nordberg Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6179704.stm Superb. This guy is a true star of the future. Just hope Mclaren can build a decent, reliable car for 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 The term 'Pigs will fly' comes to mind... Will be interesting how much he will be treated as an underdog with Alonso there... Then again he's a complete F1 n00b and will get to have #2 on his car, that cant be bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 I think I'd rather have De La Rosa there for 12 months and have Hamilton doing testing, he may start well but didn't Nico do the same this year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nordberg Posted November 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Hamilton is a lot more experienced than Nico and I'd expect him to have a pretty solid year. I don't think for one minute he will be challenging Alonso just yet, but he will definitely be one to watch. DLR is not up to the job of being a Mclaren pilot IMHO. He would be fine in a Toro Rosso or similar, but he's not a top team driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_G Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 DLR's success has only come from attrition of others, the only memorable race I recall is Shanghai when he did some superb overtaking moves then overcooked it to have to re pass the same people. He doesn't appear to have the winning instinct to the saem degree as an Alonso and hopefully Hamilton. Too long a test driver like Wurz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] DLR's success has only come from attrition of others, the only memorable race I recall is Shanghai when he did some superb overtaking moves then overcooked it to have to re pass the same people. He doesn't appear to have the winning instinct to the saem degree as an Alonso and hopefully Hamilton. Too long a test driver like Wurz? [/ QUOTE ] The race your thinking of is Bahrain 05 when he subbed for an injured JPM. Brave move by Mclaren and I hope it pays off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Although he's shown himself to be a very talented driver, I think he's too inexperienced to go straight into a seat in the 2007 championship. Look what happened to Button when he joined Williams - it effectively shoved his career up the pipe until he got a decent car with BAR, then Honda. No, I'm not comparing Hamilton to Button, but I think it's a dangerous move for his career - although I really badly want to be proved wrong. My gut feel is that this is more about commercial pressure on Ron Dennis than anything else, be it from Mercedes or sponsors, to try and get more British people watching the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 I hope he gets on ok but fear the worst for him. I also took some offence to the comment from the BBC "Hamilton is the first black driver in F1". Um does it matter? I didn't think that made any difference to how you drive or had any relevance to the selection of drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I hope he gets on ok but fear the worst for him. [/ QUOTE ] Let's just hope that the media give him a bit of slack. I am sure they will expect him to be winning on day 1. He needs to be given a chance, and I, for one, hope he makes a good go of it. It has been years since McLaren have had a driver that I am prepared to follow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I also took some offence to the comment from the BBC "Hamilton is the first black driver in F1". Um does it matter? I didn't think that made any difference to how you drive or had any relevance to the selection of drivers. [/ QUOTE ] Trust me it does, if it can bring money into the team they will do it. That's why there is an effort to find the next big star in the Indian and Chinese markets a few years ago, where teams were trying out various half decent drivers to try and corner markets. Remember F1's only a sport every other Sunday, rest of the time it's strictly a business that follows the biggest wad of cash. It's not only the usual mistakes that rookies make such as Rosberg at Montreal that Hamilton will have to deal with. It's mainly the British press, a new British hope in a top team who has just won a championship in GP2. In thier eyes if he doesn't win a race then he may have a tough time. This is the problem with big car makers in F1, there are no longer any small teams like Minardi where drivers can learn thier craft and make mistakes without the world glaring at them. Like Alonso at Minardi in 2001. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_G Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] DLR's success has only come from attrition of others, the only memorable race I recall is Shanghai when he did some superb overtaking moves then overcooked it to have to re pass the same people. He doesn't appear to have the winning instinct to the saem degree as an Alonso and hopefully Hamilton. Too long a test driver like Wurz? [/ QUOTE ] The race your thinking of is Bahrain 05 when he subbed for an injured JPM. Brave move by Mclaren and I hope it pays off. [/ QUOTE ] No I know of that one, he did it this year as well but since then has always been the poor relation. Like you say, brave move, but then who else would you have at McLaren who ins't in a contract at present that's on the F1 grid? And would they be better than Hamilton? How long is a piece of string? How many Gen-x's does it take to change a lightbulb? So many questions today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I also took some offence to the comment from the BBC "Hamilton is the first black driver in F1". Um does it matter? I didn't think that made any difference to how you drive or had any relevance to the selection of drivers. [/ QUOTE ] Like Neil says, they'll play on the back of it. I reckon similar comments were passed when the first woman driver entered F1. Only to not qualify for her first race. A driver's ethnic origin or religion is totally irrelevant, but if it boosts the PR, then they'll go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_G Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Lookk what happende when the first Japanese, Indian and PHungarian driver entered F1. Anything to raise F1's cultural diversity from the depths of million / billionaire playboys sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 So following this annoucement there will be no fewer than 4 British F1 race drivers next year It has been a while since there have been that many to root for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Thats a good point, long while since there have been a number of brits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 2002 was the last time with a large number of Brits. It was Button, DC, Wilson and McNish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 I think this is great news. Yes it will be a steep learning curve but I genuinely think he will cope as good as any have in the past. Plus unless my memory is failing me I think that Button did very well in his first year and did far better than anyone thought he would. They fact that after that he dropped when he moved out of Williams is more to do with Honda / BAR than it was himself. Despite what other people see I think he is a good racer that is very smooth almost Prost like and could still be a world champion yet. Personally speaking I think next year has the makings of a superb season that could be very competitive because of the lack of any real major rule changes to affect anyone.. that will be next year. I just hope that they don't constantly go on about Schumacher is not about, times change and the sport has to move on. The focus being now spread across the grid will be great and lets home the politics take a bit of a back seat for a change .. well we live in hope anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Didn't Williams drop Button for Montoya? That turned out to be a great move... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 But, during that season Button couldn't drive a nail into wood let alone a F1 car. It didn't help that he let the fame and money goto his head. Button & Honda should concentrate on been less of an all mouth team and get on with it on the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Didn't Williams drop Button for Montoya? That turned out to be a great move... [/ QUOTE ] Yup, but that move was decided 6 months before Button signed for Williams. Buttons first year was pretty impressive, Qualifying third at Spa and having a fourth and afew fifths. He finished 8th in the WDC so not to shabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v6tas Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6179704.stm Superb. This guy is a true star of the future. Just hope Mclaren can build a decent, reliable car for 2007. [/ QUOTE ] Who really cares. F1 = Boring Nuff said really (Only joshing F1 Nuts !! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nordberg Posted November 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Didn't Williams drop Button for Montoya? That turned out to be a great move... [/ QUOTE ] No. They didn't "drop" Button. They already had JPM signed for 2001 and Ralf had an air tight contract. They actually loaned JB out to Benetton for the 2001 season and he stayed on in 2002 in Renault guise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Wilson and McNish [/ QUOTE ] Oh, yes, remember them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 Wilson was shafted by Jaguar, one of the best British tallents to come into F1 for a long time, should of stopped at Minardi for the whole season. Gave Bourdrais a run for his money in Champ car this year, and is a driver who isn't exactly going to hold back and wait for pit stops to overtake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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