As entirely predictable, understandable, though ultimately unsuccessful as Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi tactics were, with his boorish approach the Briton has realised his failure to possess the humility commensurate to a triple World Champion in the face of defeat.
Hamilton’s utterances at every avenue since his Malaysia setback that the sole reason he hasn’t claimed a third consecutive title on account of reliability issues was – and now is – tantamount to suggesting that his teammate, Nico Rosberg, has no claim to the crown he has rightfully gleaned.
The 31-year-old was blessed with a trouble free path to the 2015 championship while Rosberg endured a string of misfortunes at a critical phase of the campaign, which nobody claimed as unjust. Yet it appears that with a role reversal and live title race that the German conveniently stumbled upon the abundance of optimal results enjoyed routinely by the former in recent seasons as though pure coincidence.
The Briton’s grievances, in contrast to his teammate achieving all that was asked of him, no harsh undertaking when equipped with machinery as devastating as witnessed throughout the past three seasons, isn’t without credibility.
Ultimately, it’s his inability to accept fate, opting to linger on wronging, and unafraid to infer notions of sabotage, which calls into question not only his status as the most marketable driver on the grid, but most pertinently, his legacy as a three-time champion.
For somebody boasting a decade on the grid, encompassing 53 Grands Prix victories, it’d be reasonable to expect that Hamilton would know his place. The popular suggestion that his most recent titles have mellowed his demeanour is moot on the basis of his sullen public performances throughout a season in which he came extremely close to claiming yet another championship.
Rosberg was exceptional enough to capitalise on the opportunities afforded, he won the title. Hamilton didn’t lose it as he’d have many believe.
The significance of Sunday’s outcome can’t be emphasised enough, for Hamilton was blissfully aware of the German’s wanting abilities in close quarter racecraft in recent seasons, and he exercised his prerogative to deliver a contrived performance which would force his teammate’s hand. That Rosberg refused to fall for the bait was one matter, but another entirely was the cynical nature by which the Briton employed his tactics.
Treating his superiors on pitwall with utter disdain, Hamilton has ostensibly reached the conclusion that he calls the shots at Mercedes, as attested to his remark, “I am losing the World Championship, so I am not bothered if I lose this race.”
It’s nice that the Briton was willing to sacrifice a victory if it resulted in Rosberg suffering adversely, yet at no stage did Mercedes impart that they were willing to forgo a sacred 1-2 to cater Hamilton’s whim.
As soon as one individual becomes greater than the sum of the parts and dismantles the synergy which is obligatory to combined success, serious questions must be raised pertaining to the immediate wellbeing of the whole. In this case, the longevity of the Hamilton’s association if this trend cannot be curbed, irrespective of how much has been delivered by the Briton.
Nico Rosberg doesn’t exude charisma as Lewis Hamilton does, yet he possesses noble humility which he displayed in 2014 and 2015 in the face of defeat, harvesting the pain and returning a stronger individual.
Hamilton can continue to espouse the philosophy that he was felled solely due to misfortune, though the Briton could do much worse than take a leaf out of the German’s book in the art of grace, for the reality is that the right man won the 2016 World Championship.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
Hamilton is for all intents and purposes champion elect every season, his mere presence bestows an instant claim to the title unless circumstances, rather than competitors, who may or may not be a team-mate, unfairly rob him of his glory.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
ok, so if Nico Rosberg was driving on the street, and Lewis Hamilton didn't give way, and crashed into Nico, and thus Nico was late for his appointment with Toto. If you say, "Well, if Lewis doesn't crash into him, Nico would have made his appointment on time," you can't then say the aaccident still would have happened. It's the butterfly effect. The cause was the accident, the outcome was neither of them finishing. If the cause doesn't happen, the outcome can't happen either. It's not like a tree falling in the woods with no one hearing it. It's the tree being cut down next to a house and falling on the house. If you don't cut the tree down, it doesn't land on the house. Case in point: If Lewis doesn't try to overtake Nico there and then (which is effectively the cause of the accident), he follows Nico home
anon
Guest
Thanks mate!
anon
Guest
I still don't understand your point. Hamilton made an error. Do you want me to start awarding hypothetical points to Rosberg when he makes an error?
