sandman1347 wrote:
Lotus49 wrote:
sandman1347 wrote:
mds wrote:
Earlier this season, Hamilton has also stated he'd prefer to keep Bottas in the team instead of Alonso coming in.
The difference is that Vettel doesn't feel the need to comment on what he thinks other drivers prefer or don't prefer, while Hamilton does. People start to believe it and the urban myth is forming.
These drivers, they don't fear each other. They firmly believe they're the best.
The difference is how early in their careers they embrace the practical reality of having a strong teammate vs. having one that is clearly weaker. There are two main advantages to have a weaker teammate. The first is that you will maximize your points haul in the WDC standings instead of taking points off of each other. The second is that there is almost always greater harmony in a team with a clear 1-2 status rather than a McLaren 2007, Merc 2014-2016 or Mclaren 1988-89 situation. It's no coincidence that the most intense and poisonous title battles are the ones between teammates.
Anyway, Alonso embraced the advantage of clear #1 status from a very young age. By the time he was teamed with Jarno, he had already begun to seek it and we all know about the meltdown he had when Lewis was given equal status a few races into 2007.
Vettel never seemed to need to worry much about it at Red Bull because he was a better driver than Mark and, after 2010, had much better reliability. Many also theorized that he actually was receiving some form of preference but I never saw any concrete proof of that. I think 2014 might have shaken him a bit and he seems very intent on keeping things the way they are now at Ferrari.
This year is the first year that I've really seen Hamilton seek/embrace #1 status. I guess he's a slow learner in this regard. For years he touted wanting to race strong teammates and he has raced against 3 different WDC teammates over his career but I think 2016 drove the lesson home that things can go against you in those scenarios.
Lewis embraced the Heikki situation fully in his 2nd season. He just didn't kick up a fuss when he was replaced, but neither did Alonso when Kimi was brought in or Seb when Dan was.
Everything else is private and behind closed doors and we get drip fed tidbits and BS, choosing to believe the parts that fit for us and dismissing those that don't.
(Bit misleading about the reason Alonso flipped in 07 too, he didn't kick up a fuss post Monaco and the decision to go to alternate weekends until Lewis started messing around on his weekend in Hungary. Then he went nuclear yeah).
Sorry bud but that's not accurate at all. Alonso was complaining to the pit wall 2 races into Hamilton's equal status period when he couldn't get past him in Indianapolis. Alonso was rumored to have been a big factor in Trulli's dismissal at Renault in 2004 actually. He saw during that time (before even getting to McLaren) that having Flavio behind him in that way was a critical advantage. He has sought that everywhere he has gone. The lack of a fuss at Ferrari was mostly down to Raikkonen never being anywhere near him either on Saturday or Sunday. That was one of the most lopsided teammate battles I've ever seen.
As for Seb, he left the year after Dan got there...The bottom line is that Hamilton embraced Jenson Button joining the team and even campaigned for him to be re-signed before Mclaren finished the deal. He also actively refuted any suggestion that Mercedes should get rid of Rosberg. I have heard him this season singing a completely different tune though and it's purely down to 2016 IMO. He finally saw in a very irrefutable way how having to fight with a strong teammate can cost you dearly. The truth is that seasons like 2007, 2010 and 2012 should have driven this home already but, as I said, he seems to have been a slow learner in this regard.
Complaining on the radio is pretty standard for team mates stuck behind each other, it was hardly a meltdown was the point. That only came later and not because the preferential treatment was taken away specifically.
I've no idea of the ins and outs of his Renault time, I know Trulli embarrassed Michelin and Renault in France and that's when the relationship started going sour though and he was using Toyota's interest to try and get a big pay bump from Renault at the same time which went down like a lead balloon with Flavio.
That being said Alonso learning the importance of No.1 is probably true enough but it's not something that a driver really needs to learn considering it's known importance through history. It's also not true he sought it everywhere he's gone, he doesn't have it at McLaren and he chose money over options in his Ferrari contract extension in 2011, but that was once he knew he had Massa covered of course.
Seb did leave but I honestly think that was just because the Ferrari seat opened up and he had a clause that allowed it so jumped on it. I don't think he'd have joined McHonda or anything so getting out wasn't the reason for me. I believe Lewis doesn't seek it btw, I was just saying he embraced Heikki fine. He knew it's importance perfectly well as it helped him in his first title.
I think all drivers secretly prefer this situation, I mentioned it in the unpopular thread, much for the reasons you've talked about but it became a dirty word after Schumacher and drivers say all manner of rubbish in public about it these days whereas before it was seen as a reward for being the best and perfectly natural in a non spec series where it's hard enough to get the best car never mind having to deal with your team mate too.
Autobiographies will be interesting in the future for sure.
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
![:]](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif "Grin"){kind=icon}