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Wolff: "Hamilton is building a legacy"

Published on 25 Jul 2017 09:30
28
By: Chris Soulsby

Lewis Hamilton is "building a legacy as one of Formula 1's greatest drivers." These are the words Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, as Hamilton is getting closer and closer to equal another impressive record in the sport that has been running for 67 years.

Heading to the Hungarian Grand Prix, should Hamilton claim pole position, it will mark the 68th of his career. This will mean that he will equal Michael Schumacher's record of the most pole positions set by a single driver in the sport - a record that no one has been able to challenge since now.

As it stands, Hamilton lies in second place in the Drivers' Championship, a mere 1 point away from Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel who currently leads. A successful weekend at the Hungaroring will without doubt see Hamilton snatch the lead away from Vettel heading into the mid-season break. With Hamilton winning the Hungarian Grand Prix a record five times already, the Briton looks set to make it six wins this weekend at the circuit, especially when taking into account his dominant victory at Silverstone last time out. Toto Wolff is one man who expects that Hamilton will build upon his British Grand Prix win in Hungary.

"Our drivers have been one of our biggest strengths so far. Lewis has delivered some consummate performances this year in China, Canada and Silverstone in particular," Wolff said. "The win in front of his home crowd was emotionally charged and I am sure he is carrying that energy with him right now."

"As we see almost each weekend, he is equalling and matching new records in our sport's history - and building a legacy as one of the sport's greatest drivers," he added. "Budapest has always been a good circuit for him but, as he knows better than anybody else, the past is no guarantee of future performance. It's all about the right preparation, hard work and delivering on the day."

Chris Soulsby

StigsSon

Posts: 35

I wasn't a fan of Schumacher, yet I accepted he was the best driver, in F1, at the time.
I'm not a fan of Hamilton, and he's far from the best driver, in F1, currently.
In fact, he doesn't even make the top 3.

The legacy is not a Hamilton legacy (the guy cant even figure out his steering wheel),... [Read more]

4
Jul 25 2017 - 12:34

F1 News Lewis Hamilton Mercedes

Replies (28)

f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Yeah right..
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- Jul 25 2017 - 10:59
- Hombibi
  
  Posts: 137
  My thinking too.
  + 0
  
  Jul 25 2017 - 15:16
StigsSon

Posts: 35
I wasn't a fan of Schumacher, yet I accepted he was the best driver, in F1, at the time.
I'm not a fan of Hamilton, and he's far from the best driver, in F1, currently.
In fact, he doesn't even make the top 3.

The legacy is not a Hamilton legacy (the guy cant even figure out his steering wheel), it's Mercedes'.
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- Jul 25 2017 - 12:34
- NEXT SPARE VAMP
  
  Posts: 1,874
  I agree.
  + 0
  
  Jul 25 2017 - 12:50
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  Just about any driver bar some weaklings like Palmer who drive in F1 today can win the title in that Mercedes, it requires no special talent such is the advantage over the field. It takes mechanical issues or usurping them in qualifying thereby disrupting their efficiency by making them run behind a leading car's wake to even begin to topple them from the top spot. It's as bad as Tiago Monteiro's USA GP 3rd place in 2005.
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  Jul 25 2017 - 15:22
- Hombibi
  
  Posts: 137
  Another aspect, as far as I am concerned, is that he does not come across genuine anymore. In old interviews he was a very likable character, he had some charisma. Today I see a soulless robot that does rehearsed tricks every time he get's in front of a camera. Not easy to like. Easy to forget.
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  Jul 25 2017 - 15:26
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I very much agree with what you guys say. Hamilton is a good driver, but he isnt the best, or even among the best, probably. That aside, I simply dont think he is a likable person.
  
  @Hombibi back then he was reigned in by McLaren. Mercedes hasnt controlled him in the same way, so what we are seeing here is probably as close to the real Hamilton as we'll see.
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  Jul 25 2017 - 17:56
- rastaman44
  
  Posts: 17
  Garbage. Hamilton is undoubtably the best on the grid at the moment. Only a racist blind fool would suggest otherwise LOL !!!
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  Jul 25 2017 - 18:02
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Well, I am a white guy, so obviously I am racist. I believe its a wellestablished fact that there is not a single non-racist white guy. Unnamed and definitely reliable sources told me so, and I mean, you cant fight science.
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  Jul 25 2017 - 19:39
- Samouri
  
  Posts: 25
  If Hamilton doesn't make it, to one of the top 3 drivers in your estimate. I imagine with your type of reasoning......Rosberg doesn't even make the top 10 on your list.
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  Jul 25 2017 - 23:23
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  LOL@ Salty RASTAMAN44 anyone who doesn't fall in line and say their favorite merc turdshit is great just because he is black is automatically a racist. Here's something for you: When you pull the race card it shows you have already lost the debate on pure logic and valid points. This is the standard procedure for morons from the BLM brigade, less brains and more shouting more than anything else.
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  Jul 27 2017 - 06:02
ianf1

Posts: 185
I think stats in a sport like F1 where the rules change fundamentally every few years are pretty meaningless.

