Lewis Hamilton just won the US grand prix and the world championship for the 3rd time. Say what you like about him having the best car etc but he's wiped the floor with his teammate and to be a triple champ is some achievement.
Guy is sensational. A legend in his field and love him or hate him, he is one of our few international sports stars who is Hollywood box office. Rosberg was a little turd in the cool down room afterwards. What a tosser.
If you want to race under the Union Flag, pay your taxes to the UK Exchequer. Same for Button. He's no different to a shipping line registering their ships in Liberia so they can pay low wages and have poor safety standards. Except, of course, he's not a shipping line.
I like Lewis, but he is a bit like a grown up child, if you know what I mean.
I actually think Vettel has way more class than Lewis, and that's funny cos he used to irritate me. I think he's shown a LOT of class in defeat over the last two years.
I have no problem with Hamilton. I've always thought he was a superb driver and I don't really have any issues with his tax strategy as I'm pretty sure I'd do the same thing in his position. Fair enough, he's been a bit of a dick sometimes in interviews etc but we should remember that he became well known when he was still very young and we all made prats of ourselves at some point before (hopefully) maturing, as I believe Hamilton has done to a great extent.
People raise a good point here with regards to the British attitude towards success. We love a good loser in this country - the footballers, Henman, Bruno etc come to mind. Usually the Germans stuff us in sport - Lewis turns the tables in F1, and some people dont like it because they think he is arrogant? Sorry - he is a born winner, and has a lot of traits some our players could learn from. He has also grown up massively over the last few years.
The tax thing is a joke. Due to the nature of his job, he spends about 3 weeks a year in the UK. He doesn't put pressure on our health services etc because he doesnt use them. He has enough money to afford a view of the Rockies in Colorado, or Monte Carlo harbour. Good luck to him.
Bloke spends a fortune on charity through the Lewis Hamilton Foundation so people need to give him a break.
If you want to race under the Union Flag, pay your taxes to the UK Exchequer. Same for Button. He's no different to a shipping line registering their ships in Liberia so they can pay low wages and have poor safety standards. Except, of course, he's not a shipping line.
It is a lot different. You, me and anyone else can choose to live where we want and comply with the laws there. As far as I know and unless you know different he doesn't pay low wages and have poor safety standards. I would be more aggrieved if he behaved like our resident non-doms or the usual big company suspects.
I like Lewis, but he is a bit like a grown up child, if you know what I mean.
I actually think Vettel has way more class than Lewis, and that's funny cos he used to irritate me. I think he's shown a LOT of class in defeat over the last two years.
I think it's a lot easier to be humble in defeat when you've won the World Championship 4 times already!
People raise a good point here with regards to the British attitude towards success. We love a good loser in this country - the footballers, Henman, Bruno etc come to mind. Usually the Germans stuff us in sport - Lewis turns the tables in F1, and some people dont like it because they think he is arrogant? Sorry - he is a born winner, and has a lot of traits some our players could learn from. He has also grown up massively over the last few years.
The tax thing is a joke. Due to the nature of his job, he spends about 3 weeks a year in the UK. He doesn't put pressure on our health services etc because he doesnt use them. He has enough money to afford a view of the Rockies in Colorado, or Monte Carlo harbour. Good luck to him.
Bloke spends a fortune on charity through the Lewis Hamilton Foundation so people need to give him a break.
I don't not like him because he's arrogant. I like many 'arrogant' British sportsman, but Hamilton to me comes across as an unlikeable brat.
Just my opinion.
Edit. That also doesn't stop me wanting him to win. Of course I do, just don't like the bloke
People raise a good point here with regards to the British attitude towards success. We love a good loser in this country - the footballers, Henman, Bruno etc come to mind. Usually the Germans stuff us in sport - Lewis turns the tables in F1, and some people dont like it because they think he is arrogant? Sorry - he is a born winner, and has a lot of traits some our players could learn from. He has also grown up massively over the last few years.
The tax thing is a joke. Due to the nature of his job, he spends about 3 weeks a year in the UK. He doesn't put pressure on our health services etc because he doesnt use them. He has enough money to afford a view of the Rockies in Colorado, or Monte Carlo harbour. Good luck to him.
Bloke spends a fortune on charity through the Lewis Hamilton Foundation so people need to give him a break.
Botham was a born winner and arrogant and was loved, but I think it was because he was anti establishment as was most people in the early 80s
I will never understand why the best British sports stars are often so hated. Hamilton, Rooney, Murray come to mind.
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I have nothing against Hamilton and do actually admire him for his success.
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes 2. Mercedes 3. Ferrari 4. Ferrari 5. Williams 6. Williams 7. Red Bull 8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
I will never understand why the best British sports stars are often so hated. Hamilton, Rooney, Murray come to mind.
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I have nothing against Hamilton and do actually admire him for his success.
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes 2. Mercedes 3. Ferrari 4. Ferrari 5. Williams 6. Williams 7. Red Bull 8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
It's hard to compare Lewis with people from other sports, but you can compare him with other people from his sport over the decades, and the majority of the drivers who have won world championships have had the best car that season. There's always a best car, and most of the time the people with the best car employ the best drivers.
