2016 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, 07-09 October

[turbof1]

Press conferences are so boring, and to serious!

So me likes a bit of banter ....

I cant imagine how it is like to be asked the same questions year in year out.

"how do you feel"

"Why arent you friends with Rosberg anymore"

Bla bla bla bla, there are not to many good journalist left anymore, that is the real problem!

But there was no banter. Lewis was either busy on his phone or giving dud/cryptic/terse responses. How is this improving things? It wasn't funny, interesting or anything like that. He was childish.

Perhaps, then again I too often times get in touch with my inner child. I think most of us need to loosen up from time to time.

Like mentioned these press conferences are not very entertaining. To put it blunt: having a clown around helps.

[basti313]

To put it blunt: having a clown around helps.

It really helped?

[A-Bap]

Who the F cares, the pre-race press conferences are worthless.

It's a press conference. Its for the media first and the fans second. Its interesting to people who know how to read between the lines.

[godlameroso]

Canned responses for canned questions, I never see ANY driver excited about doing a press conference. Everyone is always very solemn and never displays any emotion. They have to hide it because the show is competitive and even a psychological edge can give someone the advantage. The press conferences purposefully try to push people's buttons by asking "hard" questions, the drivers are bored with it because they know what's coming they know how they're supposed to behave. So naturally a person deviates from this tired format and it causes a poop storm. Let people be, I think it was needed, there I said it. Irreverent or not, the drivers don't owe the press anything besides interacting with them, which they do. Maybe they'd get a better response if they asked better questions.

[thisisatest]

What Lewis was really up to at the press conference.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/bored-lew ... socialflow

[ChrisDanger]

[ChrisDanger]

[ChrisDanger]

[Phil]

Regarding Lewis at the press conference: I mirror Schuttelbergs sentiments. I can't remember Lewis ever being that way at a press conference. Makes one wonder what is going on "behind the scenes". I hope he can channel some of what he must be feeling inside into a perfect qualifying and race. Rosberg certainly seems to strong again this weekend, though he always is at Suzuka.

[SiLo]

I just find it funny that you guys are arguing about it. Who the hell cares? Let him do what he wants.

As long as the racing is good and kimi says something funny, it's a good weekend for me!

[i70q7m7ghw]

Looks like Rosberg has the edge. I imagine the title is all but a formality now, the bookies seem to think so anyway.

[Juzh]

[ThumbsUp]

Could it be that Lewis is saving his engine a bit more then Rosberg is? Rosberg is most of the times faster in FP1. Not saying that Rosberg isn't fast. He got pole in 2014 and 2015 but Lewis won in '14 and '15.. Hoping to see a nice battle between them and RBR and Ferrari..

Edit: In '14 Lewis was 9 seconds ahead and in '15 he was 18 seconds ahead. Could it be that Lewis wins this one if Rosberg gets pole by 27 seconds.. It's a trend

[basti313]

Looks like Rosberg has the edge. I imagine the title is all but a formality now, the bookies seem to think so anyway.

I do not think so. The gap is too small to make any conclusions. I think the outcome of the next Qs will be defined by the engine situation: This weekend Ham has a much newer engine, so he will be a few tenth ahead. When Ros gets his new engine he will be slightly ahead and the situation will equal out for the last two races.
Race is anyways something defined by the start, failures and crashes.

I just find it funny that you guys are arguing about it. Who the hell cares? Let him do what he wants.

As long as the racing is good and kimi says something funny, it's a good weekend for me!

Well, there are obviously people spending time to attend the press conference and there are people spending time on watching/reading the press conference. Not me, not you. But nevertheless it is bad manner to steal those people's time who care. There is a good way in simply saying: "I am just here to not get fined. Please ask someone else questions."
But of course talking about manners is nonsense when we talk about guys like Ros, Vet, Ham, Ves...these guys do nothing but racing since they are 12 years old. So it is completely normal, that they behave like 12 year old kids. This is the same in other well paid sports like soccer.

[basti313]

Could it be that Lewis is saving his engine a bit more then Rosberg is?

No, they are both on engines, which will not be used for races anymore. Ham on engine 1, 2 or 3 and Ros on engine 1 or 2 (nr. 3 died in Baku), if I count correctly.
Ham will race engines 5 (Spa) and 6 (Monza) till the end as nr. 4 died. Ros will race Nr. 4 in Japan (mounted in Spa) and will use Nr. 5 from USA on.