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Post by Robin on Dec 2, 2016 15:35:50 GMT 1
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Post by -Big Dan- on Dec 2, 2016 15:56:33 GMT 1
I've just read about this. I am genuinely stunned.
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Post by Shireblogger on Dec 2, 2016 17:14:14 GMT 1
I've always liked Nico Rosberg, and this just adds to my admiration.
When he first entered F1, he competed on an equal footing with Michael Schumacher, and then started to beat him. But he never came across as the arrogant upstart.
Over the last few years, he has reacted with dignity alongside the childish, self-centred Lewis Hamilton. He has failed to take Hamilton's bait when provoked, or react to the snide playground psychological taunting he received. When the luck didn't go his way, in previous seasons, he shrugged his shoulders and got on with it; unlike Hamilton who chose to fuel conspiracy theories when luck deserted him this year. And this year, he was a truly deserving World Champion, driving a brilliant car for a superbly managed team.
He was clearly popular in the paddock, and will be sorely missed.
Three of my favourite drivers retiring this season. Jenson Button - always ready to talk to the media, and able to see the silver lining to every cloud. Felipe Massa, whose brave reaction to having Hamilton rip the Drivers Championship from his grasp at the last bend a few years ago, was a magnificent display of sportsmanship. And now the quiet, but supremely talented, gentleman Nico Rosberg.
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Post by Robin on Dec 2, 2016 17:46:31 GMT 1
Although I have respect for Rosberg's achievements, to suggest he reacted with dignity while Lewis threw his toys out of the pram is absurd. On more than one occasion Nico cracked under pressure and reacted very childishly in his rivalry with Lewis. I remember he deliberately drove his car into Lewis' causing a puncture, admitting afterwards he could have avoided the incident. So yes, he was a great driver, he'll always be respected, but he'll always be in Lewis' shadow.
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Post by wonderwall on Dec 2, 2016 18:31:49 GMT 1
Probably sick of the arrogant spoiled little brat Hamilton
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Dec 2, 2016 18:54:54 GMT 1
Not surprising. Fluked a title win thanks to reliability and a spiteful punt at Spain, and legged it before he could be properly spanked next season. Silver spoon kid doesn't want to work for it again.
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Post by raliverpool on Dec 2, 2016 20:41:40 GMT 1
When you consider on January 16th 2016 Dieter Zetsche, the German businessman and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars since 2006, whose HQ is in Stuttgart, Germany said:
"Since joining Mercedes ..... Lewis Hamilton has been great for raising the profile of our wonderful brand throughout the world. However, he is so popular a lot of people see his success due to the driver first, and the manufacturer second. ..... But what would be best for our German brand is if the world sees its success as a result of German manufacturing first and foremost, and the driver secondary ...."
So what happened this season, is before the start of the season Wolff broke up a successful formula of the last couple of years resulting in Hamilton & Rosberg having to switch pit crew and engineers (very much against the 3 Times World Champions wishes).
Whilst across the 3 teams and 6 cars, 5 engines broke or were faulty so they had to be replaced .... and all of them were on the 3 Times British World Champion's car.
Add to that this year, unlike the previous two seasons it has been obvious to this observer, who has loved F1, and regards it as my favourite sport, that Wolff & Lauda have been jumping to blame the 3 Times British WC such as the collision in Spain in which they immediately blamed Hamilton before the telemetry came through to show it was Rosberg's; the incident in Austria, which Wolff & Lauda defended Rosberg's overly aggressive move at the corner on Hamilton leaving over 75% of the track free, resulting in Rosberg picking up a time penalty, and a rightly furious winner Lewis Hamilton after the race; ..... and then we had last Sunday's race, where Hamilton could easily have blocked Rosberg so that they were lying in 3rd & 4th places like you regularly see in Cycling; Speed Skating; MotoGP; etc; or attempted a Senna/Schumacher manoeuvre, but choose not to ..... and yet the Mercedes team completely over reacted both during and after the race.
