Why hamilton is so good at overtaking

[HampusA]

If what Hamilton does is purely "textbook stuff" then why is he the only to do it so regularly? Did the others forget to read the book? Are 20 of the best open-wheeled drivers in the world (supposedly) totally unaware of these methods?

Sure, he often overtake middle-pack guys and that should be considered easy if he has a car advantage, but others in top cars quite often spend several times the time/distance behind those same middle-pack guys as Hamilton would.

I think the key to his overtaking prowess is that he just gets on with it. Other drivers seem to spend too long working it out and then they lose tyre / car performance from being tucked in the slipstream for too long.

Oh, and he puts his car in to the overtake and says to the other guy "your move buddy". Most times the other guy flinches, sometimes he doesn't. The rest is history.

I´m saying the top guys usually only overtakes 2-3 cars maximum.
Hamilton often finds himself further back which means more overtakes.

It IS really textbook stuff, there´s no secrets to overtaking someone if you think that.
It´s all about timing, composure and the surprise factor.

Hamilton is a fighter just like Alonso, that´s why you will see them run through the field no matter what track it is even if they did not have KERS or DRS or other crap.

Bolded stuff. TEXT BOOK OVERTAKES.

[HampusA]

I really hope you do understand that Hamilton has been overtaken several times by other people.

[bhall]

I´m saying the top guys usually only overtakes 2-3 cars maximum.
Hamilton often finds himself further back which means more overtakes.

Well put. Exactly what I was trying to say earlier.

[PlatinumZealot]

Not true. Did you know that Hamilton has the most overtakes FOR THE WIN per race in F1 history.. how do you explain that one?

On Schumacher's overtakes the difference between him and Hamilton is quality... Hamilton's overtakes are arguable the highest in quality in the modern era.

[HampusA]

Does he also have the most overtakes NOT FOR THE WIN per race in F1 history aswell?

My guess would be that.

[timbo]

Hamilton's overtakes are arguable the highest in quality in the modern era.

Does that include times when he crashed into other driver?

[ringo]

Hamilton's overtakes are arguable the highest in quality in the modern era.

Does that include times when he crashed into other driver?

Yes... *dons shades*

Just snide rebuttal with no effort to even process the thought?

I can't remember Hamilton crashing into another driver when attempting an overtake. Rubbing yes, crashing?
I don't recall that happening.

Any way let's not change the topic.

Timbo, who in you mind has the best quality overtakes on the grid, or even in the last 25 years?
Let's leave out the cheeky nonconstructive answers.

Or lets make a list of the best overtakers in the last 30 years and analyze it with a few videos and thrown in.

[ringo]

The trick is to pretend the guy in front is not there. At least that's how i do it in driving sims.
I completely disregard their braking spot and location and brake at my qualifying lap braking distance. Remeber the human reaction time is not instant.

The only time to brake later and miss the apex is when you know your car will obstruct the guy you are overtaking any way.


But you see it is textbook for anyone with some racecraft.

Ever wondered why it usually takes atleast 1 lap for him to get past the guys you mentioned like Alonso and Schumacher?
Because they know and they´ve been there themselves.

He caught Kimi off guard there. imo it´s textbook stuff.
It´s actually a relatively easy thing to do what he did.

He doesn´t have to worry about anything but watching when Kimi hits the brakes.
Then he hits them.
If you want more of those overtakes check out his last GP2 career.



He´s not god, he´s not an alien. He just has alot of racecraft.

Bolded stuff. Exactly, and that´s why you watch Kimis braking because the milliseconds it takes for you to hit the brakes means you are side by side just before the corner.

If you hit your Qualifying mark with race fuel in you will miss the corner.
If not, then you could move your Qualifying braking spot even further.

It's not text book. Brundle and DC don't think so.
Look were Hamilton overtakes in China, where he takes Button and where he takes Vettel.
Then look back to 2010 china.
I don't call those text book.

You want text book, you look on Button's low risk overtakes.

I guess the overtake on Rosberg on the outside in Australia in the wet is text book in your book?

[PlatinumZealot]

Haha... Timbo (*Slice), Hamp and bhall It's obvious you guys are just saying these things to go against the grain. You know his moves are not textbook, come on now.

Does he also have the most overtakes NOT FOR THE WIN per race in F1 history aswell?

My guess would be that.

Not really. You see, I said he has the highest overtakes for the win percentage of any other driver. So logic follows that he has the lowest non-winning overtakes percentage. Gotcha!

[bhall]

What in the world is a "high quality overtake?" Does it score an extra point? Is it recognized with high marks from a multinational panel of judges? Or is it more of an unofficial thing where the overtaken driver pulls over, removes his helmet and kneels before the victor? In which case, I've never seen a high quality overtake; but, I would have love to been a part of that era. Sounds genteel.

Hamilton's a great racer, and, even though I wouldn't want to share a meal with the man, I enjoy watching him ply his trade. But, this has gotten ridiculous.

[ringo]

Yeah Senna qualifying was nothing special either. It's ridiculous to even think he was good at qualifying. Good racer, yes, best qualifier nahh.
He just races to win or some silly motto like that.
And even though i wouldn't want to watch the Senna movie with him.... he can drive fast.. yeah.

Yes my personal approval and what I like. If i don't like it, it doesn't matter and it's ridiculous.

It's funny that there is so much to the racing itself outside of the teams and the cars and we can't at least try to investigate the "play" part of the sport.

There is more wealth of information in what the drivers do, as that cannot be readily seen at face value.

Now, why does one driver brake later than another?
If they all can make the wheels lock shouldn't it mean they all can brake as hard as the other?

Any F1 brake profile out there?

[timbo]

Timbo, who in you mind has the best quality overtakes on the grid, or even in the last 25 years?
Let's leave out the cheeky nonconstructive answers.

I don't know. I'm afraid this is cheeky nonconstructive answer, but we should all first agree on the definition of the quality. Is it percentage of successful moves to the unsuccessful? Is it simply how bold and entertaining overtake looks?

Or lets make a list of the best overtakers in the last 30 years and analyze it with a few videos and thrown in.

I like the idea!

[beelsebob]

Timbo, who in you mind has the best quality overtakes on the grid, or even in the last 25 years?
Let's leave out the cheeky nonconstructive answers.

I don't know. I'm afraid this is cheeky nonconstructive answer, but we should all first agree on the definition of the quality. Is it percentage of successful moves to the unsuccessful?

This definition is tricky – what's an unsuccessful move? Does a vague faint to the right count? Does getting your front wing past their rear wing count? Does getting along side count? What if you're repassed?

Is it simply how bold and entertaining overtake looks?

That's a fun one, but doesn't sound great in a overtaking excellence measuring contest (though maybe in an entertaining the crowds contest).

Perhaps something along the lines of the average number of laps spent behind someone you do eventually overtake.

Or lets make a list of the best overtakers in the last 30 years and analyze it with a few videos and thrown in.

I like the idea!

Sounds like a good excuse to watch good videos – go for it!

[timbo]

Perhaps something along the lines of the average number of laps spent behind someone you do eventually overtake.

That is also a tough one — you have to somehow factor in speed delta. Probably you should also consider how fast the overtaking driver was catching up. But even then it would depend on the defending driver — for years Berger was a legend of defensive driver, recently (in Germany) Petrov impressed me a lot defending against Button.

[Just_a_fan]

Perhaps something along the lines of the average number of laps spent behind someone you do eventually overtake.

Perhaps the closer to the front the guy you overtook finishes, the better the overtake? I mean overtaking HRT or Lotus should be easy (unless you're Webber! ) but overtaking a RedBull, Ferrari or McLaren should be worthy of note...?