RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted November 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2017 Something that came to mind after I wrote my last message: interesting that nobody is talking about one of the British Empire medals for him - they've gone straight for the knighthood. And people wonder if/why the Honours system has been devalued. He has an MBE moment . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted November 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2017 That would be the Chris Hoy who was knighted in 2009, who won his sixth Olympic gold in 2012, and who retired from competitive cycling in 2013, would it? And the Bradley Wiggins who was knighted in 2013, who then won gold in the world road championships time trial in 2014, broke the hour record in 2015, won gold in the madison at the world track championships in 2016 and another gold at the 2016 Olympics in the team pursuit before retiring at the end of the year. Is that the guy? You're right, none of the above listed could possibly count as top flight competitions. Fair enough, had my timelines out, was thinking Hoy’s was after his last medal, and Wiggins’s was after his hour record. I stand corrected. Still not sure 3 constitutes a “tedious list”! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) Nico Rosberg (that one, yes) is reportedly claiming that genes is about 2/3 of talent, the rest is training. He should know He pointed to, amongst others, Max, who not only has an F1 driver for a Dad, but his Mum was also a successful carting driver in her track days. Mmmm... Where that falls down, of course, is when you look at the parents of the current World Champion (4 times) who don't seem to have any racing genes at all! What Nico meant to say was that having a father or mother who are already "into" Motorsport makes it far easier for the kids to become involved as well, and have a head-start when it comes to race-craft and making it more likely that they have a go at racing... Looking back at previous top racing drivers it also helps if the family have the "money" gene as well, it makes life so much easier for the up and coming driver, either with money from the family or money from "family connections" when the direct family won't pay up... Edited November 5, 2017 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2017 Yes, I think a good lineage definitely helps with profile and finding more than genetics! I imagine there are thousands of potential Lewis Hamiltons out there who just never got into motor racing for whatever reason, cost being the obvious one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2017 Yes, I think a good lineage definitely helps with profile and finding more than genetics! I imagine there are thousands of potential Lewis Hamiltons out there who just never got into motor racing for whatever reason, cost being the obvious one! Undoubtedly, but I believe his beginnings were humble enough. Stroll he ain't. And we've all known parents who push their unwilling kids through activities - riding, football, ice-sports, whatever - but in Lewis's case he was really rather good at it. Being rather small helps, too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2017 Undoubtedly, but I believe his beginnings were humble enough. Stroll he ain't. And we've all known parents who push their unwilling kids through activities - riding, football, ice-sports, whatever - but in Lewis's case he was really rather good at it. Being rather small helps, too. Ah, unlike poor Paul DiResta...too tall for F1 really. I quite liked him, thought he might have made it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) Just in case anyone was wondering... https://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/f1-height-and-weight-of-the-current-formula-1-drivers?artid=176733 At least Lewis and Seb see eye to eye on that one! Edited November 5, 2017 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2017 So thats why I never became an F1 driver, I'm (or was) 6' 3" tall. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 On the other hand, some drivers can be too small - Tyrell had to bolt wooden blocks to the pedals of Ukyo Katayama's car so he could reach them. I think height has become more of an issue in F1 in recent years as the total weight of the car + driver has become more critical owing to the weight of the engines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jol Wilkinson Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2017 Felipe Massa has announced his retirement at the end of the season. That'll wind up the speculation about who will take William's spare seat a bit more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Think he just likes retirement cake Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Undoubtedly, but I believe his beginnings were humble enough. Stroll he ain't. And we've all known parents who push their unwilling kids through activities - riding, football, ice-sports, whatever - but in Lewis's case he was really rather good at it. Being rather small helps, too. Well, you say this, but I understand that his Dad had more speeding tickets than is credible. Surely that is in the gene pool? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted November 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2017 On the other hand, some drivers can be too small - Tyrell had to bolt wooden blocks to the pedals of Ukyo Katayama's car so he could reach them. I think height has become more of an issue in F1 in recent years as the total weight of the car + driver has become more critical owing to the weight of the engines. I do think there should be a driver plus ballast to weight 85 or 90kg at start of race weekend or similar to balance this out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 57xx Posted November 5, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2017 I do think there should be a driver plus ballast to weight 85 or 90kg at start of race weekend or similar to balance this out. To work, there would have to be a prescribed place to put the ballast. Otherwise the teams will be placing the ballast to best effect and a lighter driver would still be an advantage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal.n Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 http://en.f1i.com/news/284535-walker-hamilton-brilliant-stewart-still-britains-best.html Murray Walker 'still thinks Jackie Stewart is better than Lewis' 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 There is something to be said about genetic disposition, or put more simply, “what’s in a name?”. Brazilian baby boys only have a chance to succeed in Formula 1 if they are blessed from birth with a simple, British-style binomial, e.g. Nelson Picquet, Rubens Barichello, Felipe Massa. For boys unfortunate to be lumbered with a long and complex familial, to be simplified with a shorter nickname, only the world of football is available to them should they achieve sporting prowess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 http://en.f1i.com/news/284535-walker-hamilton-brilliant-stewart-still-britains-best.html Murray Walker 'still thinks Jackie Stewart is better than Lewis' Strange considering that Jackie Stewart freely admits that Jim Clark was a better driver than he. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 6, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 6, 2017 Comparing drivers from different eras is pointless. As we have seen in recent times, a design change can throw one driver, suit another. Drivers from the skinny-tired drifting era might have struggled with downforce we see today. Being the best of an era is as good as it gets in competitive sport. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Murray Walker 'still thinks ... There was rarely evidence of much thought once his mouth was in gear. It's a fair bet that 'everything' was better for Murray Walker when JS was racing: this is the well known 'fings ain't what they used to be' effect common to a great many men in late age. All sorts of body parts that used to move freely are terribly stiff (and other bits are terribly limp) and the steaks aren't tender these days, and so on... I do think there should be a driver plus ballast to weight 85 or 90kg at start of race weekend or similar to balance this out. Why don't we require them to box for grid position after the pre race weigh-in too? Would save a lot of fuel. It's rather good to have some sport in which being physically small is not an automatic disadvantage. On the subject of genetics, it appears that being male is overwhelmingly the thing to be if you want to win. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMinion Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 I do think there should be a driver plus ballast to weight 85 or 90kg at start of race weekend or similar to balance this out. I believe there is a minimum weight for car and driver. The cars do have ballast weights if the combination is too light. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Strange considering that Jackie Stewart freely admits that Jim Clark was a better driver than he.That's still only one person's opinion.The good thing about these "greatest ever" type debates is that there's no right answer. Jackie Stewart might think Clark is the best ever, Someone else might say Fangio, MW might say Stewart, some would probably say Schumacher... No one is definitively right or wrong. The best of their own era is more likely to end with a consensus because there's fewer options, but even so it's entirely possible to build a good case to say that either Lewis, Vettel or Alonso is the best presently driving. It can never be completely clear cut because they don't do it alone, the quality of their car has a massive impact. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Fair enough, had my timelines out, was thinking Hoy’s was after his last medal, and Wiggins’s was after his hour record. I stand corrected. Still not sure 3 constitutes a “tedious list”! You’re referring to my earlier post. Surely you have realized by now that everyone has opinions like everyone has, er, sphincter muscles. Just because you don’t agree with mine is no reason to feel bad or think I’m evil.... Look at the discussion above on the “Best F1 driver” for examples of opinions. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Subjective opinion is always defined by the time, the place and the context. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted November 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 6, 2017 Surely you have realized by now that everyone has opinions like everyone has, er, sphincter muscles. Just because you don’t agree with mine is no reason to feel bad or think I’m evil.... Never said as much, just wondered if you thought there were more or something. Seems an odd turn of phrase. At risk of continuing the tangential discussion, the Wikipedia page here of sporting knights and dames is quite interesting. 4 for golf!? 9 for yachting? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Brazilian baby boys only have a chance to succeed in Formula 1 if they are blessed from birth with a simple, British-style binomial, e.g. Nelson Picquet Who? Never heard of him. Are you thinking of three times F1 world champion Nelson Piquet Souto Maior? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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