Hamilton - 'Former drivers don't know what they're talking about'

According to ESPN, Hamilton hits out at Sir Jacky Stewart and Stirling Moss on their opinion on his move to Mercedes.

Never a dull moment, as they say.

http://en.espnf1.com...ory/103496.html

IIRC Jackie Stewart said something about Vettel not being a great becuase he has had the fastest car, even though when Jackie won his WDCs, he had the the fastest cars. Bit of a double standard no?

Erm, why? He didn't say something like "he isn't great like me", so why double standard?

According to ESPN, Hamilton hits out at Sir Jacky Stewart and Stirling Moss on their opinion on his move to Mercedes.

Never a dull moment, as they say.

http://en.espnf1.com...ory/103496.html

Lewis is right imo, IIRC Jackie Stewart said something about Vettel not being a great becuase he has had the fastest car, even though when Jackie won his WDCs, he had the the fastest cars. Bit of a double standard no?

That excites you? Are you suggesting by starting this topic that there is something extraordinary in what has been said, or are you going to create dozens of topics whenever there is an article relating to Hamilton (I ask only becuase you mocked such a scenrio in another topic!).

I've no idea what Moss or Stewart said. Ex-drivers talk a lot. Sometimes they talk a lot of sense, other times it's the opposite! This is along the lines of the speculation in the topic about the move to Mercedes being Hamilton's biggest mistake of his career.

Edited by MightyMoose, 19 March 2013 - 16:35.
Removed: Deleted quote and redundant reply

Lewis is right imo, IIRC Jackie Stewart said something about Vettel not being a great becuase he has had the fastest car, even though when Jackie won his WDCs, he had the the fastest cars. Bit of a double standard no?

Edited by BoschKurve, 19 March 2013 - 13:57.

Edited by discover23, 19 March 2013 - 14:25.

Have to agree with him on that one. Their opinions are often as all over the place as some random guys on this forum.

Old farts in some cases lose objectivity.

Jackie Stewart said it as "a risk …maybe a risk worth taking" and added it was "an emotional decision but it may not prove to be the right one".

And never trust a fart when you get that old!

They are old farts, stuck in 'we were better' syndrome.

Made my day!

If former drivers never gave their opinions it would make both F1 and this forum less interesting to follow.

I like hearing their opinions even if I disagree with some of them.

I don't believe they believe that they are 'stuck' in any kind of a time 'we were better' syndrome.

Sounds like Lewis is just being a bit of his usual petulant self.
No big deal really...........

The lack of support and encouragement by arm chair Stewart and many other pundits was shocking. The way they doomed his move was very narrow minded.

I agree with Lewis.
The "former drivers" might hang about in the Paddock club a bit more, but they
dont have any magical insight into current events that any member of this forum doesnt have.

And as others have pointed out, the cars and the tracks and the technology is so
different today that most of those older respected gents have no clue to the current sport.

Sounds like Lewis is just being a bit of his usual petulant self.
No big deal really...........

Sigh. Again Lewis reacts strongly to something some other people said or did... before checking out what they did or said. Remember he was so angry that Button had unfollowed him? And it turned out that it wasn't true.

Well, here we go again.

Like other posters said, Stewart never 'doomed' Hamiltons move. Here is the full quote from the Guardian:

"I personally would have stayed with McLaren," the Scot said. "They have the resources and the money. They have the commitment and also have huge experience. He would not be here today without McLaren, so there is a degree of loyalty that I think you should always have. I don't think McLaren have been out of the top end of motor racing now for a very long time. Mercedes Benz is a wonderful company, but it would take a five‑minute meeting by the board to stop them being in the sport because of the economy and all the currency that is involved in the present time in Europe. So, if I was thinking long term, then I would be looking to stay at McLaren."

Another part of the story:

"He has been [at McLaren] for six years now. There is a risk that when you go to a new team it can take you 24 months to settle down," he said. "You have to get used to new engineers, new management, new cultures, new ways of doing things. He might immediately dial in and get it done, but I sometimes think the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know.

All in all, that seems a very balanced opinion. If old drivers are not allowed to express that opinion, I guess they are only allowed to say: 'Ooh, Driver X is just as good as Fangio!'

Where did Stewart "doom" his move? He said he was taking a risk, which is true. I don't see any quote where he said it was wrong, or doomed.

"When he's on form, he is the quickest," said the legendary Scot. "But [his ability] to do it consistently is not yet there."

'Personally, if I'd been Lewis, I wouldn't have left McLaren. 'But as a 28-year-old, he should know what he is doing now.
'You just have to be damn careful you don't get carried away with your own importance, your own celebrity, or your own schedule outside of being in the cockpit. It can be quite intoxicating.

'It's about who you hang out with, what you do in your off time, how you are committing your off time towards your real time - and your real time is being a racing driver.'

Edited by GlenP, 19 March 2013 - 16:03.

Golf and F1 are the 2 sports were the oldies have the biggest ego's.

And never trust a fart when you get that old!