Hamilton hopes “nothing mechanical” affects fight with Vettel

F1 Fanatic Round-up

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In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton says he hopes no mechanical problems influence the championship fight this year.

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Exited. I love RACING. I'm just a RACER. Indy 500 here we come!!! 💪💪💪 #mclaren #honda #14 #f1 #indy

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Comment of the day

Direct your jealousy towards Louie:

Wow, did I ever pick the right year to knock “attend the Indy 500” off my bucket list.
Louie

And Don:

Me too Louie. I’ve been to many IndyCar races, never the 500.

I’ve got two tickets to this years race. Never attended before. Amazing!
Don

Happy birthday!

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On this day in F1

The third round of the 1997 season, and the 600th world championship race, was held on this day 20 years ago. Look out for an article on the 1997 Argentinian Grand Prix coming up later today.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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59 comments on “Hamilton hopes “nothing mechanical” affects fight with Vettel”

  1. I like Jenson’s amusing tweet.

    1. @mach1 wonder about his reaction considering McLaren’s problems! he got sad after retiring from F1, but I doubt he looked back at 2015 and 2016 and said “I wish I was still doing that”.

      He might do it once more. And retire with engine related problems!

      1. Maybe that is why he did not answer and let them ring out……lol

      2. But off course Monaco is one of the few races where they could actually be within a shot of some decent points. Provided the engine holds out to the finish

        1. @fer-no65

          He might do it once more. And retire with engine related problems!

          @bascb

          Monaco is one of the few races where they could actually be within a shot of some decent points. Provided the engine holds out to the finish

          I keep reading “the engine, the engine, the engine”. Fun fact: Only one of McLaren’s three retirements so far was most likely engine-related. They’ve had a broken floor (definitely not engine-related), fuel supply issues (hard to tell if the engine was at all to blame), and a broken driveshaft (engine’s shortcomings a plausible explanation).

          The bottom line is: Yes, the engine is awful. But it’s even more likely that the McLaren crumbles to pieces on its own.

      3. Doesn’t he live in Monaco? If so, then he won’t have far to go to get to the circuit! :-)

    2. Vintage English humour! Loved it :)

  2. Neil (@neilosjames)
    13th April 2017, 0:17

    This is pretty much the only moment in my whole life that I’ve been gutted I don’t have BT Sport. And extra gutted they don’t do day passes.

    1. I think we just qualified with the same time…..

  3. I would be jealous of Louis and Don, but I had the good fortune attend the 100th running last year. Enjoy it guys.

  4. Seb and Lewis developing a bromance. Poor Kimi, problems on and off the track. Seriously though I love that photo.

    1. It’s easy now, they have both delivered the best results they could have. The have chased each other, but neither attempted to pass. Their teammates have been equally non-competative and nominally supportive.

      But it can’t last. They are both champions because they are ruthless, calculating, and reckless. If there is enough close racing there will be crashes or penalties. One will be stuck changing wings while the other goes to the podium.

      Even if they never collide one will face a tougher challenge from a teamate. Perhaps Bottas will begin to take wins from Hamilton. Perhaps Kimi will fail to find enough pace to cover Vettle.

      Plus there is no common employer to force the to work together. They can be as nasty as is acceptable for there employers, and i can see Mercedes or Ferrari tolerating a lot a smack.

      Perhaps in 2025 they can do chummy interviews with together. Maybe Hamilton will ride unicycles with Roseburg too. But this year a close fight will mean a total brawl.

      1. Agreed I am certain Vettel and Hamilton will want this competition to build, what we see is the anticipation from both of them in advance of the fireworks!

  5. Honestly mechanical failures are a part of racing. I’d be more disappointed if a few didn’t happen over the year.

    1. As long as it doesn’t become a championship deciding factor… I’m fine with a few failures. Last year, the championship was decided by mechanical failures, which is a shame, because it would have really been down to the wire between Nico and Lewis, with the better driver coming out on top.

      1. When will that illusion disappear. A WC is won by collecting points during the year. It’s not one specific moment you lose. You have to collect less points to lose. That’s what happened and yes mechanical error and some very bad starts to name a few, are responsible for those lost points.

        1. Yes because he only had 1 mechanical failure last year..Lewis must have just decided to start at the back of the grid at Spa just for the sake of it, nothing at all to do with running out of allocated engines due to multiple mechanical failures in just the first half of the season. -face palms-

          What is with the really selective memory? Even near the end of last year it’s like people only focused on the engine failure during the race and not all of the insane amount of component failures earlier on in the year..If you’re going to make a point at least remotely try not to be biased..

