Lewis Hamilton - 2007 F1 World Driver's Champion?

[CVT]

I have always rooted for the guy. But the alleged thing he said as highlighted in the appended article is troubling..... "An inspiring mix of innocence and arrogance" as the author was saying.... Whew! I am flushed!

"Can you read the words that are coming out of my mouth?" RH

4000:play_ball:



from: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk

Smiling assassin Hamilton revives the art of feuding

Lewis Hamilton's innocent looks hide a fierce competitor who has outdone his rivals on and off the track.

by Simon Hattenstone October 3, 2007 1:31 AM

Has there ever been a face quite as misleading as Lewis Hamilton's? With the sweetest of smiles, pencil-thin sideburns and almost hairless face, he looks like a cherub in leathers. But don't be fooled. Hamilton is one of the toughest men in sport. At 22 years old, he has iron in his soul, ice in his veins and the most ferocious commitment to winning. And if winning means taking on his team-mate and current world champion, Fernando Alonso, in a game of Death Race 2007 so be it.
I read this quote twice to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. "It will be interesting to see ... whether he [Alonso] will have the thing Michael Schumacher had, where he'll do anything - anything - ie he doesn't care whether he runs himself or anyone else on the grid off the road. Will he do absolutely anything? It will ruin his reputation more than mine, because I'd never do that. I want to win this fair and square."
Brilliant. It has to be one of the most deadly character assassinations since Princess Di's on the royal family - and it's delivered with the same equanimity. In those few sentences, he has implied that: a) Alonso might be prepared to kill either himself or Hamilton to get one over him; b) that Michael Schumacher's seven world titles are down to gamesmanship at best, cheating at worst; c) that he, Hamilton, is the embodiment of all things, noble, pure and genius-like.
It's easy to forget this is Hamilton's first season. Any normal formula one rookie would be bedding down quietly, paying due respect to his senior partner, and telling the world he's just happy to be here. Not Hamilton, though. He is as fearless off the track as he is on it - having badmouthed Alonso he can't escape him because they are team-mates. And his ego is positively turbo-charged.
For a tyro to be such an accomplished feudster is rare indeed. Yes, Alonso has tried to drive him off the road; yes, he did the dirty on McLaren by threatening to turn evidence against them over Spygate; and yes, he has whinged for Spain this season about being ill treated. But Hamilton has happily chucked fuel on the fire. In an era when sports stars are trained to say nothing, Hamilton is a welcome blast of honesty, an inspiring mix of innocence and arrogance.
We've not had a sporting feud like this in decades. It was well known that Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham did not talk to each at Manchester United, but nor did they talk about each other to the press. Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer exchanged punches at Newcastle, but that was just how they expressed affection - now they are happily reunited at West Ham United. Andy Caddick and Darren Gough may have bickered over who was the better England bowler, but there was a mutual respect. As for Sebastian Coe and Linford Christie, true, they despised each other while piling on the medals for Britain in the 1986 European Championships, but even so their feud didn't erupt till 2001.
But these rows were relatively small fry. They certainly weren't a matter of life or death - as this one could be. The feud Hamilton and Alonso's most resembles is the one between their formula one predecessors Ayrton Senna (Hamilton's hero) and Alain Prost at McLaren in the late 1980s. "Metaphorically," Prost said at the time, "Senna wanted to destroy me." By 1989 they had dispensed with metaphors - forcing each other off the track at Suzuka in Japan. Eighteen years later, in Japan again, Hamilton voiced his fear that Alonso was out to get him. At the same time, he said that McLaren wasn't big enough for the both of them, and he wasn't going to be the one to budge.
Not surprisingly, the formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone is loving it and has been waxing nostalgic about the golden age of Prost, Senna and formula one cojones. At the weekend, before Hamilton's victory, he announced that his dream scenario would be if Hamilton and Alonso smashed into each other on the last lap of the last race of the season, and the championship winner would be the one with most points at the time of the crash. Imagine the publicity, he said. Imagine. You'd almost think that Ecclestone had forgotten Senna died at the wheel of his car, smashing into a wall at Imola in the San Marino grand prix.
Let's hope Ecclestone is denied his fantasy. With Hamilton leading by 12 points and only two races to go, it looks as if he will be the first rookie to win the world championship, the first British winner since Damon Hill and the youngest ever champion. Ecclestone should be satisfied that Hamilton has single-handedly revived formula one without wishing a pile-up on him. His achievements are phenomenal - not least in making this most boring of sports enthralling.

[Horsepower]

Hmmm, is BE wishing that Alonso die too?

[niky]

Alonso has already tried to hold him up before... so it's probably fair of LH to say that... although not wise. :lol:

And, yes... Michael Schumacher may have been a great driver, but it is well-known that he was a dirty tactician... risking life and limb, not only of himself, but others, in his unrelenting drive for success. Note the many run-ins he's had with Barrichelo over the years, and the infamous "stall" in Monaco... he's ruthless. It doesn't detract from his natural talent... but it's sadly true.

Of course, to slight two world champions with more collective titles and races under their belts almost anyone else... well... that takes extraordinary guts, or sheer arrogance...

[CVT]

Whew! with the recent issue about LH's driving antics behind the safety car in Fuji, resulting to a crash between MW and SV - it is to me "an inspiring mix of innocence and arrogance"......

4000:play_ball:

[empy]

ganyan talaga ang mga champion....they will do almost anything to win...and they are arrogant (confident?) enough to believe that they will win every time.

sometimes they go too far, yes, but those who are recognized as the greatest ever in their sports can do whatever it takes within the rules (and sometimes just a little bit outside them) to win.

[BoyFerrari]

I don't mind the arrogance or the dirty drivings stuffs. If F1 becomes the UFC of motorsports, that's cool! I'll take it!