Nico Rosberg to me is like footballers such as Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, Nani, David May etc who have won lots of trophies with Man U without being the very best. Hamilton has shown he's one step above Rosberg when it counts
I will never understand why the best British sports stars are often so hated. Hamilton, Rooney, Murray come to mind.
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I have nothing against Hamilton and do actually admire him for his success.
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes 2. Mercedes 3. Ferrari 4. Ferrari 5. Williams 6. Williams 7. Red Bull 8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
Except Lewis has constantly outperformed his machinery. For example in 2008 the McLaren wasn't as quick as the Ferrari and yet he still won the championship. If you consider other years such as 2012 where only mclarens inability to build a reliable car and carry out a successful pit stop or 2007 where mechanical problems in Brazil stopped him again and Lewis could easily have had 5 championships already. Will never understand why he's not a national icon. The one sport we actually have a world class individual in and yet we still don't fully support/get behind him. Unfortunately Lewis is much like Messi, we won't fully appreciate just how good he is until he retires.
I will never understand why the best British sports stars are often so hated. Hamilton, Rooney, Murray come to mind.
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I have nothing against Hamilton and do actually admire him for his success.
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes 2. Mercedes 3. Ferrari 4. Ferrari 5. Williams 6. Williams 7. Red Bull 8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
Except Lewis has constantly outperformed his machinery. For example in 2008 the McLaren wasn't as quick as the Ferrari and yet he still won the championship. If you consider other years such as 2012 where only mclarens inability to build a reliable car and carry out a successful pit stop or 2007 where mechanical problems in Brazil stopped him again and Lewis could easily have had 5 championships already. Will never understand why he's not a national icon. The one sport we actually have a world class individual in and yet we still don't fully support/get behind him. Unfortunately Lewis is much like Messi, we won't fully appreciate just how good he is until he retires.
Maybe Nick Faldo would be a better analogy, 6 majors, World Number 1 for a long time but never got the appreciation that other British sports stars of the era got
I will never understand why the best British sports stars are often so hated. Hamilton, Rooney, Murray come to mind.
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I have nothing against Hamilton and do actually admire him for his success.
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes 2. Mercedes 3. Ferrari 4. Ferrari 5. Williams 6. Williams 7. Red Bull 8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
Except that, in their positions at the top of their sport, the tennis players can afford to buy in the very best coaches, fitness trainers, etc to keep them at their peak. They also don't travel around the world economy class like those struggling with the lower world rankings or have to buy their own clothes and equipment. In any event, these days tennis players only win because they are tall - it makes serving so much easier. Being over 6' 4" in tennis is like having a F1 Ferrari engine; being 6' 8" like having a Mercedes engine. They should be handicapped and made to stand further back behind the baseline for serves.
Comments
Excellent stuff.
Rosberg looked like a spoilt child, when it was entirely his own fault that he lost the race!
Hamilton for example should be a national treasure - but not many people like him!
I actually think Vettel has way more class than Lewis, and that's funny cos he used to irritate me. I think he's shown a LOT of class in defeat over the last two years.
The tax thing is a joke. Due to the nature of his job, he spends about 3 weeks a year in the UK. He doesn't put pressure on our health services etc because he doesnt use them. He has enough money to afford a view of the Rockies in Colorado, or Monte Carlo harbour. Good luck to him.
Bloke spends a fortune on charity through the Lewis Hamilton Foundation so people need to give him a break.
As far as I know and unless you know different he doesn't pay low wages and have poor safety standards.
I would be more aggrieved if he behaved like our resident non-doms or the usual big company suspects.
Just my opinion.
Edit. That also doesn't stop me wanting him to win. Of course I do, just don't like the bloke
However, I do feel that a sport where there is such a heavy weighting on the equipment utilised does undermine the achievements of the individual.
The evidence of all of this is there for all to see. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that the final drivers championship will actually look like this:
1. Mercedes
2. Mercedes
3. Ferrari
4. Ferrari
5. Williams
6. Williams
7. Red Bull
8. Red Bull
So, we have four teams who are each better than each other with the rest nowhere. But only one out of two drivers can actually win the Championship and that has, in previous years, actually been determined by the team through what is euphemistically known as "team orders".
As I say I admire Hamilton for what he has achieved. But I will always struggle to be convinced that his achievements match that of tennis players such as Federer, Djokovic or dare I even mention that of Andy Murray. Because none of those players have ever started their matches with equipment that is twice as good as that of their opponents.
Nico Rosberg to me is like footballers such as Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, Nani, David May etc who have won lots of trophies with Man U without being the very best. Hamilton has shown he's one step above Rosberg when it counts
Both from Hertfordshire too!
In any event, these days tennis players only win because they are tall - it makes serving so much easier. Being over 6' 4" in tennis is like having a F1 Ferrari engine; being 6' 8" like having a Mercedes engine. They should be handicapped and made to stand further back behind the baseline for serves.
Anyway, well done Lewis, doing over the Germans.