Lewis Hamilton’s sixth championship victory was especially impressive because he didn’t always have the fastest car, says Robert Kubica.
“I think number six says everything,” said Kubica when asked about Hamilton’s achievement. The Mercedes driver clinched the title in Austin having won 10 of the 19 races so far this year.“Especially I think this season he has shown that even in many races where he was not in the fastest car he was still able to win those races or make the difference,” Kubica added.
“This is what I think makes from Lewis a tough guy to beat, or nearly impossible. So it’s tough for the others, it’s good for him.”
Kubica and Hamilton raced each other in karts but took separate paths through the junior categories into F1.
“I’m happy for him,” said Kubica. “We’ve known each other for very long and he showed this year some extraordinary driving every year. I think this year in some races he was really doing a hell of a job.”
Hamilton said his sixth championship victory hasn’t “sunk in yet”.
“Your mind’s always just on what’s next, focusing on how you still have two races to win. It’s not really until the end of the year that you start to kind of sit back and let it sink in.
“But it is quite hard to grasp just how incredible the whole journey has been to this point and that we’re still building. When people talk about history, it just doesn’t fully resonate at the moment. I’m sure at some stage it will.”
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paulguitar (@paulguitar)
15th November 2019, 8:40
That’s a nice compliment for Hamilton. it is such a shame that Robert’s career was ruined by his accident. I think he was one of the very few drivers who really could have taken the fight to Lewis.
Joseph (@bigjoe)
15th November 2019, 12:28
@paulguitar
At his best, if driving for Mercedes, would RK have done better than Rosberg? Or do better than Bottas now? Say won the race from pole last race?
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
15th November 2019, 14:50
There is little point just looking at one race @bigjoe
I think if he had been in a top team having not had his accident, all the signs are that he would have been capable of challenging for titles.
F1oSaurus (@)
15th November 2019, 16:20
@paulguitar Kubica was beaten by Heidfeld for most of their seasons together though.
PeterF
15th November 2019, 9:31
only for the 5 of them :)
Joe Pineapples
15th November 2019, 10:51
Well said that man.
Joseph (@bigjoe)
15th November 2019, 12:26
On actual race pace. No clearly not.
He was in the best team by a country mile for 5 championships.
F1oSaurus (@)
15th November 2019, 16:26
@bigjoe It’s funny that when in 2017 and 2018 Ferrari had by far the best race pace overall and Mercedes only had a small advantage in Q3, you claimed that Q3 was most important. Yet now you pretend it’s the other way around when Ferrari is fastest in Q3?
Of course with Vettel it is all irrelevant what the race pace was/is since he would spin or crash during the races anyway. While Hamilton just keeps on winning races.
Steveetienne
15th November 2019, 21:36
Yawn
Adam (@rocketpanda)
15th November 2019, 13:00
His first title with McLaren, I’d agree. That McLaren was very closely fought by the Ferrari, in fact I’d argue the Ferrari was a little better. (Could say that McLaren was a tiny bit cheaty but that’s another argument)
But his 5 titles with Mercedes? I think it’d be difficult to argue the Mercedes wasn’t the absolute class of the field. Granted he still needed the talent to deliver those titles – can’t take that away from him, but his car was and still is comfortably and considerably better than anyone elses. I mean if you got the chance to drive an F1 car, what would you pick? You’d be mad to pick anything other than that Mercedes.
Martin
15th November 2019, 13:53
Definitely wasn’t class of the field in 2018, it’s arguable it wasnt in 2017/2019 too
Ajaxn
15th November 2019, 13:59
Yep, Hamilton did not always have the fastst car, and here for the doubters is why….
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/50426129
– Quote –
Focus on Ferrari
Hamilton is determined to end the season on a high, saying he wants to win the final two grands prix in Brazil on Sunday and Abu Dhabi on 1 December.
Ferrari will be the centre of attention in some ways following their poor performance at the last race in Austin.
That followed a rules clarification from governing body the FIA, underlining ways in which interfering with the running of the engine’s hybrid system would be illegal.
The ruling came in answer to an enquiry from Red Bull, who had asked about potential ways of interfering with the mandatory fuel-flow meter that could lead it to exceed the maximum permitted fuel flow.
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said in Austin that the ruling had not affected them, but there has been another clarification before the race in Sao Paulo, this time emphasising that it would be illegal for teams to introduce lubricants into the engine which could have the side-effect of boosting power.
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel said the team “did not fully understand” why they were off the pace in the US, but added: “I am pretty confident we can be back to our normal form here.”
– End Quote –
Vettel’s remarks , so funny ;-)
Ajaxn
15th November 2019, 14:08
I’d like to see an article dedicated to this one point. The use of lubricants ,eg special mix of ‘Oils’ in the engine to boost performance.
Why has it taken till now to make it explicitly clear that its illegal?
Its been something of an in joke amoungst commentators, nodding and winking at the Ferrrari exhust fumes, yet its taken till now for the FIA to come out on this point.
Confirmation found buried in a BBC writeup on Hamilton, where previous articles have only alluded to a Fuel-Flow meter issue.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/50426129
Robbie (@robbie)
15th November 2019, 15:22
LH didn’t always have the fastest car, but he did most of the time, and it is a team, and he is on the best team too. So let’s not make it sound like LH did this single-handedly. Like he wrestled some temperamental 2nd place car to the WDC with potentially several races to go in the season, surpassing the WCC car in doing so.
As to LH’s last two paragraphs in the article above…he certainly didn’t always finish off his WDC seasons fully focused on winning the last races after winning the big prize. There have been seasons when he has admitted to too much partying and wishing the season was already over. Particularly that happened in 2015 and that attitude likely helped NR win the last three races of 2015 and then he went on to win the first four of 2016 as well as the title. Perhaps that lesson taught LH to not phone it in for the rest of seasons where he has won the WDC with some races to go.