How will Hamilton react if next year's McLaren is a dog?

pburns

Assuming the spy scandal dies away and there are no penalties for 2008 (as threatened by Mad Max), after all the success of '07 how will Lewis react if McLaren begin a downward trajectory lasting one or more years?

After all –
- Surely the distractions of ’07 – not to mention the loss of their Chief Designer and the financial penalties – will have a negative impact.
- Kimi will have found his feet at Ferrari and may produce the type of consistency and aggression that have been lacking at times this year.
- If Alonso is in a competitive team by 08/09 he will be a potent and bitter rival.
- Neither Alonso nor Kimi will have to endure the move to different tyres they struggled with in early ’07.
- BMW are looking like a team ready to break into the big time.
- McLaren have a bit of history of up/down form in consecutive seasons

He has staked his loyalty quite publicly to McLaren. Will this change if the car is a minger and Ferrari or some other top team come sniffing?

Even if his contract is such that he can’t move in the near future could we expect an explosion of temper-tantrums and sulks? After all the success, podiums, wins and hype I think it would be FASCINATING to see him in a position where he has to fight for points and someone else becomes the centre of attention…

Ghost Train

mclaren and ferrari, are well ahead of the other teams right now, so while not impossible for things to change next year, I think with no major changes to the regulations, the mclaren should stay near the top of the field.

If however they did take a nose dive, it would be difficult for hamilton, but he'd just have to suck it up, he's young and mclaren when it comes to building a car, seem to have more hits than they do misses.

Catcher86

First of all if Alonso leaves Mclaren then they will experience somewhat of a downward turn, as Alonso is so valuable in winter testing and I dont think Hamilton is experienced enough yet to be as valuable.
Also I think that everthing you said is a huge possibility.

I have another theory, however it may be way off base.
Something that I've noticed about Hamilton is that he locks up his front wheels on average alot more than other drivers in the fast corners.
This is I think down to the traction control that was reintroduced in 2001. This is why I think Hamilton is so aggressive in the fast corners and gets away with it. Other drivers who were driving pre 01 would be more cautious through experience. (I know that GP2 does'nt have traction control but its not the same as F1).
Thankfully after 08 traction control will be banned as it should be. Even though Mosley is still suggesting ESC as a possibility in the future.

Frank Bullitt

I cant see Alonso being there next year at all, and he will be a huge loss for testing, I'm not taking anything away from Hamiltons skill but in testing I think experience is more important.

Another thing that has me wondering is how he(Hamilton) will be perceived by the public next year, in the past few races he has made some sly comments on what he would like to happen next year regarding Alonso, he is making Alonso out to be the villain and that Alonso wanted McLaren to suffer but in actual fact Alonso wanted to help the team, what really happened at the Hungarian GP may never actually be known but to me it seems like Hamilton is acting like a brat in a way and this could be his early downfall.

If he wins this "championship", then of course the team will regard him as capable of developing the car due to the fact that he won the championship, but id bet a pretty penny on that throughout the season he was comparing data from Alonso's car mainly because of his experience.

Hamilton may well win this "championship" but that will not give him the ability to develop a car, that being said though, if Alonso leaves then what I could see happening is more or less a straight swap with Toyota with Ralf, he is very experienced and said he was in talks a while ago and should be winning races next year.

It will interesting to see how things pan out.

Biro

Ralf is experienced, but he's crap. Don't know why he left Toyota, as I can't see any top team take him on. Ron hates Michael, so I can't see him wanting Ralf on the team. If I were Jean Todt I wouldn't bother ever looking at Hamilton for a driver, he's too mouthy in his first season, he'd want to wisen up.

Ghost Train

Catcher86 wrote:

Thankfully after 08 traction control will be banned as it should be. Even though Mosley is still suggesting ESC as a possibility in the future.

Traction control will be banned after this season, 2007. I think having driven with out tc in gp2, would give Hamilton a slight advantage with it initially, but it shouldn't be an issue for any of the top drivers.

Would Alonso leaving the team hurt the car performance(because of his testing), I don't really think so, the car has improved this year, but the improvement has been in reliabilty, they already had a fast car. Hamilton has shown he can match Alonso, and should only improve the more races he runs.

Ralf didn't choose to leave toyota, he's been dropped. Would actually like to see him get another drive(perhaps with williams), he hasn't been performing but the car has been a let down for him

Catcher86

Biro wrote:

Ralf is experienced, but he's crap. Don't know why he left Toyota, as I can't see any top team take him on. Ron hates Michael, so I can't see him wanting Ralf on the team. If I were Jean Todt I wouldn't bother ever looking at Hamilton for a driver, he's too mouthy in his first season, he'd want to wisen up.