I also think that drivers only achieve the high numbers they do these days due to the fact that they expect to survive most race weekends alive - which was not true in the early days of the sport. Who knows what numbers the likes of Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna and so on would have achieved had they not been killed in their prime?
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- Jul 25 2017 - 13:12
Rindtchamp

Posts: 304
Toto really talks some crap at times. lol
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- Jul 25 2017 - 15:17
rastaman44

Posts: 17
I read thes posts an wonder what the fcuk you idiots are posting.

If Hamilton retires RIGHT NOW, he will be ranked as the greatset driver of his generation and at worst one of the five greatest drivers in F1 history. FACT. Whether or not you like or comes across as genuine to you in interview, is IMMMATERIAL. idiots. The stats do not lie.

As to the old canard that anyone can drive the Mercedes to glory, what are you fools smokomh? REALLY? The Mercedes car at the beginning of the season was NOT the best car on the grid. FACT. The Ferrari car was better in race pace, suitable to all race tracks ( See Monaco) and about equal in qualification. Mercedes may have caught up with Ferrari on race pace but Hungary will be a big test. With arguably the second best on grid, Hamilton has won 4 times, 3 time performing the rare grand chelem. If the car is so easy todrive, why hasn't Bottas performed a grand chelem in his 2 victories? Why is Bottas qualifying HALF A SECOND behind Hamilton in canada and Great Britain?

GFY, arsewipes !!!
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- Jul 25 2017 - 18:01
- Samouri
  
  Posts: 25
  Well said....I recently read that Hamilton plans to be around for another five or six years, which just brings joy to the heart of his fans, and such misery to his haters and detractors....GOOD!
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  Jul 25 2017 - 23:11
rastaman44

Posts: 17
I see the HATE for Hamilton is strong among the jealous plebes huh LOL !!! Good. Hamilton FEEDS off crap like that and emerges a stronger and smarter driver.
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- Jul 25 2017 - 18:11
- f1fan0101
  
  Posts: 1,804
  I take no respect in comments from someone who is clearly biased
  + 1
  
  Jul 25 2017 - 19:12
jaybee

Posts: 16
The replies on this website are amazing. I realise that looking at the actual record is not going to change minds that are totally closed, but for others who are open minded, go on http://www.4mula1.ro/compare/driver and compare LH with Schumaker, Senna, Clark, Alonso, Vettel, Stewart, Mansell, etc. ( BTW, give Alonso a break by excluding his McLaren Honda period.)
If you look at the numbers and still claim LH is not among the very top F1 drivers, then clearly facts don't matter to you. (Spoiler: Jim Clark really shines, but only had 74 races.)
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- Jul 26 2017 - 03:19
- rastaman44
  
  Posts: 17
  Well said. The bile that these uninformed idiots are spewing is amazing. And what is comical is how they attempt to bp;ster each other's comments like little girls.It is fascinating towatch this idiocy metastasize. LOL !!!
  + 0
  
  Jul 26 2017 - 04:46
rastaman44

Posts: 17
Here is a tip to the HATERS. Stats do not lie. Math does not lie. 2 plus 2 will always equal 4, no matter who is doing the addition. It is not a popularity contest. Get it?

Hamilton is an all time great driver who is mowing down all the driving records in F1. If he continues on this career arc, he will hold all the major records for F1 drivers. Deal with that.
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- Jul 26 2017 - 04:59
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I usually dont criticize commenters on threads, since I try to respect what people say, however I feel I need to get this off my chest. Some of you guys who comment on others (likely including me) being haters: have you compared your comments to ours? The content that is? Because I really dont see any sort of "HATE" in most of them. None of us has mentioned anything about his ethnicity or said anything even similar to **** Hamilton, in fact some of us have even said that we think he is a good driver, just not a top 3 driver, and that can always be debated. By all means discuss with us, by all means disagree with us, but statements like "racist blind fool", coming from nowhere like yet another Konami Pachinko Machine, doesnt contribute to the discussion.
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- Jul 26 2017 - 06:04
- rastaman44
  
  Posts: 17
  When I come to a site and see all negative comments about one of the great drivers in F1 history, it is difficult not to see HATE and see that HATE being a cover for some darker impulse. It is alright to have a differing opinion but when a gaggle of posters claim that facts aka stat do not matter, then there is something amiss about the converstaion.
  
  You said that not one of the commenters mentioned ethnicity. Of couse oot, that is not how the modern day racist operates, is it?!! They allude, they use code words like "not genuine" or" it is mostly the car" or " it is the Mercedes legacy, not Hamilton's". In fact, one of these idiotic posters actually had the temerity to claim that"stats" do not mean anything because the rules are constantly changing, forgetting that the stats have nothing to do with the number of races run per year, the winning/success ratio for a particular driver in aby number of categories ( poles, races entered, races won etc.). Morover, F1 is technical sport and so rule changes have been part of the landscape since its inception.
  
  There are posters who attempt to guide the conversation back to reality ( besides myself). Jaybee is such a poster and brought to the board the comparison formula for those who are open minded. I notice that no one has commented on that and how Hamilton favorably compares to all the other greats of the sport ( past and present). People like Callie only seem to have time to whine and complain about being designated unfairly. I say it walks like a duck, it is a duck.
  + 0
  
  Jul 26 2017 - 07:01
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Problem is, being great in F1 is subjective. Let us have our opinion. None of us has even said that "facts doesnt matter". As for many of your FACTS: they are opinions, maybe welleducated opinions, but opinions nonetheless. By all means have them, but stating they are facts, especially in caps, doesnt help your case. As for stats dont lie: my professor in statistics often say that there are three big lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics. Stats can show both the entire truth and a partial, diracting truth.
  
  Again, there really was no bashing or trashtalking here earlier.
  
  rasta, honey, no. No you cant assume people are racist because your opinion differ from their's. Do you even know the other commenters' skin colours, apart from mine? No. Dont assume something is racism. That is literally not how things work.
  
  I am Calle, yes, and if I come up as being whiny... (how even?... Really, how?), well...
  
  Im not trying to fight here, but I'll say this again. Dont lash out on people because they do not agree with you. Thats not a discussion. Nobody gets happy in such a climate. Not, you, not me. I'll leave this at that, and hope we can talk another time without anything between us.
  + 0
  
  Jul 26 2017 - 12:47
Wolfgang

Posts: 313
Hamilton might be one of the quick ones, yes.

But how has he performed in 2007 where he had one victory more than Alonso in the same car although they had the same number of points at the end of the saison?

And how has he shined in 2011 for example? --> He was a whopping 53 points back behind Button at the end of the saison in the same car..

Has he shined in 2014 where he fought until the last race against Rosberg (who is nowhere according to Rastaman44) although they had the same number of DNF´s?
Where is the "legacy" Hamilton there?

Has he shined in 2016 where he fucked up several Qualifyings and where he messed up several starts against the "overrated" Rosberg?

So all in all he is one of the quicker ones, yes, but he is nowhere near of becoming a legend.

It´s a shame comparing him to persons like Clark, Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Fangio, or even Vettel..
He is nowhere near them.. Look at his mistakes under pressure for example last year, although he had been a three time WC at that time and Nico had zero titles..

And please do my a favour Rastaman44: Don´t come with GFY or something stupid like this. Otherwise i might get the impression you are a little Hamilton fanboy who hasn´t grown up yet, like your Idol i must say. LOL.
- + 2
- Jul 26 2017 - 07:00
- rastaman44
  
  Posts: 17
  2007: Hamilton was a ROOKIE and fighting a DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION in Alonso and beat him on points for 2nd place in WDC race. That is not a legacy achievement. Really? What are you smoking? LOL
  
  2011: Hamilton had admittedly personal issues that year but still he won a couple of races and got a number of poles that year. Hamilton also had more DNFs that n Button and that was the main reason for the points difference. Facts do MATTER. Compare that to winless years of Vettel in 2014 and 2016 ( in the second best car on grid in both years). Wow. great argument ,,,NOT
  
  2014: Hamilton won and the only reason it came down to the last race is becaus eof the ludricous double points experimentation. BTW If the double points had been in place in 2016, Hamilton would have won going away. Furthermore, I never said that Rosberg was not a good to great driver. Please show where I claimed Rosberg was nowhere. You cannot.
  
  2016: Hamilton won 10 times (and had more poles tha Rosberg) to Rosberg 8 times and it was the DNF in Malaysia that determined that title race. Please explain how those stats in any way diminish the legacy of Hamilton? Come on , dude. Stop reaching for any excuse to not acknowledge the obvious: Hamilton is an all time great driver and is approaching legendary status in F1. FACT
  + 0
  
  Jul 26 2017 - 07:19
boudy

Posts: 1,168
It all depends what is the greatest... for me a driver who has only driven for two F1 teams that at the time were the best F1 teams doesn't strike me as being the greatest. Also he lost against Rosberg last year so is Rosberg a better driver? Hamilton is a great driver but do I find him inspiring like a Senna. The other question about hamilton is the way he comes across in interviews. I don't dislike Hamilton, think he's a excellent driver, scores massive amounts of points because of the superior car but for me he's not the greatest.
- + 1
- Jul 26 2017 - 09:36
Bhurt

Posts: 320
@RASTAMAN you should probably look up the word "hate" in a dictionary.
- + 1
- Jul 27 2017 - 01:26
Bhurt

Posts: 320
Impossible to compare drivers across different eras. Lewis has been driving in an era where in any given season only three or four cars (often not even that many) can win the race. The most recent couple of seasons only two cars have been capable of winning races or claiming pole positions, and he's been in one of them. That makes statistical comparisons across eras completely pointless.

As for the current group of F1 drivers and where Lewis would rank, even that is extremely difficult to do.

Ross Brawn talked early in the season about having an out-of-competition race each season. The best way to make such a race interesting would be to have all drivers race in identical cars (with unique liveries based on each driver's helmet design) to really see who is the best driver. For me, that race would be the highlight of the season.

And I wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton didn't win or claim pole under those circumstances. Make a race like that during Senna's prime, and I would have been shocked had Senna not claimed pole or won the race.
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- Jul 27 2017 - 01:44