It's the constant whining and crybaby stuffs that are ticking me off! You screw your team with $100 million dollars and you still expect a good car? Only an idiot will never figure out what hit him.

[CVT]

Well,- the celebration will have to wait until the Brazilian Grand Prix as our Boy Wonder was DNFed in the Chinese Grand Prix....

Funny thing is that he was asking to be pushed out of the gravel trap.... Well, not this time... (Remember that we was craned out in Hungaroring - which was wrong as he should not be taken out of the gravel trap there,- he was not endangering any driver...).... Same thing here,- he wasn't endagering anybody,- so "get out of the car".....

IMO,- that's karma for LH.....

"An interesting mix of innocence and arrogance"

4101:victory:

[BoyFerrari]

^ bro, that was at Nurburgring.

[BoyFerrari]

I agree with Alonso's view that he will never win the Driver's Championship this year. His own pit crew must have been acting like the sloppiest pit crew in the paddock these days. I won't be surprised if a wheel nut will come off his car at Interlagos.

[CVT]

^ bro, that was at Nurburgring.

Thanks bro. Ayos,- complete with pictures! Appreciate it!

Again, it was already a controversy then and more especially since he was the first to be assisted and he wasn't in a 'dangerous position'....

Well, not in Shanghai....

4101:victory:

[CVT]

I agree with Alonso's view that he will never win the Driver's Championship this year. His own pit crew must have been acting like the sloppiest pit crew in the paddock these days. I won't be surprised if a wheel nut will come off his car at Interlagos.

Again, I agree with you bro. So, if I were FA,- I'd take out LH and myself in the first turn at Interlagos,- and pave the way for KR's first World Driver's Championship!

What a blazing way to end my career at McLaren.....

4101:victory:

[BoyFerrari]

However, Alonso would have earned an automatic 10-place grid penalty at the opening race next season if he will do that. Hehe. Flavio may not be happy with it.

[CVT]

Good point bro. Agree with your insight....

However, (strictly,) in my wildest imagination, the little-man Italian in Lover Boy Flavio's heart would secretly be wishing and admiring that daring move by FA.....

Also, FA, being a crybaby that he is right now, should end it all by giving the biggest physical 'birdie' to RD, LH and McLaren.....

4101:victory:

[jeff1101]

If he can take the pressure, Of course I believe he'll win the driver's championship. And its not as if he's in tremendous pressure now. Sure theres pressure but not in the same league as when FA was battling the likes of M. Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen in their prime. Heck the Shanghai race was his first DNF of the whole season. FA had to fight M Schumacher after DNFing twice in the season and in a car that was competitive but not as good as the Ferrari's last year.

We'll see what the Hamilton stuff is made off. People can paint Alonso as a whiner but Hamilton is no different, he is a whiner of a different kind, more subtle but far worse nonetheless. Its now Hamilton whose yapping to the media now, not Alonso. We'll see if he can back his arrogance with substance.

[empy]

well, i guess now we know the answer: that would be NO :hihihi:

did you guys see the race? did he choke on the most important race of his young career, or did something else cause him to drive off the track.

from ESPN:

"I went into the race and said to myself, 'Whatever happens today, it's been a phenomenal year. Who would've thought I would be leading the world championship during the last races? It's a great feeling being in that position. The team did a phenomenal job all year."

did he really say that to himself before the race? that's loser talk :evillaugh

maybe you can say that to yourself after you had your ass handed to you, but if before the race, you're already saying to yourself that "i have had a good run even if i don't win", then you might as well not suit up

[CVT]

I think he(LH) choked during the start of the race.....

Congratulations to KR for winning the WDC! It's a near-impossible thing, but he got it!

4202:banned:

[CVT]

If he can take the pressure, Of course I believe he'll win the driver's championship. And its not as if he's in tremendous pressure now. Sure theres pressure but not in the same league as when FA was battling the likes of M. Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen in their prime. Heck the Shanghai race was his first DNF of the whole season. FA had to fight M Schumacher after DNFing twice in the season and in a car that was competitive but not as good as the Ferrari's last year.

We'll see what the Hamilton stuff is made off. People can paint Alonso as a whiner but Hamilton is no different, he is a whiner of a different kind, more subtle but far worse nonetheless. Its now Hamilton whose yapping to the media now, not Alonso. We'll see if he can back his arrogance with substance.

He just came out as little Tweetie in that race.....

4202:banned:

[Monseratto]

I think this incident may have affected Hamilton's race this morning...

Dennis angry after reporter attacks Hamilton

Ron Dennis left a French female journalist close to tears on Saturday after Lewis Hamilton got a grilling in the post-qualifying press conference.

Anne Giuntini, who has worked in Formula One for more than 20 years for the French daily L'Equipe, had aggressively pursued the British championship leader following accusations that he held up title rival Kimi Raikkonen on a qualifying flying lap in Brazil.

"You will have problems, you will have problems," one Spanish newspaper quoted Dennis as shouting at Giuntini, who is married to Renault's Denis Chevrier, later on in the paddock.

In the news conference, she heatedly and repeatedly suggested that Hamilton did not easily let Raikkonen past on a decisive flier.

"What do you want me to do? Put the indicator on?" Hamilton bristled back, before eventually refusing to answer any more of Giuntini's questions.

"Is that what you call the best job?" she fired back after another exchange with 22-year-old rookie Hamilton. "Are you a sportsman?

"Do you think you can do everything you want and then you just apologise -- is that the way it works in Formula One?" she added.

yahoo.com

[wrcastro_ph]

nasira ang mga pangarap ni Ron Dennis. Kimi Rules!

[CVT]

RD and McLaren are appealing against the decision of the FIA.....

They want to "win the WDC outside of the race track".....

4202:banned: