Carrera51

I like LeClerc and think he's a good driver who will be competitive and deliver decent results. But I really do think he lacks the killer instinct and makes unforced errors when under heavy pressure. Like a QB with happy feet. Since someone mentioned him, LeClerc reminds me of Kirk Cousins. Nice QB who can put up decent numbers, but he's 1-4 in the playoffs and has zero rings.

I know, I am just a club racer but that's how I see it.

Diablo Dude

Yes, earplugs were mandatory!

My buddy and I would always sit in the grandstands exiting Turn #10, the 180 at the end of the long straight at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Think it was Grandstand #25 pictured on the right in the photo below.

You could watch the cars hit the brakes and the brake discs glow bright orange under braking as the drivers slowed from 185 mph down to 35 mph in order to make the turn.
Then, they would rocket back up the track. During one practice session, Jean Alesi aborted his lap and found the gravel trap in this tight turn. The "gravel" was essentially large river rock.
Since his lap and session was done, he decided to keep the engine running and made his way back onto the track surface where he conducted the most glorious burn-out I'd ever seen!
Dude lit those tires up and kept the engine screaming and the crowd went absolutely BONKERS!

About a minute later, one of the other racers came by and gave him a lift on the side-pod back to the pits.
These engines popped, crackled, and just plain shrieked in the most primal way. Really miss them. The turbo engines don't even come close.
Just amazing stuff!





Gilles Villeneuve Circuit: F1 Track Map Layout & Lap Record (f1-fansite.com)

thebishman

F1 cars do not, and have never used “double clutch” gearboxes.

Agree with all on the sound of the V10s. We went to Indy for the first F1 race there and were walking to the circuit when the cars started practice. The sound literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! Oh, and like an idiot I didn’t wear earplugs; probably lost a significant amount of my high frequency hearing that weekend! lol

thebishman

Btw: if you can, catch at least the last 5 laps of the MotoGP Spanish GP. It is everything that is missing in today’s F1, unfortunately!

Diablo Dude

So true!
Epic racing between Pecco and Marquez.
And if you have HBO Max, you can watch MotoGP for FREE.

Nizer

Age/loss of focus/too many distractions - fashion, music, celebs... Russell wouldn't be beating him if he still had the same level of intensity he had early in his career. Not criticizing, just stating facts.

Compare to Verstappen, whose downtime is spent sim racing.

goin2drt

I would say age but the rest is hogwash. Plenty of top athletes at the complete pinnacle of their careers balance all that extra stuff and do plenty of things outside their profession. To say because HAM is into fashion blah blah blah and that is reason, not a chance. Also remember 80-90% is the car (facts from F1 gurus). His cars over that last couple of years have not been WDC worthy so I would say the 2 reasons are mostly the car and a little of age. Although ALO is actually defying that argument as well so I would say the car. That is the reason.

Nowanker

Gotta go with the frustration of an uncompetitive car, along with too many other-than-racing pursuits. I can't think of very many other high level athletes with that much distraction.
Let's see how well Travis Kelce focuses on football next year...

Ksdaoski

That's the dumbest take I've heard, such a bad comparison. Dude won the super bowl with no drop in focus.

multi21

Typically those top athletes do it in the off season. HAM is flying all over the world between races. HAM has had the dual advantage of being a very pgifted natural driver who has put very little work into his craft as well as having a car so fast he could turn down the engine after lap #3. The moment he was actually challenged by a fast driver in a car close, but not on par with the Merc, he finally went into the SIM room (2021).

It’s common knowledge that if HAM doesn’t have the fastest car, he gives up. He wants to retire the car, he makes excuses and “says” he’s experimenting with set ups.

I would never put HaM in the same category as Alonso or VER for several reasons but primarily due to the latter’s commitment, work ethic and ferociousness to extract the most out of the package they have been given. The term I would use to describe HAM is “front runner”.

goin2drt

Oh good lord. That is all I can say to this. As they say here in the south. Bless your heart.

Diablo Dude

Huh?

During his world championship runs he was often beset with mechanical issues that he was challenged with and had to overcome.
He didn't give up. In fact, he dealt with the hand he was given (tires, poor pitstop strategy, etc.), overcame these issues and won.
Anyone actually watching his races would be aware of this. Toto Wolf certainly was and he doesn't "sugar-coat" anything.

Carlo_Carrera

ELange0322

Yup ! This is where I sit as well (at the exit of the hairpin, although a bit further left in the grandstands where the kink is. This will be year 33 for me (first race was in 1989 with Thierry Boutsen winning in the rain). They didnt hold the race 2x since then and I missed one you for some family event. Great place to watch from.

multi21

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/2...-radio-message

https://www.racefans.net/2019/07/29/...-taking-ninth/

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...o-retire-spain

https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1...avio-briatore/

“He is one of those drivers who doesn't put much effort into it if the car isn't good,” the Italian told RAI. Schumacher agrees with that sentiment, saying: “Hamilton has to feel like he can win to be able to drive fast.”Mar 15, 2024