Car Has Changed Since Singapore - Hamilton

[Paul Jeffrey]

Hot on the heels of Felipe Massa's exclusion from the Brazilian Grand Prix due to tyre temperature irregularities, World Champion Lewis Hamilton claims his all-conquering Mercedes machine just isn't the same since changes to tyre pressures came into effect for the Singapore Grand.

Since both the cars of Hamilton and Rosberg judged to be running incorrect tyre pressures ahead of the Grand Prix in Monza (though it escaped punishment as Mercedes had broken no rules or procedures) changes made for Singapore onwards seem to have affected the results achieved by the British driver far more than his German colleague Nico Rosberg.

Despite no firm evidence that the necessary changes made to the tyre pressures have caused Hamilton's recent (relative) dip in form, the World Champion does suggest his car hasn't performed quite like it did in the early part of the season.

"From Singapore onwards there's been a change to the car – but whether or not that's made a difference, I don't know really. We'll have to see. But it has changed since Singapore".​

Without a pole position since September's race in Monza, and with Rosberg's recent run of five pole positions and back-to-back race wins in Brazil and Mexico (not to mention leading in Austin until suffering an unforced error to let Hamilton past) the question was posed over whether changes to the tyre pressures could have had an effect.

Rosberg refuted these allegations however, claiming the change in the status quo at the head of the field is simply down to the number 6 Mercedes upping its game in recent races. Questioned by Sky Sports F1 after Sunday's race regarding Rosberg's upturn in form potentially being due to the release of the pressure of fighting for a championship title, Rosberg simply replied that his form has improved and the pressure remains as before.

With Hamilton having won three Grands Prix since the Italian Grand Prix, this is hardly a disaster for the Briton, it does however hold out a little ray of hope in the F1 paddock that maybe next season he won't have the championship race all to himself.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

With Hamilton having won three Grands Prix since the Italian Grand Prix, this is hardly a disaster for the Briton, it does however hold out a little ray of hope in the F1 paddock that maybe next season he won't have the championship race all to himself.

As long as this means other teams will start to contend for the title I agree. While I'm a LH fan and don't want to see Rosberg win, I don't particularly care if the two are fighting each others for it, I want to see a at least 2 team fight, preferrably more! At the end of the day I watch F1 to witness great racing and I don't care much who wins the title, as long as it's won on track fighting for positions rather than through strategies or politics.

 

[Tim.E]

I don't know whether this is true or not though if it is, it may not be an excuse for the recent dip of Hamilton. Not to mention that he hasn't even driven that bad. Nico has just been outstanding for the past couple of races.

 

[Andrew Harper]

It's not unusual for one particular technical innovation or regulation change to affect one driver in a team more than another, blown diffusers, traction control systems, I remember that Patrese had a hard time adjusting to the active Williams whereas Mansell loved it.

Not a direct comparison but I'm sure you get my point!

Race drivers are very sensitive to changes in overall balance of the car, especially it seems if it stops them winning!

 

[vee10]

If it is the tyre pressures, this goes to show how much the car and technical regs of the time can affect the results. The margins are tiny. This applies more than ever.

 

[David O'Reilly]

I think Rosberg is a great driver and a great man.
When he loses he usually faces the mirror and accepts his errors.
COTA Lap 1 T1 I didn't agree with him. Hamilton made a legit move and owned the Apex there.

Apart from that, he takes it like a man. Great example was Abu Dhabi last year when he was in the title hunt and his car wasn't working and it cost him the WDC. He finished the race despite his team wanting him (suggesting anyway) that he park it up.

The margins are indeed very fine and the momentum seems to swing like a tennis grand slam final between Federer and Djokovic.

The thing that bugs the hell out of me is the narrative of the British press.
to paraphrase it "The genius of Hamilton and the workmanlike Rosberg"
Today in the BBC TV highlights intro it says "Rosberg wins despite Hamilton looking faster"
What garbage. I mean really! when did he look faster?
I mean for goodness sake. In 2014 Rosberg outqualified Hamilton (yes Hamilton the qualifying ace!) , took it to the final race. Before that he saw off Schumacher in equal cars. They were not fast M/Benz in those days so it was written off as Schumachers sunset and Rosbergs youth.
Maybe, just maybe beating Schumacher and then taking it to Hamilton for the whole season means Rosberg is just very very good?

He interviews in a witty intelligent way in 4 languages. Is a husband and father.
I am a Rosberg Fan.

