“Sometimes I wonder why I do this”: How Hamilton endured a slog to sixth in Singapore

14 comments on ““Sometimes I wonder why I do this”: How Hamilton endured a slog to sixth in Singapore”

1. 

   MichaelN
   24th September 2024, 17:27

   It’s always interesting to read reports like this and get a sense of how the teams approach the race, especially when the strategy comes undone like it did for Hamilton.

   At the same time, I wonder how much of this information is actionable. I suppose you’d have to compare the laptimes to see if Hamilton is able to up the pace here and there, then drop it later on, but I’m puzzled what Hamilton in P6 stands to gain by knowing how quick Verstappen in P2 is going. Other than further souring his mood, I guess.
2. 

   Edvaldo
   24th September 2024, 17:54

   They were so cocky when the car got better: “It was so simple! It was under our noses all this time!”.

   Well, what happened to that? The immediate update from that didn’t work and they’re back to where they were, 4th fastest team and not even great qualifyings are enough to ensure good results.
   1. 

      The Dolphins
      24th September 2024, 22:08

      My understanding is those comments made by James Allison were referring to aero issues. Mercedes looked to mainly struggle with tyres this past weekend, George most notably getting a wag of the finger from Pirelli about remarks he made regarding the tyre inconsistency between races or even between sessions.

      Red Bull and Ferrari seem to be in a similar position with their inconsistent performance from race to race. McLaren seem to be the only ones to consistently drive for podiums or wins.
      1. 

         pcxmac (@pcxmac)
         26th September 2024, 14:14

         if it were not for McLaren, Max would have run away with the championship, and nobody would stick around for the final race. Pirelli are giving Macca good tires or developing the tires for their car, or are giving knowledge to McLaren in advance so they can work around the ‘issue’ with Pirelli’s inconsistent tire performance.

         This whole season is scripted, just like 2021.
3. 

   Nick T.
   24th September 2024, 21:59

   OMG, he’s gone three seasons w/a car capable of only winning races now and then. I can’t imagine any other GOATs who have suffered a tenth of what he has!
   1. 

      David BR (@david-br)
      25th September 2024, 2:06

      Technically speaking, there are no other GOATs. That’s the whole point of being a GOAT. Though I detect a hint of sarcasm.
      Not quite sure why you pick up Hamilton on this given all drivers seem to be complaining about something some (most) of the time. It’s why they’re elite performers in their sport, well, most of them. In this case Hamilton is clearly referring (in his ‘sometimes I wonder why I do this’) to Russell finally passing him in the race after the team ‘persuaded’ Hamilton to go for a self-evidently useless strategy. It’s a good question why he chose or had to accept that strategy, but it clearly wasn’t his preference. I’m fairly sure this is all low-level ‘psych ops’ to demotivate Hamilton, who’ll be a rival next year. It can’t really be about boosting Russell since they (or Wolff) has made it clear that they want Verstappen too and it wouldn’t be to replace Antonelli. That’s why the whole Mercedes ambience seems weird just now, kind of not really backing either of their drivers.
      1. 

         Nick T.
         25th September 2024, 2:57

         I wasn’t being sarcastic about calling him a GOAT. I use the term loosely, hence the plural. He’s one of the great of all times, joined by two current drivers on the list of GOATs of the past 50 years, which includes Schumi, Senna & Prost IMO.

         Anyway, my sarcasm is split between a) not feeling sympathy for Lewis that this car is the worst he’s had to deal with (I’m disappointed he can’t get himself fired up to compete in a car that can still score podiums too) and b) how often I see the media acting like he’s had to deal w/uncompetitive machinery for an unacceptably long time. I get that the team is in a weird place right now, but I don’t feel it’s all down to the team. I also don’t believe they’re trying to screw with Hamilton so he’s not good next season because a) I don’t think they expect Ferrari to be the fastest car and b) I believe they’d rather both drivers excelled so they could attract Max to the team.

         So, yeah. I’ve got endless respect for what Lewis is capable of. I don’t mind complaints when they seem born out of anger/a drive to do better as I want to see him bringing the pain to the young drivers. I do mind mopey complaints that seem to be the driver feeling sorry for themselves.
         1. 

            David BR (@david-br)
            25th September 2024, 12:57

            But Mercedes expect they’ll have the fastest car? Or to put it another way, they must expect that they and Ferrari will be on track rivals, competing for roughly the same places. Though actually none of us – or them – has any idea which team will perform best next season. I imagine Verstappen will wait to 2026, even taking a sabbatical, to see which team emerges strongest and go there. It will be his to choose. And I don’t think it will be Mercedes. So I’d anticipate Russell staying. But the overtures to Verstappen from Wolff really can’t be well-received by GR. I’m sure Mercedes are more or less like McLaren with Piastri (or Ferrari when Leclerc joined), having a ‘senior’ driver but expecting the new recruit to be their future.
      2. 

         AlanD
         25th September 2024, 17:31

         David: “Technically speaking, there are no other GOATs. That’s the whole point of being a GOAT.”

         You made me laugh with that. I must admit it had never occurred to me before. Mentally it is now in the same box as people who make liberal use of “unique”.

         David: “I’m fairly sure this is all low-level ‘psych ops’ to demotivate Hamilton, who’ll be a rival next year.”

         If that is the case, it is a dangerous strategy. If Hamilton sits in a Ferrari and it all feels good compared to the machinery and atmosphere he’s been getting from Mercedes, his motivation will go through the roof. On the other hand, if he leaves Merc on a high and Ferrari struggles, he might well be thinking “what have I done, why did I ever leave Merc?”
         1. 

            David BR (@david-br)
            25th September 2024, 18:59

            @ AlanD that’s a really good counter-argument. However it’s not that I think it’s deliberate on the part of the team, more a kind of reflection that they seem to be in holding pattern as far as their drivers are concerned. They can’t really get behind Russell out of respect for Lewis (which I’m sure they have, irrespective of his decision to jump to Ferrari) but the decision to risk Hamilton’s race with the soft tyre strategy wouldn’t have been taken a few years back. Any chance it would work was very marginal (dependent on him passing Verstappen and Norris, surely, otherwise he’d be sat wasting the soft tyres behind Norris, or hoping for a safety car at an ideal time). It seems the kind of decision taken when they’re not really that invested in how it turns out.
   2. 

      Mayrton
      25th September 2024, 12:05

      He surely has had a privileged run. Not that he doesn’t live up to it with his driving skills, but I do not think there are other drivers that have had race winning cars A. from the get go and B. for so many consecutive years. One of the greats of all time, but also one or maybe the most lucky one ever, the LOAT.
      1. 

         pcxmac (@pcxmac)
         27th September 2024, 17:09

         privileges are for people who haven’t earned the right. Be very careful with that word, because it could be used against you. HAM has put in his time, and probably sacrifices in his own way, in his person, the right to retain his drive, and the direction he took in life.

         Some guys don’t have great Dad’s, not all dads are that great, or don’t keep learning as they get older too. What Lewis and his family have achieved are quite the milestone and how you do it in life, through family, hard work, and positive influence. The man can’t be stopped, because you can’t stop that kind of force, you can only pray not to be driven over by it, by embracing that nature in yourself. We live in uncertain times, but what is for certain, is Lewis is doing it right, in the public spectacle.
4. 

   David B
   25th September 2024, 9:33

   I imagine the £35 million yearly salary before the extra roughly £20 million in other work each year has something to do with it.
5. 

   Harsha Vardhan Maagalam
   25th September 2024, 15:19

   The feast didn’t even start yet

Comments are closed.