        2. When will that illusion disappear

          Its not an illusion. Hamilton was by far the better of the two Merc drivers last year but lost between 40-80 points to Rosberg due to mechincal issues (and only about 12 to bad starts).

      2. Hamilton finished behind Rosberg numerous times last year. If he had done better in those races, he’d have been the world champion. The mechanical failure he suffered in Malaysia was a setback, but it didn’t decide anything on its own.

        1. @cashnotclass
          @erikje

          But Hamilton finished ahead of Rosberg in the races more times. Of course as always he could have done more. But if we are going to judge Lewis by that yardstick we must do the same for Nico.

          Nico was pretty average in the wet- see Monaco, GB and Brazil.
          Nico was the most penalised driver.
          Nico had off days too- see Germany where he was off the pace, see Canada were he spun after a failed attempt to pass Max, or Austria were he lost a podium because of his failed defense vs a charging Lewis behind him.
          He also had poor starts in Hungary, Germany, Canada (where he lost so many positions at the start).

          This is just off the top of my head. One competitor (car 6) finished all races bar one (Spain) and the other didn’t, apart from Austria (gearbox penalty) Rosberg didn’t start from anywhere near the back like Hamilton did in Belgium.

          So when you consider that the championship was won by just 5 points- taking into account all of these issues- it is clear that mechanical problems played a pivotal role in deciding the outcome. Unless of course, you just have an agenda.

          If Rosberg won by a bigger margin, outqualified Lewis and won more races- even I would concede that Rosberg was the better driver in 2016.

          That’s not to take anything away from Rosberg- he won given the hand he was dealt. Unless he was the secret mechanic fiddling with Hamilton’s car its not his fault his competitor faced mechanical issues.

          Even Toto Wolff admits mechanical issues decided the championship.
          http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18162075/malaysia-cost-lewis-title-nico-worthy-champion

        2. agreed, Malaysia definitely didn’t decide last year’s championship on its own, although it did play a major part.
          It allowed Rosberg to play the percentage game (why the “only 5 points” argument is irrelevant), which he did brilliantly.

          Too many ifs and buts with regards to what might have happened.

          My two pennies worth would be that had Malaysia not happened, then Nico may have fought harder for the win, and could have won anyway. (Alternatively he could have disintegrated). Like I said, ifs and buts.

        3. @cashnotclass

          I’m tired of hearing this “If Lewis won more races and got less bad starts argument” . Despite his bad starts, he won more races than Nico, he qualified better than Nico and beat him in every driver statistic again. He lost the championship when his engine blew up in Malaysia.

          It’s a fact. Not a subjective statement.

          1. It’s one small fact in a season of facts.
            Just like Rosberg getting a puncture in Canada, preventing him from finishing second.
            Or Rosberg being hit in Malaysia, preventing him from finishing second.
            Or Rosberg letting Hamilton pass in Monaco, apparently because Hamilton is, mistakenly, convinced no one can pass there.
            Or Hamilton not picking up a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in Monaco.
            Or Hamilton not picking up a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in Mexico.
            Or Hamilton coming unprepared to Bakoe and parking is car in the barrier during quali.
            Or Hamilton addressing his bad starts AFTER the japanese GP, and suddenly solving them. (Rosberg did this like 10 races earlier.
            Or Rosberg, just like Prost, doing what he needs to do (finishing 2nd 4 times in a row, to clinch the title and not caring one bit about victories.
            Lewis losing his title because of an engine failure is quite a subjective statement imo.

          2. @murph
            quite a good summing up of some of the factors that contributed to the 2016 season battle.

            next reply will be, but rosberg did more ‘negative’ things so doesnt deserve it.
            but as you rightly said, a lot of ‘facts’ that contributed to it.
            or like i said about some ifs and buts.

          3. @murph well said. There’s so much that goes on in a season. Rosberg and Hamilton both had their share of bad luck and good luck, and that’s how F1 has always been. In the 2014 Abu Double Grand Prix, if it had been Hamilton’s car that failed instead of Rosberg, Rosberg would have won that year.

            In the end, these things can make the difference between winning and losing but so much happens over 19–21 races that to attribute it to one single moment is completely wrong.

          4. @Murph and for every issue you have named there I have a retort which I outlined above. You speak as though Rosberg did a perfect job- he did not. You speak as though in a mechanical sport where car failure actually prevents you scoring points is subjective- it is not.

            Next thing you are going to attribute mechanical failures to the driver?