In Brazil I think I saw the freshly crowned WDC Hamilton after quali and after the race looking like he was chewing on a wasp.
His Idol Senna gave a win to Gerhard Berger late in his WDC season. Has it even crossed Hamiltons mind in his journey to stardom that he might help Nico secure #2 in the WDC? Nope dont think so.

The Lewis Hamilton cap I bought in 2007 b4 the season even started after seeing him in GP2 get worn now when it rains.

IMO the difference between them as drivers is very very fine. As men its huge.
Just my opinion thats all.

 

[Tal]

@David O'Reilly If I could rate your post twice I would've added the "winner" rating as well.

 

[paracletus]

saw the interview, LH just said that some changes have been made to the car and wasn't sure if these were having an affect -- press were harassing LH & NR for a reason.
Wouldn't read too much into it. Only two races ago NR said he lost the race "because of a gust of wind".
race up front was once again spoiled by the carp tyres -- LH following close was good to watch for a while, but the budget tyres can't take it.
Needs to change for the sake of racing.

 

[Nick Milton]

We've seen Hamilton as a bad loser before, in fact every time he doesn't win,
He's a world champ, yes, but he's a bad loser, he's arrogant, and a poor sportsman,
In my opinion.. Put him in a Ferrari against Vettel? True colours would show.

Just my opinion.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

When he loses he usually faces the mirror and accepts his errors.

Does he really? I find him looking for excuses all the time, "a gust of wind" recently comes to mind rather than saying "I buckled under pressure and made a mistake, I will learn from that".
Could it have been a gust of wind? Perhaps, but unless you show me telemetry I will never believe it.

Great example was Abu Dhabi last year when he was in the title hunt and his car wasn't working and it cost him the WDC. He finished the race despite his team wanting him (suggesting anyway) that he park it up.

I'll give him that, I agree, he DOES think a lot about putting up a show for the fans, fans didn't come there to see him park the car they came to see racing and he gave them that as best he could.

The thing that bugs the hell out of me is the narrative of the British press.
to paraphrase it "The genius of Hamilton and the workmanlike Rosberg"
Today in the BBC TV highlights intro it says "Rosberg wins despite Hamilton looking faster"
What garbage. I mean really! when did he look faster?

Both times when he was on Rosbergs tail but failed to get close enough to pass? Both times coming from 2-3 seconds behind and working his way up fast. I have no doubt that if it was a "hotlap" on track for 71 laps LH would have won the race, but we will never agree on this I reckon

Maybe, just maybe beating Schumacher and then taking it to Hamilton for the whole season means Rosberg is just very very good?

Agreed, he IS a great driver, I have to acknowledge that even though I despise his personality.

He interviews in a witty intelligent way in 4 languages.

Witty? When? I've only seen him misunderstand jokes that others laugh of, and makes jokes that noone but himself laughs of (of the guys being interviewed that is). Vettel is another driver I'm not a fan of, but that guy can be witty as hell!

His Idol Senna gave a win to Gerhard Berger late in his WDC season. Has it even crossed Hamiltons mind in his journey to stardom that he might help Nico secure #2 in the WDC? Nope dont think so.

Has he been in a position to give Nico 2nd? Afaik Rosberg has won the two races since LH became champion so there has not been a chance for him to do so. Do I think he should? I guess, it's a team sport after all, but I'd rather see LH win from a highly egoistic perspective

We've seen Hamilton as a bad loser before, in fact every time he doesn't win,
He's a world champ, yes, but he's a bad loser, he's arrogant, and a poor sportsman,
In my opinion.. Put him in a Ferrari against Vettel? True colours would show.

LH has been a sore looser all his career, but so have most great champions that I know of. I've never seen a worse looser than Schumi for instance.
That's the difference between LH and Rosberg, Rosberg can be satisfied with 2nd because he's thinking about the championship and the points he salvaged. LH generally wants to win, every damn time, and he tends to blame himself badly if he doesn't.

 

[Tal]

LH generally wants to win, every damn time, and he tends to blame himself badly if he doesn't.

He seemed pretty keen last race to blame virtually everybody else for him failure to get past...
"New tyre regs a change for the worse" "Impossible to overtake here" "couldn't switch the strategy" springs to mind...

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

"New tyre regs a change for the worse"

It was a comment, not an excuse for not winning, the two following where his explanation for not winning combined with saying "Rosberg did a great job, especially in qualifying."

"Impossible to overtake here"

A fact, no more no less, the tracks layout makes it virtually impossible to pass unless you have a major advantage in straightline speed, Hamilton may have been faster than Rosberg at certain points in the race, but not half a second ++ faster per lap.

