2014 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Thread starter SVT Cobra GT
- 523 comments
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- 22,551
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- HamiltonMP427
Surprised you're still around, just saying...
Also I somewhat agree with PM that Lewis should settle but then how does that make him a competitor...
Also I somewhat agree with PM that Lewis should settle but then how does that make him a competitor...
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
OR (not directed at you Ninners just everyone thinking this) perhaps Lewis didn't want the pole. We're talking about a track that isn't known to produce winners that start on pole and a driver that seems to have monster like pace on Sunday starting from second or any position for that matter that isn't P1 (though he has won from P1 this year). I mean I hate to say it but I think the guy is perfectly fine with where he's at and even he has hinted recently that he like being in the hunt. Look Nico can smother himself with all the pole champion trophy's he wants but if it doesn't get you the WDC at the end of the day (can't say yet until after tomorrow) then there is more that needs to be done.
- 15,533
- Cairo, Egypt
- GTP_SEMS
I pretty sure he wanted pole, he does have 2 williams charging at him, on the other side he can let Nico through the first corner where there is the greatest chance of contact, and hang in there if he makes a mistake he goes for it.
To be honest though, I know we all say anything can happen but in all honesty, Nico needs a mini miracle.
To be honest though, I know we all say anything can happen but in all honesty, Nico needs a mini miracle.
- 637
- NH
- Whodoyouthink
They had something like that before, in 2012, right?
Can only imagine what Mercedes and Williams have....
Can only imagine what Mercedes and Williams have....
I don't think Lewis is that astute, frankly. Many times he has been disadvantaged by going all out when he had no reason to, but he didn't learn from those occasions. I can't see why he'd change now.
- 691
- Greece
- mikeerfol96
They had something like that before, in 2012, right?
Can only imagine what Mercedes and Williams have....
Are you talking about flexi wings? I believe that's going on since 2010...
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
I think many of these drivers actually are, and are going to place themselves in a position (if they have the car and skill that allows them to) that will give them the best advantage to win. Also not sure what you're talking about in your example of how he isn't that sharp on such decisions. I say this because he use to be called a driver that wasn't good on equipment like tires and that has been shown to not be accurate. Emotional issues (like claimed this year) were called in as a problem and after win from Monza forward those claims and people making them prior were silly. I'm having trouble seeing how Lewis hasn't changed.
And the only thing that I feel leads people to cling to these ideas of Lewis not knowing how to fix things or change is when he says or does something then deem stupid or not classy.
Also another thing I forgot to note is that it seems that Lewis takes advantage of a setup that will yield a better race pace than quali pace, hence why when he does get second we don't see him get mad or upset as he did prior.
- 13,947
- Adelaide
- Neomone
True competitors understand that it's about winning the war, not the battle.
Rosberg's hopes lie mainly on Hamilton's inability to avoid waving his 🤬 around. Whether he still has that particular monkey on his back will remain to be seen.
There's no disadvantage to starting on pole. You get to be a few metres ahead of the guys behind you, and therefore that much further removed from any shenanigans that goes on behind. After the first few corners where you started is completely irrelevant to how the race progresses. Being in second is strictly worse, except in the few circumstances where they've put pole on the wrong side of the track. I don't believe Abu Dhabi is one of those.
That winners have statistically not come from pole is simply a freak of statistics, unless there's an actual explanation as to why being in front going into those first few corners would be detrimental.
Brazil was a perfect example of Lewis making life harder for himself. He had more race pace than Nico and was catching him rather easily; but then he pushed too hard and threw it off the track. That could will have cost him victory. Why he did this is beyond me because he was already quicker than Rosberg before he fatefully decided to step up the pace even more.
- 637
- NH
- Whodoyouthink
Lewis Hamilton FB page
As some of you have been preaching all along, Hamilton is clearly flawed in his strategy of thinking. Nobody can blame a racing driver for wanting to go for 1st, but the risk is obviously unnecessary. He's probably gonna be told 1,000 times to sit tight, and yet still do the opposite of that. It's admirable in some sense, but his whining and lack of zen-like coolness personally make me want Rosberg to win it all. When I watched Rosberg win Monaco 2013, I realized he was a driver I wanted to pay attention to.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
True but not everyone sees it that way. And some rather provide a fight rather than just fold it up and take the easy way. If you agree with that is an entirely different matter. Clearly most of us here don't but it isn't for us to decide obviously.
Who ever said there was one, Imari? All I said was this is a track that shows a correlation of poles not being converted to wins only once in the four races so far has P1 start resulted in a win. I also said the perhaps Lewis sees starting at the front a disadvantage for him. It's the mind set, you can analyze it down to the clearly common sense math and logic you want but that's been proven this year to not matter, especially in the case of the pole champion who has only converted I believe three of those into race wins.
Yes the advantage theoretically is there, but is the driver and that is what we await to see tomorrow. Also if Nico has only won thrice of out the 11 poles he's obtained then it's no freak statistic.
@Whodoyouthink puts it best and as I said, Lewis most likely wont sit back and just take second and that isn't really all the wise unless you know (which you can't) that everything will go right to battle for the win. As for the Nico portion of the quote I don't agree with it, though I think he is a worthy driver the China win and the few good drives past made me want to watch him closer.
He pushed too hard? No he didn't his race engineer told him to push and then had him stay out, when the protocol has always been push hard for single lap when they say to and then box it at the end to make up some margin or cushion. Since Lewis did as told, he pushed and then when told to stay out after pushing had no tires and thus even being the best of drivers couldn't help him over come physics.