          5. @Blazzz

            To be fair to Murph, I dont think he suggested Rosberg drove a perfect season, nor that he would have won the title had it not been the engine blowup; but to say that is the only reason Rosberg won the 2016 WDC is presumptive at best.

            Similar to what I said, i think things may have turned out differently, but equally Rosberg could have challenged more in the last 4 races also. Maybe Rosberg may have fluffed Japan as he didnt have that lead going into it. Point is, you just don’t know.

          6. @Tom– but it’s not just the engine blowup. Its the mechanical issues during the season. Russia, Belgium, Malaysia. Keith did an article on whether reliability decided the title and the interesting point he made was in past years it was more evenly spread whereas last year it was one sided (Not suggesting Keith was pointing to a conspiracy but just the facts).

            Which leads me to the point I also made above- in a mechanical sport reliability does hamper point scoring in the driver’s title. Its just the way it is.

      3. petebaldwin (@)
        13th April 2017, 9:42

        @todfod I don’t mind when its 2 different teams. As @saint-jay said, it’s part of racing. The title is usually decided by who has the fastest car anyway so it’s not an issue if reliability comes into it as well.

        It’s when the battle is between 2 drivers of the same team but only 1 seems to be getting the issues that it spoils things…

        1. @murph Yes thank you for that post. These are all things that TW, while commenting on Nov 29 in the referenced article, had more class to say when he said Malaysia cost him the WDC. TW is as aware as anyone of the facts you have spelled out, but unlike LH who threw his team under the bus, TW took the high road.

          1. I have said it before to you Robbie and I will say it again.

            Your ridiculous assertion LH ‘threw the team under the bus’ will not get traction just because you keep repeating it.

            He did not despite having considerable grounds to do so.

            As I have pointed out. His team mate Rosberg threw the team under the bus in a spectacularly worse way than anyone in history.

          2. @Drg Hey if you want to ignore the actual quotes from LH, knock yourself out. And how does your ridiculous and truly baseless assertion about Rosberg garner you any traction? It’s ok…I don’t need an answer to that question…there isn’t one.

      4. It’s impossible to know how last year would have turned out without Hamilton’s engine failure in Malaysia.

        Honestly I felt like Rosberg held back from challenging his teammate in the last 4 races since he only needed to finish 2nd (see Abu Dhabi).

        I certainly don’t believe Hamilton would have won the last 4 races in 2016 if Rosberg needed to win them himself, but we never will know.

    2. The best racing drivers seek the edge of their ability to win. And there is always a risk of a spin/error which can affect the outcome.
      I hope that Hamilton and Vettel force each other to seek those extremes in their ability, and we’ll see who makes the least mistakes.

      As F1 is a team sport, the car is an important part of the winning equation. Ferrari and Mercedes will also ‘seek the edge’ to shave of weight and increase speed. And like the drivers they might make a mistake.
      Mechanical failures are part of this team sport!

      If Hamilton does not want to have mechanical failures, then he should instruct the team to build him a more robust (= heavier and slower) car :p

  6. I think Lewis talked about himself and Vettel fighting for the championship way too early. It’s only two races, and he singled out all other drivers already?What about Bottas, Kimi, Ricciardo, Max?

    1. RedBull is planning major updates at Barcelona, Renault has their first engine upgrade planned for Canada and Helmut Marko has said that they aim to be winning races by Austria….

      So even if we assume Ferrari and Mercedes sit still while RB is catching up, if they only start winning from Austria onwards they are not going to be in the championship fight. That’s simply too late. They can however influence the championhsip fight between Hamilton and Vettel.

    2. Fukobayashi (@)
      13th April 2017, 11:33

      He is getting a little carried away for sure. I am a Lewis supporter but I can’t help but think this is all being hyped to discredit Rosberg. He doesn’t need to do that, it’s plain as day that he won as a result of better reliability, be the better man Lewis.

      1. or “get over it” might be more apt.

      2. Yeah cuz you’re so different lol. I’ve no idea why Lewis says the things he says, but yours is obvious.

    3. Between them they have won seven of the last nine championships…

      Between them they have over 100 poles and over a 100 wins in 10 seasons.

      Kimi won a single championship 10 years ago thanks to Massa doing his part and a Macca brain fart. Otherwise that point he won by would not have been enough. He has 22 wins (IIRC) Button with his single championship is no longer on the grid. Bottas has yet to win a race let alone a championship.

      No one else in a car worthy of the name has won a championship other than Alonso (11 years ago) and he is playing in some other series for a bit of light relief.

      This year SV and LH have won a race each. Already.

      Why do you think they are seeing the battle being between them?

