Comments on: The Ben Evans column – first thoughts on 2008

By: Loki

Loki — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:46:17 +0000

Nathan, I wouldn’t expect Honda to make leaps just yet just with Ross Brawn – remember how long it took even with all the key members of the dream team (although it is relatively short compared to the period of nothingness Ferrari experienced). However, it would be, or at least should be, hard to repeat their failure of 2007 – the only way can only be up.

I find the Alonso vs Hamilton dynamic interesting for 2008 – although I’m not sure about the sparks, as it seems rare to see in modern F1 now,but given they’re in different teams, who knows. I’m sure Alonso would rather be concentrating on his own agenda, but there probably won’t be that many situations to see these two at it unless the Renault’s back up to speed and the fight.

By: oliver

oliver — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:39:48 +0000

Hamilton’s German race cant be used to describe his driving because his race was compromised twice already. So trying to catch up with the leading pack and hitting standing water cannot be considered, as a lack of driving ability. China however is a different matter.

By: Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:48:44 +0000

i read u asking what manufacturer would pump in millions of dollars into a doomed operation?
for a good answer, ask Toyota!
if red bull have a yr like BMW did last yr (remember it’s thier 2nd yr with A.Newey) they’ll b happy!
also, if honda dont improve under R.Brawn i’ll b supried!
remember Ferrari b4 he went there?

By: Journeyer

Journeyer — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:24:35 +0000

Just one little problem, Steven. If Lewis improves a whole lot, the car should also improve for us to see Lewis’ improvement. If McLaren’s car isn’t as good, the improvement will be somewhat stifled, to say the least. Those early years were in pretty much single-spec formulae. Over here, the cars change every year (as do the rules), so it will be a LOT harder to make a marked improvement.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:57:43 +0000

Still, Nelsinho was the only match for the so-called wonderboy, genius, all-time great Lewis Hamilton, and with the same car… so, he deserves some credit, not only for his surname, and many people are forgetting this…

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:04:06 +0000

Keke Rosberg ran Lewis in karts as team mate to Nico. Anyone who has listened to Rosberg knows he thought Gilles Villeneuve was the ultimate racer. In the 25 years since Gilles died I have never heard Keke compare anyone to him until I read an article last year where he compared Lewis to him.

By: Paul Sainsbury

Paul Sainsbury — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:32:52 +0000

I must say I think Steven is spot on here. It seems to me that Hamilton probably has the most raw feel and car control since Gilles.

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:19:03 +0000

GP2 is a spec formula. All the cars are identical.

The reason I don’t believe this is serious is it is entirely pro-Ferrari and dismissive of McLaren. The assumption that Lewis Hamilton was somehow riding on Alonso’s coat-tails is utterly unproven. Those of us who watched F3000 remember him going in to a team with the championship favourite in what was supposed to be a learning year followed by a serious attempt at the championship the following year. It didn’t quite work that way as Lewis blew away his team mate to the extent that most people have forgotten him already.

The idea that Lewis Hamilton lacks feel is laughable. I am sure when he overtook Raikkonen at the first chicane at Monza the first thought everyone had was that he lacked feel. Like all the greats he seems to know where the grip is before he gets there. Rookie mistakes whould not be considered as a serious assessment of ability. To use the Nurburgring race to assess his ability in the wet is ludicrous as this was the first time he had driven an F1 car in the wet. As for China his tyres were shot and the team should have pitted him.

It should be remembered that in his early car career where he did two seasons in a formula his second season was always massively better than his first. Raikkonen is going to improve a little over a year. Hamilton could improve a whole lot.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:03:24 +0000

About Piquet’s speed, there’s something I need to ask… Was Piquet’s car faster or slower than Hamilton’s on the 2006 GP2 Series?

I didn’t follow that season that close to know it for sure, but I felt that Lewis had the best car and, if he did have it in fact, Nelsinho’s campaign – 102 points against 114 – was highly respectable, considering what Lewis has become, so he can indeed be as fast as his father wants him to be…

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:57:21 +0000

Ben you are right on the Money about Alonso’s ability to set up a car. It will be very interesting to see if he can lift Renault in a similar way he effected McLaren.

Also
Steven why would Ben not be serious?