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Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he was “surprised” Lewis Hamilton raced on in 2021, as he thought he may not want to beat the seven World Championships won by Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton and Mercedes left it to the last minute to agree a deal for him to carry on with the team this season, but he signed a new two-year contract over summer to take his Formula 1 career through to 2023 at least.
The Briton won his seventh title in emphatic fashion last year, winning 11 races and finishing a whopping 124 points ahead of Valtteri Bottas in second, despite missing a race after contracting Covid-19.
Within that, he drew level with Schumacher’s World Championship record and surpassed the great German’s total of 91 race victories – and the Mercedes driver became Formula 1’s first ever centurion of grand prix wins when he took the chequered flag in Russia in September.
However, Ecclestone believes Hamilton’s achievements will not detract from Schumacher’s standing in the sport’s history.
“No, not at all,” Ecclestone told RTL when asked if a record eighth title would definitively place Hamilton’s talent above Schumacher in people’s estimations, quoted by Sky Sport in Germany.
“In fact, I’m surprised Lewis didn’t say at the beginning of the year ‘I’m stepping down, I don’t want to win more races or World Championships than Michael’.”
Ecclestone claimed earlier in the year Hamilton is “not quite the fighter he was”, but the Mercedes driver has since closed the gap to Max Verstappen to eight points in this year’s title race heading into the final two rounds of the season.
Despite his previous assessment of Hamilton’s driving, Formula 1’s former CEO is enjoying seeing the title battle unfold.
“It’s a fight we’ve been waiting for seven or eight years, finally a competition again,” he said.
“This is what people want when they watch Formula 1, or any sport for that matter. They want competition.”
Plenty of people from the world of Formula 1 have weighed in with their opinions about who will win this year’s World Championship, but the 91-year-old believes the pair’s unique approaches benefit the spectacle and the races themselves.
”They are both very competitive in their own way,” Ecclestone said. “They have a different style, a different way of dealing with things and then that suits the races.”
“In fact, I’m surprised Lewis didn’t say at the beginning of the year ‘I’m stepping down, I don’t want to win more races or World Championships than Michael’.”
Right. I don't think any of the 20 on the grid, nor any of the former drivers would make this comment. They're apex predators & there to win.
Can only image the viral video clips of Wolff losing his cool in the garage, Horner complaining they should "just let them race", and Marko saying how MB are still cheating this week.
I just hope the race next week is fair. I wonder what the odds are of Max wrecking himself and Hamilton out, since he'd win WDC on the total race wins.
2021 Saudi Grand Prix was a reality TV scripted plot to get drama into the 2021 season of "Drive To Survive"
In the minor news, it was pretty cool to see the first successful Williams F1 car FW07, with former Williams WDC Damon Hill driving it around the Saudi circuit still with it's Fly Saudia sponsorship
Commentary mentioned that the last time the WDC was tied going into the last round was 1974, IIRC.
Hoping for hard/fair racing & not a Senna/Prost Suzuka finale.
Definitely a chaotic day & wouldn't be too surprised if Jeddah gets the axe after '22. I think it was on Friday that they mentioned a new Saudi circuit as a replacement in '23.
The Mazepin/Russell incident Could've been a lot worse.
Pretty amazing that LH was still setting FLs with part of his wing missing.
Commentary mentioned that the last time the WDC was tied going into the last round was 1974, IIRC. Hoping for hard/fair racing & not a Senna/Prost Suzuka finale.
Definitely a chaotic day & wouldn't be too surprised if Jeddah gets the axe after '22. I think it was on Friday that they mentioned a new Saudi circuit as a replacement in '23.
The Mazepin/Russell incident Could've been a lot worse.
Pretty amazing that LH was still setting FLs with part of his wing missing.
+1, thoughts of 1990 Japan GP, 1994 Australian GP, and 1997 European GP (Jerez) come to mind for accidents deciding the title between the top two.
I was also amazed that most of the right end plate missing didn't seem to cause any notable aero detrimental performance. Hamilton's race engineer came on the radio pretty quickly and told Hamilton the performance was still there assuming there's some sort of sensor(s) measuring airflow and forces. That end plate was flapping all over the place eventually falling off which I'm guessing could have caused a puncture.
Pretty amazing that LH was still setting FLs with part of his wing missing.
I think it was mainly due to Max needing to nurse (his wounds) and his tires all the way to the finish line after all that racing on Mediums.. Otherwise, Max have been been able to take the fastest lap away from LH.
Still, continual improvement in lap times, with a damaged car, on 'aged' tires as well.
As a VB fan, pretty great to see a Baku 2.0 pass for the podium, right at the line.