      Unless of course you felt the need for a pop at two multiple champions with over 100 Grand Prix wins and poles between because, for arguments sake, Ricci and Ves are obviously already legends in their own lunch times despite having fewer race wins between them than the two at the top have won championships?

      Or is just another pop at LH?

      Who knows…

  7. With the kinds of tracks that are currently on the IndyCar calendar, I wouldn’t be surprised if more of the older F1 drivers come over here to race in IndyCar- we could see a return to the CART days. With tracks like Watkins Glen, Road America, Sonoma, Barber, Mid-Ohio and Long Beach and ovals like Indy and Pocono, and the low downforce 2018-spec. Indycar the challenge of the series in my opinion will be too great for top line drivers all over the world to resist. The only change I would make to the series is 3 or 4 more races (hopefully at Homestead-Miami, Portland, Mexico City and maybe Fontana and/or the Pikes Peak oval) and 1 or 2 more engine and chassis manufacturers each coming into IndyCar so it will be something less of a specification series.

  8. How much for Louie and Don’s tickets?!

  9. Lewis knows this is f1, right ?

  10. I wonder if the media and everyone else would’ve been so chuffed about the Alonso & McLaren decision if it was Pascal, Massa, Hulk or Perez who decided they wanted to skip Monaco to do the Indy 500? 🤔🤔

    This jubilation to me seems more to everyone feeling sympathetic towards Alonso because of McLaren’s struggles. But I’d like to know how other members within the team feels about this? I mean, he’s not the only one having to deal with all the failures, what’s being done to keep them ‘happy’?

    1. Evil Homer (@)
      13th April 2017, 14:52

      Good point, but I think they are doing everything possible to keep things kind of on line. If Alonso walks mid year (which he wont) then it all falls apart…. more so.

      Alonso wants to show the world he is still great and McLaren Honda knows they need him big time. Stoffel will be top notch but he is still green to help develop. So in meantime Fernando does as he pleases.

  11. Maybe its just me but i really dont care how much People you got on twitter.

    1. I was thinking the same thing. I know it is the 21st century and people are into the social media thing, but if you judge a person’s worth or importance by how many twitter followers they have you are in dangerous territory. Justin Beiber has nearly 94,000,000 followers for god sake…

      1. Important for marketing purposes!
        Just like TV ratings, newspaper circulation; website unique visitors; inauguration attendance ;)

        1. Fukobayashi (@)
          13th April 2017, 11:39

          What @f1-liners said. You may be old fashioned but you cant deny the marketing significance of an extra 50% of people being exposed to your sport, your sponsors, your cars, your drivers, everything.

      2. Tommy Scragend
        13th April 2017, 10:04

        So Justin Bieber is a 39 times better driver than Alonso.

        I knew there was a reason he was at the podium ceremony in Monaco last year!

    2. @marussi Mind if I ask, what about television viewing figures?

  12. Hehe Hamilton being a racing driver already has excuses.. But also he wants to race.

    Racing for the lead will only happen if slower car is infront. Mercedes tends to be faster in quali, Ferrari in the race, also Hamilton made reliable starts so far.

    I reckon we will have a 2 way fight, pretty good odds. Maybe Kimi or Bottas can step up aswell.

  13. The data that Romain tweeted speaks for itself

    As I understand it, the data Romain Grosjean tweeted showed he was accelerating as he passed the point where the debris where Giovinazzi crashed, as such the Stewards had little choice but to penalise him.

  14. Did no one ever tell Hamilton, “a bad workman always blames his tools”. It must really be eating away at him inside to still trying to belittle Rosberg’s achievement.

  15. “a bad workman always blames his tools”

    Yes but blaming your tools does not automatically make you a bad workman.

    It must really be eating away at him inside to still trying to belittle Rosberg’s achievement.

    I couldn’t see anywhere he did that in today’s round up.

  16. @keithcollantine

    out of interest, have you ever considered applying for a job at the BBC or Sky? you are probably the dream ‘chief f1 correspondent’ for 99% of F1 fans.

  17. Evil Homer (@)
    13th April 2017, 15:09

    Didn’t know what happened last year so hit google…. yep, Nico Rosberg won the WDC…. he had more points, good stuff (ok joking).

    I really respect Lewis as a driver but has never and wont be one of my favourites. Lewis fans wont like it but he has a bad attitude sometimes. When its all going well its fine, when not he doesn’t like it.

    Many factors dictated the 2016 champion. Malaysian may have been a catalyst but there were so many others too. To start with, how start a race!

    Lewis needs to let last year go as he has a few to tend to this year. Wont just be Seb.

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