Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“I dunno.
I think people tend to apply the rose-tinted spec's a lot when comparing this sort of thing.”
I would go along with this.
Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“Schuey had a couple of dodgy years and, as the incident involving Vettel at the pit-entry showed this weekend, he still has a willingness to shaft another driver if it suits him.”
You have to remember in the Schumacher/Vettel incident, Vettel was one minute on his left, then on his right. Vettel didnt hold one position. It was thus harder for Schumacher to know what Vettel was going to do. Who knows what would have happened if Vettel kept one line. Also this comes back to my earlier point Schumacher was smart enough to know that Vetter would avoid the accident, as he had more to lose. Would Schumacher have done the same thing if it was Maldonado?
Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“I think that a lot of the time it's simply a reflection of how dominant the drivers car is that year.
I mean, if you look at drivers such as Senna, Prost, Mansell, Schumacher, Hamilton and Vettel, they can all stay out of trouble IF they have a car which allows them to clear off into the distance but, equally, they have all become involved in rather dubious incidents when they've found themselves wheel to wheel with another car.”
I would agree with that for Schumachers later part of his career at Ferrari. When he went to Ferrari, that car was a dog...he spent plenty of time battling with others. There was no way that he should have won the first title or two because he did not have the best best car on the grid, far from it.
Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“The Lewis Hamilton of 2007/2008 barely ever seemed to put a foot wrong. In fact, I'd say that it was his apparent ability to be aggressive without actually getting into accidents that really made him special.
However, when you compare that to his antics in 2011, it's a slightly different story.”
This made me smile, 2011 was a 'slightly' different story. It think it was more than slightly. Whilst in 07/08 he may have been special, in 2011 he was definitely special.... special needs.
Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“Same thing if you compare Ferrari-Schumacher to Mercedes-Schumacher or Lotus-Mansell to Williams-Mansell or Torro-Rosso-Vettel to RBR-Vettel.
I think the common factor is that you've got a driver that has the talent to make the best of a good car but, when they're in a less able car they end up over-driving it and have accidents.
Let's not forget that the same thing happens all the way down the field too. it's not just restricted to the "glory hounds".”
I sorted of eluded this in my comment above. True for Schumacher in the later years with Ferrari, not necessarily the case when he first went there. However generally I do agree with your point.
Originally Posted by Si_Crewe:
“As for "childish behaviour", I'm all for it.
I'd MUCH rather that F1 drivers came out and called each other arseholes and maybe even took the odd swing at each other rather than getting involved in stuff which clearly DOES create animosity and then simply reciting a completely dull and soulless press release which is designed solely to avoid conflict.
I really don't see why honesty and openness is frowned upon so much and I think F1 is the worse for it since it's been purged from the sport.”
Its funny, last year, when Massa patted Hamilton on the back and made a sarcastic comment whilst Hamilton gave an interview. You said it was silly/childish of Massa (or words to that affect). This was after Massa tried to have a word with Hamilton, and Hamilton refused. You seem to have changed your tune now. Now you wish they did it more often. Is it because it was Hamilton dishing it out now, rather than being on the receiving end?