Still, continual improvement in lap times, with a damaged car, on 'aged' tires as well.
Yeah very impressive on HAM's part.
Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
As a VB fan, pretty great to see a Baku 2.0 pass for the podium, right at the line.
Also yup, that was an epic podium steal right at the end.. I mentioned it in the Saudi Arabia thread, Ocon raced his ass off, credit where credit is due.
Commentary mentioned that the last time the WDC was tied going into the last round was 1974, IIRC.
Hoping for hard/fair racing & not a Senna/Prost Suzuka finale.
.
Yes, it was the 1974 USGP at the Glen and yes on the Suzuka finale thoughts too
I think it was mainly due to Max needing to nurse (his wounds) and his tires all the way to the finish line after all that racing on Mediums.. Otherwise, Max have been been able to take the fastest lap away from LH.
True, though I believe Max also said in the post-race conference that once he was hit with the 5-sec., he stopped caring & backed off trying to challenge Lewis.
Originally Posted by thoiboi
Ocon was robbed of Driver of the Day.. he drove his ass off..
Dude was right there on the cusp of a podium as well.
Still, continual improvement in lap times, with a damaged car, on 'aged' tires as well.
As a VB fan, pretty great to see a Baku 2.0 pass for the podium, right at the line.
I'm a big LH44 fan and pulling for him to secure #8 this season. But looking towards the future (at a post-Hamilton era), I cant wait to see Verstappen go at it with Russell in the Mercedes and LeClerc (assuming Ferrari gets it together). Gasly's contract being up after the 2022 season, I'm eager to see where he lands; honestly think he's the most underrated driver on the grid and could be a beast with the right equipment.
I'm a big LH44 fan and pulling for him to secure #8 this season. But looking towards the future (at a post-Hamilton era), I cant wait to see Verstappen go at it with Russell in the Mercedes and LeClerc (assuming Ferrari gets it together). Gasly's contract being up after the 2022 season, I'm eager to see where he lands; honestly think he's the most underrated driver on the grid and could be a beast with the right equipment.
+1, also a LH44 and Gasly fan. Lewis has come so far with MB, gotta wonder when another driver/team partnership like that will every happen again. I can see Wolff/MB signing Verstappen once Hamilton retires, depending on MB competitiveness.
+1, also a LH44 and Gasly fan. Lewis has come so far with MB, gotta wonder when another driver/team partnership like that will every happen again. I can see Wolff/MB signing Verstappen once Hamilton retires, depending on MB competitiveness.
I'm a big LH44 fan and pulling for him to secure #8 this season. But looking towards the future (at a post-Hamilton era), I cant wait to see Verstappen go at it with Russell in the Mercedes and LeClerc (assuming Ferrari gets it together). Gasly's contract being up after the 2022 season, I'm eager to see where he lands; honestly think he's the most underrated driver on the grid and could be a beast with the right equipment.
Charles will be one to watch. He recently said based on how the stewards approached the Max/Lewis situation in Brazil, he would adjust his driving style again, and Charles can definitely drive aggressively if he feels the need to.
Max's father Jos already said very recently that he would never race for Toto or MBZ.
FIFY, AFAIK Jos said that and not Max. Max wants to win WDC and RBR for a variety of reasons have been unable to suffice that goal with their cars.
Everyone is happy in their team until they're not, Vettel for reference
Charles will be one to watch. He recently said based on how the stewards approached the Max/Lewis situation in Brazil, he would adjust his driving style again, and Charles can definitely drive aggressively if he feels the need to.
Don't know how I left this one out but Lando should be in that fraternity as well. He has a look in his eyes like he's being slighted for not being in the conversation much; think he'll have something to prove over then next few years.
Don't know how I left this one out but Lando should be in that fraternity as well. He has a look in his eyes like he's being slighted for not being in the conversation much; think he'll have something to prove over then next few years.
Yes, Lando is definitely the driver I really want to see the most out of.
I was glad Lewis won Sochi (for the title fight), but I still felt so bad for Lando to lose the way he did. Inexperience, but seeing him afterwards, damn dude.
Don't agree with everything Bernie says in this article but certainly agree with this statement, the professor was the best even when he didn't have the best car.
"I always thought Alain Prost was really and truly the best. He drove the car alone without any help.
"He had to look after everything during a race and he always had a driver in the other team car who was very, very competent."
12-03-2021, 08:16 AM
Could've been a lot worse.
+1, thoughts of 1990 Japan GP, 1994 Australian GP, and 1997 European GP (Jerez) come to mind for accidents deciding the title between the top two.