One can't help but think that significant, or at the very least psychological pressure was placed on the Mercedes F1 team to ensure this year contest was a more even battle; and so it has proven to be. Little wonder Hamilton reacted in the way he did after losing a critical 28 point swing at the Malaysian GP when his brand new engine blew up on him when 15 laps from the finish.
It is in this climate, that it has been particularly disgusting to see racist cowards who know next to nothing about F1 (& to the lesser extent Hamilton fanboys as well defending their hero with equally unpleasant things about the German driver) come out and make ignorant and nasty comments expressing their dislike of our 3 time British F1 WC; whom lets not forget when they managed to race on an equal footing this season with no car issues beat his German team mate 10-6; whilst Hamilton managed to overtake his team mate on the track or via a pit stop round 6-0.
As we have seen from the last 4 races Rosberg has not got close to a p*ssed off, highly motivated Hamilton; and Rosberg knew that he could not possibly expect that 2016 luck to continue next season, with the chances (unlikely that the car regulation changes will ensure Mercedes continued dominance, and Red Bull's Patrick Newey has a history of taking advantage of radical changes in F1 regulations, but if they did) that Hamilton would have gone all out in 2017 to ground Rosberg in to the dirt in a 1992 season (Williams) Mansell v Patrese manner.
Either way in that climate I certainly expected the 2017 F1 Mercedes line up to change by 50%; I just thought it was more likely that Hamilton would swap places with the constantly moaning on the track, potty mouthed Vettel (who apparently has a clause in his contract that he can leave for a another team if they finished higher in the previous season's constructors championship and activate a transfer fee) to create an all German line up in the German team; with Hamilton moving to Ferrari.
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Post by Shireblogger on Dec 2, 2016 21:06:14 GMT 1
It is in this climate, that it has been particularly disgusting to see racist cowards who know next to nothing about F1 come out and make ignorant and nasty comments expressing their dislike of our 3 time British F1 WC. I sincerely hope you're not directing this at me. |
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Post by raliverpool on Dec 2, 2016 21:23:45 GMT 1
It is in this climate, that it has been particularly disgusting to see racist cowards who know next to nothing about F1 come out and make ignorant and nasty comments expressing their dislike of our 3 time British F1 WC. I sincerely hope you're not directing this at me. No, I've always known you have thought that LH can be a bit of a dick. And that is because he is a bit of a dick, and precisely why I like him, because he has a similar heart on his sleeve, engage mouth before brain personality that the F1 GOAT Ayrton Senna had. ... much more interesting and human than two faced hypocrites who say the right thing off the track because they have been PR'd to death for marketing purposes, yet behind the scenes they & their management are up to all sorts (classic Alain Prost style) .. Besides, if you had I would have gone after you directly in a post. But some of the BTL comments on the BBC; Guardian; & especially the Daily Mail websites have been utterly despicable where you see their prejudices in their posts. At least on F1 forums closet racists are much better at using legitimate arguments and facts to express their opinions. |
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Dec 2, 2016 21:33:01 GMT 1
The thing is that a lot of the old-schoolers who think Hamilton is a dick are the same who think Hunt is a legend for the booze, birds and Jamaican woodbines, or Graham Hill for dancing with his underwear around his ankles on the tables at a charity dinner, or Hawthorn a good chap for what was outright bullying of Musso. As well as other stunts like driving cars into swimming pools to see if their lights worked underwater or sending half-a-ton of watermelon down Sicilian streets or whatever.
And of course many thought Jackie Stewart was a dick with his tartan cap and long hair - the same people who now think he too is a legend.
Hamilton is at least an individual. Ditto Alonso. And both of them are often snarky with the press. As are Vettel and Honeybadger when things don't go their way. The latter two are better politicians...
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Post by Robin on Dec 2, 2016 22:56:47 GMT 1
If and when Lewis retires it will be a massive blow for F1 which they'll struggle to overcome as he is the only true celebrity on the grid, who attracts major interest and sponsorship. No disrespect to Rosberg but he'll be forgotten pretty quickly.
There is a lot of underlying racism involved in the dislike for Lewis, which is sad to see. He's ten times the driver that Button is or was, but still many, including certain BBC pundits prefer him.
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