is Lewis the best ever rookie?

[wazojugs]

i think hamiltons race in turkey in the GP2 series last year showed what race craft and speed he has.

its just a shame that the british press are now jumping up and down too much making too much off it.

[manchild]

Correct me if im wrong but wasnt Fernando a pay driver? also Schumi ?

I'm not sure about Fernando but Schuey was. After winning in Group C Mercedes paid Jordan to let Schuey appear in F1.

[DaveKillens]

Bottom line is that Hamilton has emerged as a very good, promising rookie. He has shone so much that we have a very strong debate whether he is the best rookie ever. Personally, I'm going to sit back and watch and enjoy. His place in history will be determined by his statistics and numbers, something that will be generated throughout this season. At the end of the season, the sheer numbers will answer this entertaining and controversial subject.

[Spyker MF1]

I'm not sure about Fernando but Schuey was.

Yep Alonso was just read the chapter about it in "The Piranha Club"

[Venom]

Same thing happening in other sporting events...

Every englishman is believing England is going to win the world cup, the only impressive thing is how nation can hold the same hope for 40 years without getting close to it...

They haven't even managed to get on a "podium " since then...


Lewis may be overrated, but's it not himself that does it, it's media, so blame the media not a young rookie who is doing well and keeping quiet...

[DaveKillens]

The English media does go overboard. I checked a few Brit web sites, and it's Hamilton this, Hamilton that. In one prominent F1 site, they have already proclaimed him the 2007 WDC, and go so far as saying he's the next Shu. Umm, that's a far reach for a rookie with just three races under his belt. No matter how well he has done, this is definitely over the line. This isn't just radib wnthusiasm, it's pure irresponsible journalism.
He's a very good racer, and done exceptionally well in a top team. I wish him well, but the expectations placed on him are now impossible.

[pRo]

Well, when Shumi won the DC's from 2000-2004, he wasnt a rookie anymore, so lets leave him out of this.

Why? You just said it yourself. You can't really argue that he didn't have the best cars too.

Thats why he doesnt amaze me as much as he possibly could, if he had lesser machinery and was still delivering stunning results, that would show his talent a lot better, and then probably I would be a fan.

I'm not doubting Hamilton's talent either, but the fact that he has one of the best cars on the grid helps him out a great deal.

Of course it helps a lot. I don't think anyone would expect him to finish on podium in a Spyker. Even Ferrari drivers couldn't finish on podium in a Spyker, or whoever you think is the best of the best(?).

And since he has had the best cars on the grid since GP2 he has always been on the podium, or been winning.

So, in your opinion, why do you think he has had and is now in the best cars? The teams with best cars pretty much get to choose their drivers, don't you think they'd go for the best drivers for their best cars?

You should always compare drivers against his team member first. Alonso should be quite a good comparison. And Hamilton has nothing to be ashamed of against him. I do hope he wins this season. I do hope he makes the championship exciting till the end. I do hope all the best for him.

[RH1300S]

Best rookie ever? The baisc premise is going to stir up a debate which can never be proven. Is schuey the greatest ever? The stats tell us yes; many people who should know would say - "one of.........."

There is no doubt Hamilton is the real deal. He has faced down Alonso, Kimi & Massa. So far, does not appear to have made a single mistake. In my book, that's a pretty good start in any car. He has earned the right to be in that car - not only that he has not wasted an ounce of it (compare him to Fisi last year - and this year too quite frankly).

For me, the most exciting thing is what he will bring to F1. We now have Kimi, Alonso and Hamilton who will make a race of anything - and take it to the wire. Massa; I'm less sure of, but he does impress.

The future looks bright.

[waynes]

now this is becoming a joke

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39041

[Torso]

now this is becoming a joke

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39041

True, he hasn`t won a race, he hasn`t taken any poles,he is driving one of the two best/fastest cars, he`s so far down by 1-3 vs his teammate and they see no reason why he shouldn`t become the greatest ever...hehehehehe

Maybe he better start winning then...only 91 wins, 68 poles and 7 drivers titles to go and Hamilton is by all means a candidate for the title: "greatest of all time".

But the brittish tabloids might benefit from realising that for the next 8 years that title will not belong to him. And by then Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso or who ever is lucky enough to keep a top seat for so many years could very well have earned the same title...

But in my view MSchumachers records seem pretty much unbeatable at the moment.

And what if Hamilton proves to an "alsoran" in the wet? Then he will never deserved to be titled the greatest ever regardless of stats.

MSchumacher is and was so much a robot as an artist to perfectionist in all conditions we may ever come to vitness in this sport.

This season IS a huge anticlimax.

[Tom]

Just ignore it, he's good we can all agree but none of us can see the future. I personally believe he can be one of if not the greatest ever, but it will take time. Just sit back and watch. As for the anticlimax season, are you kidding? its stunning, 3 races gone and three drivers on equal points at the top! A latin twice World Champion, a young Scandanavian, a British rookie and not much further back an ex-Schumacher teammate showing he's much more than just that with a surprise BMW-Saulber in only its second season driven by an experienced German only 1 point behind!

I haven't seen this much competition since the Mclaren/Ferrari battle of the late 90s!

[mx_tifoso]

Barely 3 GP's in and he's the "best rookie ever" ?
What a bunch of blind and gullible people. Seriously, which "decent" driver wouldnt have Hamilton's results with that car in their hands? If Sato can pull some good drives from his SA, imagine what he could do in a McLaren?! And so far, Hamilton has started from a decent position up front(P4>P4>P2). That surely helps out a lot !

Wait until later on in the season, or until the end, and then make all these claims about him being the best rookie ever. We'll then see if he's all that he's hyped to be. Im not doubting his abilities, I'm simply not going to get all exited about a rookie getting great results with one of the best teams in Formula 1 at the moment. It's definately not enough for me.

[pRo]

now this is becoming a joke

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39041

"Lewis Hamilton has the potential to become Formula 1’s greatest ever driver, according to McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh."

Do you disagree with that then? Whitmarsh didn't say he will be, he said it's possible.

At this point, you could say the same for every rookie and no one could really argue that.

[waynes]

Do you disagree with that then?.

i dont disagree he can go on and become a superstar but "the greatest ever"

give me a break, 3 races in and the F1 wankathon that is the media is getting all giddy about some kid finishing in positions expected of him

he's hardly Senna who IS the greatest

[Sawtooth-spike]

You do relise that when he wins a Race. The Bristish media is going to do make a reality tv show about him or something like that? Or maybe a musical and they can cast his roll on BBC.

I maybe next week we will see "Hamlton is god" or "Lewis for King". The media has gone mad. I hate the media in the uk we make celebritys out of idiots and we build our sports people up so high that when they make one mistake, they have a long way to fall.

Just let the boy do his job. He is a Talent of this there is no doubt. But we have to except his is not as good as the 3rd best driver on the grid..... Where did ralf finsh again?