Hamilton not SO great!

[Scuderia_Russ]

I'm all for people having their own opinions, but when they are as blinkered and unfounded as the original posters I have to say what the hell are you on about?! You're plain wrong.

[DaveKillens]

Of course Hamilton is in a very good car, and if you asked any of the 22 drivers competing in Formula One, they would all state that if they had that car, they too would finish no worse than fourth.
But let's break this guy down, do a little dissection, and comparisons. And who better to compare him to than who I personally believe is/was the most complete racing package, Michael Schumacher.
Let's start by looking at two completely separate parts, the driving skill, and the personality.
Hamilton is quick, and has already won a few poles. But he just isn't 100% capable of maintaining race pace for the entire competition. There have been a few races when he has fallen off the pace during some stages of races. Michael always got 100% of his car, for the entire race. Hamilton isn't there yet, but will most likely mature into a driver who can maintain race pace. Alonso can do it, and so can Kimi. In fact, on occasion, Kimi has posted the quickest lap late in the race.
Hamilton is well prepared, mentally and physically. He is a realist and is very aware of the type and caliber of drivers he competes against. He has not displayed lack of self-confidence, and at present canhandle the type of pressure(s) he is under. Additionally, Hamilton always brings his "A" game each event. Unlike certain drivers such as Fisichella and Ralf, who can have bad weekends mentally and show it, Hamilton has not shown that kind of weakness. Michael Schumacher set the standard for mental and physical preparation, and I can never remember any instance where he has not shown anything but absolute confidence.
Now let's examine his personality. Lewis Hamilton, like most racers, is extremely selfish and motivated to succeed. Properly channelled, this is a good thing. But as we all saw in Hungary, it got out of control and he ignored team orders to pursue his own personal agenda. Yes, he got a win out of it, and moved a big step closer to the title. But he did tremendous damage in his relationship to his team. Lewis' dad ought to sit him down and read the riot act concerning team orders. It's the team that puts him in a car good enough to win. And if he screws his own team, then he's just screwing himself in the long run. Maturity, being patient and being aware of the entire big picture is something he has not grasped yet, and wants it all NOW, regardless of consequences. Michael is selfish and driven, but he was always performing with the big picture in mind.
Lewis is a manipulator, already proving himself very capable of manipulating the press and public's opinion of him.
And he's very smart, that kid's no dummy.

So when I compare Lewis Hamilton to Michael Schumacher, I see an immature driver who has the potential to develop into just as complete a package as Michael Schumacher. Give him a few years to mature and be tempered by the F1 wars and politics, and he just may be as good as Schumacher. But don't worry, faithful tifosi, Michael's records will not be broken.

[manchild]

I hope he develops into Alain Prost or some similar driver. God forbid having him developed into Schuey with everything that Schuey was. And yes, records are safe - braking them would require rebirth of Niccolò Machiavelli himself.

[checkered]

John Surtees certainly

has some ideas about Hamilton's near future. Surtees: Hamilton more focused after row (link)

[Spencifer_Murphy]

All top drawer drivers have people who love them, and people who loathe them. And in both cases some who do so to the extreme with no real basis to what they are saying. To say Hamilton isn't a good driver is just as crazy as saying "He's the nest Senna" etc. He has started only a handful of GP's in F1, we cannot know either way for certain yet. What is certain is:
1. He's had the best start to an F1 carear of anybody
2. He's leading the WDC in his rookie year as we come into the closibng stages.
3. yes, he is in the best (2nd best to Ferrari?) car on this grid.
4. yes he had had a LOT of backing from Ron and Mclaren for most of his carear and by Tony Purnell before that.

points 3 and 4 cannot take away from achievements 1 & 2, they just demonstate that his talent has had extra help to develop extra quick. Remember that Senna wasn't always a good driver in the wet (by his own admission) but he learnt and became one of the best. There's nothing wrong with learning to become great as opposed to being "born great".

At the end of the day its quite clear Lewis is doing a very good job, and is displaying the potential to one day maybe be a true great. Whether he fulfils that potential remains to be seen. I hope he does, because I'm a big fan.