Clearly it is beyond you and I'm surprised more people here don't follow the technical side pre and post races. I mean it's easy to say "yeah Lewis being Lewis strikes again" because you expect it but tends to not be the case all the time.
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Agreed! 👍
Mind you the quote from Hamilton is somewhat confusing. At first it states that his 'approach will be the same as always'. Nothing surprising there. But then towards the end he seems to be saying he'll consider settling for second, if he deems the risk of gunning for first unnecessary. As uncharacteristic as this would be for Hamilton, it would show some progress in maturity. But don't expect the whinge-binge to stop anytime soon!
gurizzi
(Banned)
- 500
- CA
- gurizzi
-- People get so worked up about the pole. Yes, its part of the event & why not start on pole if u can? but, we have ALL seen 'hot-lap' champions & that NEVER gets you anything! We have seen Hamilton out drive Rosberg during the race multiple times this year. My point is, let whoever have the pole if they earn it, who cares! When the lights get brightest Hamilton is better then Rosberg, that's why hes a former Champ. & going to be a 2-time Champ.
-- Hamilton's REAL challenge is with himself, his mental state. He doesn't have to drive his best he knows that, so the goal is to NOT become too casual. That's why you hear him repeating: " its just like any other race". His first Championship was won without wining the race, im sure he will be fine with doing the same!
-- Hamilton's REAL challenge is with himself, his mental state. He doesn't have to drive his best he knows that, so the goal is to NOT become too casual. That's why you hear him repeating: " its just like any other race". His first Championship was won without wining the race, im sure he will be fine with doing the same!
- 15,533
- Cairo, Egypt
- GTP_SEMS
So are RBR getting disqualified or what?
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- skengdigi
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- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Because it's not just the fastest driver who wins - it's the smartest driver, too. Hamilton might not settle for second, but what if that's the smartest play? He could easily throw a championship away with a mistake because he was pushing too hard unnecessarily, just as he threw pole away in qualifying.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
Did he do something in quali? Beside a slight lock up which is all I recall
He had no tyres left, you're right. So why did he push harder than they could handle at the time? It's not as if he didn't know how little grip he had. These drivers have a great feel for the condition of the tyres; you constantly hear them being asked over team radios how the tyres are, because the drivers feedback is the best way. Also the track conditions were consistent, and tyres don't drop off in the click of a finger; so he wouldn't have been taken by surprise by a sudden lack of grip. He simply pushed too hard. Yes, he had to push. But he overdid it.
Sorry for the late reply by the way; I didn't get a notification!
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
It was enough to cost him pole, wasn't it?
If Hamilton makes a mistake because he is pushing too hard, it won't end with him in the wall or tangling with another driver. But Williams are on form (again), so if he repeats his Brazil error, he could lose a place or two.
- 22,551
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
He had no tyres left, you're right. So why did he push harder than they could handle at the time? It's not as if he didn't know how little grip he had. These drivers have a great feel for the condition of the tyres; you constantly hear them being asked over team radios how the tyres are, because the drivers feedback is the best way. Also the track conditions were consistent, and tyres don't drop off in the click of a finger; so he wouldn't have been taken by surprise by a sudden lack of grip. He simply pushed too hard. Yes, he had to push. But he overdid it.
Sorry for the late reply by the way; I didn't get a notification!
Sure he would have if the tires dropped off on the end of the stint like they do and then was told to do a quick push to build a cushion as was claimed by Hamilton and the team, and then left out for another couple laps after doing what he was initially told. He did as he was told to what was protocol push and then box but he was told not to and thus it ruined his race because even backing off wasn't enough.
I don't know, considering he's locked up before and still captured pole, perhaps his entire lap was crap because as I've said it seems Hamilton sets up his cars for Sunday in mind and so Nico was always going to be the better. Who knows it really doesn't matter.
And the Singapore lock up looked worse than that at Abu
- 637
- NH
- Whodoyouthink
Just noticed this reading the selected quotes:
Also, wondering how much flex these Red Bull wings had. Of course, Horner states other teams are "interpreting rules in a similar manner". How some stuff supposedly is hidden in plain sight, I don't know. But everytime I hear of these surprise (or maybe it they shouldn't be surprises at this point....this is F1) infringements, I wonder if there is some behind the scenes politics. Seriously.
Nico Rosberg
Also, wondering how much flex these Red Bull wings had. Of course, Horner states other teams are "interpreting rules in a similar manner". How some stuff supposedly is hidden in plain sight, I don't know. But everytime I hear of these surprise (or maybe it they shouldn't be surprises at this point....this is F1) infringements, I wonder if there is some behind the scenes politics. Seriously.
He simply didn't back off enough. I was watching at the time and he really wasn't taking it that easy and if the tyres were that bad, he really should have been. Sure he would have lost a few seconds, but he wouldn't have dropped anywhere near as much time as he did by throwing it off the circuit. Yes he was instructed by the engineers to push but it's his job as the driver to accommodate their instructions, whilst taking the state of the car and tyres into account. No engineer is going to ask a driver to go faster than the level of grip available will allow.
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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
Moves him up to 34th, the stuff of dreams
The trick has been to pass the static load tests, if you pass scrutineering and any regulatory tests called for by the FIA's technical delegate then your prototype is legal.