If Ron signs Ralf I'll eat my shoes. Ever since his crash in Indianapolis Ralf has been nothing but average (Im sure it scared him). Before that he was just dangerous. Having said all that, I think that living in his brother's shadow has probably prevented him from reaching his full protential.

Have to agree about Hamilton. Initially I liked the guy. However now, I am pretty sure I hate him. He has started believing all the bull that is written about him in the british press.
Some of the things he has said in post race interview have been out of line. He subtly tries to tried to say that he is the best. That when he is quickest it is down to him, and when he is not that it is down to the car. However when he does say these things Kimi and Alonso subtly remind him about the physics of the sport and the forces experienced when behind another car. It has gotten so hard to overtake.

Catcher86

eolhc wrote:

Traction control will be banned after this season, 2007. I think having driven with out tc in gp2, would give Hamilton a slight advantage with it initially, but it shouldn't be an issue for any of the top drivers.

No. I think Hamilton has had the advantage this year. Next year I think we will see him spin off more next year. A lot of people will.

eolhc wrote:

Would Alonso leaving the team hurt the car performance(because of his testing), I don't really think so, the car has improved this year, but the improvement has been in reliabilty, they already had a fast car. Hamilton has shown he can match Alonso, and should only improve the more races he runs.

All the cars have a new design this year under rules. Alonso helped develop this car over winter testing.
Yes, next year McLaren will still be right up there with or without Alonso because they will have the same car. However in 2 or 3 years time (i am not sure) they have to have a redesign. It will be interesting to see how they do if Hamilton is there main man. Granted he will have more experience. But I think he is just a pilot and does not have the same intelligence as Alonso.

I think Alonso's arogance has been his downfall this year. If he is not in a competitive team over the next few years, I think Kimi will be the man to beat over the next four years. I am putting money on him for next year.

Ghost Train

Catcher86 wrote:

All the cars have a new design this year under rules. Alonso helped develop this car over winter testing.

The rules have been pretty much stable since last year, the main rule change I can think of is the homologation of engines. Most teams will redesign evey year anyway. Alonso tested during the winter, but how much this helped development is questionable.

Catcher86 wrote:

But I think he is just a pilot and does not have the same intelligence as Alonso.

Haven't seem any evidence of this. They both seem pretty well matched to me. If anything Alonso has made more mistakes... thought Alonso had pretty poor performances in France, Canada, Japan

Catcher86 wrote:

I think Alonso's arogance has been his downfall this year.

How does this have an effect on his pace, don't really think Alonso has acted badly this year. I don't think Alonso adapted to the McLaren quick enough at the start of the season, strange for a driver who developed the car
Hamilton had a strong start to the season and was on the pace, he's put in the performances to keep ahead in the championship

FrostyJack

If anything Alonso has made more mistakes

Well hopefully todays mistake will give Kimi the championship and justice will be done.;)

Oblomov

The winter testing, mainly with Pedro DeLaRosa and Gary Paffett, the simulator and the engineers.
The Spanish testing weeks all add to the developement but most of the daily routine is covered by the test drivers.

The ability to set up the car to suit yourself, this is a continual and developing structure, once the type of driver, personal attributes and style.. much is down to the engineers, circuits and fine tuning. The program of refinement and development goes hand in hand with the new parts as and when there are tested.

Drivers futures, Alsonso, has a contract and Flavio's comments, " When you are free" .. He is more than aware of the tenacity Mclaren will focus on retaining Alonso but when his contract ends... Renault, possible a years sabbatical and then back into Formula one but.. a year is a long time away.

Hamilton, very polished and confident driver, I can imagine lots of offers in the next couple of years but the personal obligation for the trust and reward by McLaren must have an effect on his choice in the future.

Remember, Hamilton has worked closely with his father is setting up Karts, formula cars before ever reaching Formula One, so under estimating his talents is to be avoided.

There is a certain amount of animosity about Hamilton becasue of the ease he has achieve his present standing within the formulas. Made it look to easy and by association belittles a lot of his rivals.

Kimi, if you could keep him focused, he has been quoted as saying that it's not the championship that motivates him but his own ambitions, you would have thought the two were inseparable but.. that's not the man.

Quality of build for the future, don't expect McLaren to drop by the wayside any more than you can equate the same of Ferrari, the high tech business and consideration for new ideas continues. MClaren's business partners will not accept second place.
.

Frank Bullitt

"We're not racing Kimi, we're racing Fernando"-Ron Dennis

I think that slip of the tongue will see Alonso at a different team for sure.