercedes will be a bigger power in F1 in 2014 compared to McLaren, and that was before the arrival of LH. If you look at this season, Schumi has been just as unlucky, if not even more unlucky than Lewis with his car. He has had a couple of racing mistakes too, Spain and Singapore for instance, but his points tally doesn't reflect the true performance of the car. If they can get the balance between grip and tyre degredation right next year (something Ferrari seems to have mastered) then Mercedes will be right at the top.
Interesting to see how this affects the Merry-go-round though, Perez to McLaren, Massa to Sauber, Schumi 1 year contract at Ferrari anyone?! ;-)
This is a mental deal from a generic sport perspective.
Coca Cola and Nike set to announce deals with Hamilton and Santandar transferring to Mercedes. Vodafone are also looking at a get out clause to follow him. The deal is rumoured to make him the highest paid sportsman in history by a long long way if the figures are to be believed.
You know what - fair play to him. He is living the dream - fast cars for a living, dating a pop star, loads of money. I would if I could - I'll say that much. And I would rather someone like him earned it than one of the chavvy footballers like Terry or Cole.
Wouldn't put it past Ferrari to raise the yellow flag business though. I hope they don't but you know what they're like!
Why shouldn't they? It's a rule, if he is in breach of the rule then there should be a penalty, whether it's the first race or the last race, whether it's vettel or de la rosa, it doesn't mattet
Comments
Hamilton has been a bit unlucky with the car and pit stops etc at points but he hasn't totally eradicated some of the hot headedness that has cost him in the past.
On top of that, he expects the team to keep working hard for him while his management team do their best to whore him out to the highest bidder. Hamilton is exciting to watch and I'm naturally drawn to him because he's British, but I find it increasingly difficult to like him.
Yes he is a good driver (along with Hamilton the two best in F1) but Hamilton must have lost close to 70 points through no fault of his own this year:
- Conked out today
- Wiped out by Grosjean at Spa
- Taken out by Maldonado in Valencia
- Pit stop malarkies earlier in the year
- Puncture in Germany
- Barcelona farce - relegated to the back of the grid for carrying 0.05secs less fuel, when he was 6 tenths clear.
Pound for pound, he has been the fastest this year and if he had shared the luck of Alonso (Vettel has been shafted as well to be fair) he would be miles clear.
The Ferrari can't match the pace in the dry - and Malaysia is another example (along with Silverstone qualy). Ferrari are off the pace, and the heavens open, handing it to Alonso.
Even Brundle was referring to his 'magic dust' of luck that he has had this year.
Hamilton was partially at fault in Valencia anyway. Maldonado got the punishment but I maintain Hamilton was stupid fighting for the place. Maldonado was so much faster on fresher tyres it was a matter of time before he passed Hamilton. Ultimately Maldonado should have avoided him but Hamilton took a pointless risk putting his car in a position where Maldonado might hit him. It was exactly the kind of position where Alonso would have settled for few less points rather than risk losing all his points.
I don't disgaree that Hamilton can feel a bit hard done by in some of the races, but if Alonso wins the title he'll be a worthy winner.
Imo Alonso would have a bigger gap than he currently has.
I do dislike Vettel and love to see it when he loses. He just can't hide the fact that he is a bad loser.
If Hamilton doesn't do it this year then I hope that Alonso wins the Campionship.
As I said above, Hamilton has been immense this season and driving as well as Alonso. The only reason that he is not leading the Championship is a mixture of apalling luck which is partly combined with failings on Mclarens part. Fuel cock ups in Spain robbing a certain win. Mechanical failure in Singapore robs a certain win. Tyre mistakes, pit errors. It goes on and on.
Mclaren will suffer massively as Button is not equipped in my mind tyo drive the team forward.
The ingredients are all there at Merc now. They have Brawn. They have a top tech team. They are the works Merc team who are developing the new turbo engines coming in to play in 2014. They have (along with Alonso and Vettel) one of the top tier talents in F1. There are no excuses now.
Interesting to see how this affects the Merry-go-round though, Perez to McLaren, Massa to Sauber, Schumi 1 year contract at Ferrari anyone?! ;-)
Coca Cola and Nike set to announce deals with Hamilton and Santandar transferring to Mercedes. Vodafone are also looking at a get out clause to follow him. The deal is rumoured to make him the highest paid sportsman in history by a long long way if the figures are to be believed.
You know what - fair play to him. He is living the dream - fast cars for a living, dating a pop star, loads of money. I would if I could - I'll say that much. And I would rather someone like him earned it than one of the chavvy footballers like Terry or Cole.
Don't usually do F1 but this is unreal viewing