"couldn't switch the strategy"

He asked his engineers to switch strategy, his team refused to do so. To LH it was worth taking a chance on a different strategy to try win the race even if it meant in the end he'd loose 2nd to Vettel, it's all about 1st for him (especially now that he's WDC), 2nd or 3rd made no difference to him, but the team didn't wanna risk that.

Lastly, I think Hamilton will be blaming himself for not outqualifying Rosberg, he may not say so to the media but deep inside he's kicking himself hard for it.

 

[Tal]

https://twitter.com/f1silverarrow/status/665951647164702720

Also, would Lewis have said that comment about the tyre regs if he had won? I don't think so.
And to add, Rosberg fully admitted his fault in losing the US grand prix. I find it weird that you said he didn't, because he admitted it right after the race. Later, when he was looking for a reason as to why he lost it, THE TEAM told him there was a freak gust of wind. He didn't say there was one, THE TEAM did. If it's true or not I don't know, but he wasn't excusing himself at all for that mistake.
And finally: cracking jokes on Nico's expense is funny for us viewers (I laughed), but try to put yourself in his shoes; He is annoyed with himself and how the race went, and at every conference Seb has been using him / Lewis for his jokes. I wouldn't be in the mood myself... but it's easy to judge.

Also, as for impossible to overtake, i'd refer you to Vettel in Brazil 2012. To be honest I don't have the time to rewatch that race, to judge if the overtakes he did were enough to debunk Hamilton's claims (also you could say maybe the dirty air was less of a disadvantage back then, I really don't know) but he still went from dead last to seventh (and a championship to boot!). Which is why I think he said he thinks this track is great for overtaking (on paper) in the press conference...

 

[paracletus]

Truth is all F1 drivers can be stroppy twits / bad losers after the race, rosberg as much as anyone else; had a major strop on a couple of races ago. LH for sure, alonso certainly. Try racing in one of those things for two hours and facing the media after.
This is all mere gossip though.
On the track is what matters imo - not who is the "nicest chap".

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

https://twitter.com/f1silverarrow/status/665951647164702720

Also, would Lewis have said that comment about the tyre regs if he had won? I don't think so.
And to add, Rosberg fully admitted his fault in losing the US grand prix. I find it weird that you said he didn't, because he admitted it right after the race. Later, when he was looking for a reason as to why he lost it, THE TEAM told him there was a freak gust of wind. He didn't say there was one, THE TEAM did. If it's true or not I don't know, but he wasn't excusing himself at all for that mistake.
And finally: cracking jokes on Nico's expense is funny for us viewers (I laughed), but try to put yourself in his shoes; He is annoyed with himself and how the race went, and at every conference Seb has been using him / Lewis for his jokes. I wouldn't be in the mood myself... but it's easy to judge.

Also, as for impossible to overtake, i'd refer you to Vettel in Brazil 2012. To be honest I don't have the time to rewatch that race, to judge if the overtakes he did were enough to debunk Hamilton's claims (also you could say maybe the dirty air was less of a disadvantage back then, I really don't know) but he still went from dead last to seventh (and a championship to boot!). Which is why I think he said he thinks this track is great for overtaking (on paper) in the press conference...

Vettel is, as much as it hurts to say it, a pretty good driver. That Verstappen though, I'm so excited to see what becomes of him in future seasons, he really seems to extract the last bit out of the car he's in atm, would be great to see him in a top team!

 

[Tal]

Indeed, I'm usually very critical of him because I think he's being blown way out of proportion, but I do enjoy watching him on track.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Indeed, I'm usually very critical of him because I think he's being blown way out of proportion, but I do enjoy watching him on track.

I was prepared to agree at the start of the season, but so far I think he has been delivering 110%
Ofc there's the occasional stupid move, like driving into the back of Grosjean at Monaco, but I'm willing to put that on his "being a rookie getting experience account" ^^

 

[David O'Reilly]

I have no doubt that if it was a "hotlap" on track for 71 laps LH would have won the race, but we will never agree on this I reckon

Bit academic dont you think except in codemasters F1 titles.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Bit academic dont you think except in codemasters F1 titles.

Perhaps, I was merely trying to point out that at a point LH was faster. Now if he could have been faster AND maintained his tire wear at an acceptable rate if he weren't stuck behind Rosberg is anyones guess.

 

[Vimal Ana]

I am just genuinly hoping that next year, Rosberg will bring the title fight to Hamilton. And secretly hoping that the Ferraris will catch up and challenge those two as well
Great job from NR6 at Interlagos!