Rodney Gordon
Expert
But... i'm sure Hamilton would have been favourite for the title this year too?
Da Spoon
Guest
Hamiltons already the clear favourite with all the bookies for next years title and not just the British bookies. Also voted top drivers for this year by the F1 elite. Verstappen second. AUTOSPORT'S 2016 TEAM BOSS'S TOP 10 1 Lewis Hamilton, 234 points (No change) 2 Max Verstappen, 183 (Up two places) 3 Nico Rosberg, 176 (No change) 4 Daniel Ricciardo, 133 (Up five) 5 Sebastian Vettel, 90 (Down three) 6 Fernando Alonso, 67 (No change) 7 Kimi Raikkonen, 61 (Up three) 8 Sergio Perez, 52 (No change) 9 Valtteri Bottas, 26 (Down two) 10 Carlos Sainz Jr, 25 (New entry) WHO VOTED Toto Wolff, Mercedes Christian Horner, Red Bull Maurizio Arrivabene, Ferrari Vijay Mallya, Force India Claire Williams, Williams Eric Boullier, McLaren Franz Tost, Toro Rosso Gunther Steiner, Haas Fred Vasseur, Renault Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber Dave Ryan, Manor
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
You don't always have to agree on something, but you can't fault the commitment!
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
Thanks Mark. It must be said that Channel 4 has brought a refreshingly impartial approach to the table, likely bolstered by its' rotating panel of drivers from multiple nations rather than the set quartet of Britons on Sky. It's true that Hamilton should have won much more throughout the past three seasons, notwithstanding his reliability issues, there have been many instances where impetuousness has cost him, whether on a Saturday or Sunday, despite his considerable experience and multiple titles. It'll be intriguing whether an inferior chassis or simply being bested once more by Rosberg in 2017, causes Hamilton to rapidly lose interest in not only Mercedes, but the sport altogether.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Nice work Bayden - we watch F1 through a British perspective with both the BBC and SKY so get more than enough Lewis mania for my liking. To be brutal, he has done an acceptable job for the past three years, winning races in the fastest car on the grid and beating his teammate for much of the time before getting beaten. But really, that is the bare minimum you would expect of any driver on the grid. Off the top of my head, I would place a dozen other drivers on the grid in his drive and they would be doing just as well as he has done. If Mercedes don't deliver the fastest car next year, Abu Dhabi could well be his last win.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Never change Anon - I love the effort you put into your responses. Well done!
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
That's.. That's the point. The outcome of the mistake is the accident. If the accident doesn't happen, it's because the mistake wasnt made. It's like.. In a football game, someone gets a red card for making a bad tackle, and breaks the other guys leg. If the argument is "If Person A didn't collect Person B he wouldn't have a broken leg", then clearly, Person A wouldn't have gotten the red card, because he didn't collect Person B. Wash, rinse, repeat.
anon
Guest
"Hamilton crashed making an overtake. He wouldn’t have made the same mistake if there was no car to overtake, or too far behind. Therefore, it would most likely be business as usual if what happened didn’t happen" But the car was there and Hamilton made a poorly judged passing attempt.
anon
Guest
"With what he did, it’s either he takes both of them out, as he did, or its business as usual." But he did make a mistake and because of that error was going to score 0 points whether or not he collected Rosberg.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Hamilton crashed making an overtake. He wouldn't have made the same mistake if there was no car to overtake, or too far behind. Therefore, it would most likely be business as usual if what happened didn't happen
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
With what he did, it's either he takes both of them out, as he did, or its business as usual.
anon
Guest
I'm not sure what you're arguing about. If Hamilton doesn't take Rosberg out with him in Spain, Rosberg collects 25 points Hamilton gets 0.
Kev
Guest
Petulant Hamilton? What else is new? He's always carried himself like this. Hamilton makes a tantrum throwing toddler look mature.
Brad
Guest
I think he is saying that Hamilton crashed but did not take out Rosberg in the process if he had just skidded in front of him or hit the wall harder and bounced on the track then Rosberg would have more than likely won and got another 25 points
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Precisely. Not 18. I tried working it all out in my head at work, and it does pretty much balance itself out.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
And if you're saying "if that didn't happen" you can't put it happening in the output.