Hamilton may quit Mercedes team this season according Villeneuve
Apr.26 - While his fans suffer with him amid a rare personal slump, not everyone is unhappy that Lewis Hamilton is struggling in 2022.
"To be honest, I liked it when Max lapped him," world champion Max Verstappen's father Jos admitted after Imola.
But it wasn't just a one-off for the seven time world champion - he is struggling even more than his new teammate George Russell with the woeful 2022 Mercedes.
"He has to wonder why Russell is so much faster than him," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
"He has to admit that Russell is the better driver right now. If things continue like this over the next few weeks, things will also get exciting in the team. There may be changes in the hierarchy.
"But I am far from saying that Hamilton missed the moment to retire. However, the new cars require the drivers to adapt a little and Hamilton is not used to that."
After Red Bull's intense battle with Mercedes and Hamilton last year, Dr Helmut Marko is not so magnanimous.
"Maybe he should have stopped at the end of last year," the 78-year-old said.
As he didn't quit, though, pundits are now wondering if the 37-year-old will be able to cope with a full season of pain in the badly-'porpoising' silver car.
"It's a question that will be raised," 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve told the Dutch publication Formule 1.
"In the meantime, Mercedes need to learn how to lose now. George Russell is doing a good job as underdog, but he learned this at Williams, while Hamilton always had something to fight for.
"He didn't look aggressive enough at Imola - like he couldn't even fight. It's not easy being the head of the Mercedes team right now.
"As Toto Wolff, do you choose your megastar, your poster boy, the record-breaking champion with the international image who costs you a mega sum of money? Or do you develop the car for the promising talent?
"A big star like Lewis is great if you win, but if you don't the backlash is so much bigger. A champion doesn't have the right to be uncompetitive.
"We've been surprised in the past," Villeneuve concluded. "It has happened before that champions sometimes say they've just had enough."
For his part, Hamilton is pointing the blame squarely at the car, insisting the W13 Mercedes is "not far from the experience" of the even more woeful 2009 McLaren.
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Lewis should try driving the Williams for a reason. He has always been provided with excellent cars since Ron brought him in years ago. I hope he doesn't quit though...
Fun to see Russell and Bottas way ahead of him... ;)
Exactly if it wasn't for max and Honda it would be another bore fest, ok the rules have helped I quote Hammy he wants closer racing,he wants competition ok goat... let's see how you get on, but you have to beat King George First...then Max,then Charles,etc Tec oh and I read the testing reports, couldn't see any mention of porpoising so what's changed..?
You have forgotten Ferrari.
And he has to beat Bottas (who holds track records at many tracks in a Silver Arrow) and KMAG in his turd Haas...
There wasn't all this carry on about the Mercedes car not suitable for another 7 times world champion who came out of retirement. MSCjust got on with it.
HAM is a great driver but 6 of his world champiomships are skewed because he had such a dominant car.Russell beating him is proof of that.
Funny isn't it that an F1 team & driver can dominate the press stories whether they are winning or not what on earth will they do when he retires.. "cover Chelsea f. C. or sir Lulu's fashion business.
My apologies for the double post.
MSC "Got on with it" in embarrassing his legacy. Lol. What a way to end it. And at least 5 of his titles were due to a superior car via CHEATING! And unlike him, at least Sir Lewis was never banned for a season. 😎
As to Russell, it turns out both cars were running different rear wings where as he ran the high downforce type and LH ran the opposite. So Boy George benefitted from more grip through corners as a result. GR is the one with a point to prove. Sir Lewis has been there, done that...without cheating! Sorry, I had to say it twice. 😈
Oh so overexcited at the moment you giddy little sourpusses. But the Brazil GP last year had y'all on mute! Lol smh.
Is it just my interpretation that one hit wonder Rosberg seems like an excited bitch dog in heat lately? 😂
JaxAss, you're a hoot. ;) (just kudding,not really).
Russell, Botas and 12 other kicked his ass. Couldn't even pass Gasley after 22 attempts in the Sprint "race".
GOAT? Perhaps, but he did have COAT.... best
Car Of All Time.
And the best driver gets access to the best car and earn the biggest bucks because of their talent and consistency. Which is also why they beat their teammates more often and generally by big margins and lose by small margins on the rare occasions; also don't crash as much! Lol.
Even Horner is careful about jumping on the bashing LH bandwagon as the last four races of 2021 are still fresh in his mind. Unlike you misfits who aren't smart enough to be wiser. So I'll be a "JaxAss" over a dumbass any day....Swedess. Lol
Always an excuse...with certain posters
GR is the one with a point to prove. Sir Lewis has been
I do believe King George is making his point quite well.....
Sir Lewis has been ?? two words missed out there, insert ( is a ) and its accurate
Funny isn't it that an F1 team & driver can dominate the press stories whether they are winning or not what on earth will they do when he retires.. "cover Chelsea f. C. or sir Lulu's fashion business.
With Netflix losing viewers, I bet they are terrified of Ham retiring. The rest are pretty boring. But. Anything can be FIXED. I suspect Sir H is only fulfilling his contract.
Netflix content 100%
Netflix content other than f1 99%
Netflix and f1 , yeah there really crapping themselves NOT
If sir Lulu's as good and experienced as you say then why didn't He choose the best wing for the race. Don't under estimate G.R.
Under parc ferme conditions i think with the weather, theyd have relaxed the rules some, whether that means they can change a wing?
Maybe.... lol but its definately not as some posters would have us believe
Woke, weak and child-like.
Time for the little boy to pick up his marbles and go home.
Let's face it - Dame Lucy' has become 'yesterday's news'. Boi George is doing well with the chassis, P4 even with the auto-massage turned up to maximum is not a bad showing.
Rossberg ejected 7 minutes after he won his championship - fed-up to his back teeth with the bulls__t he was required to put up driving beside Dame Lucy.
In response to Lucy saying "I don't want to be anywhere else [except MB]" some one mentioned that that comment was code for "No other team would have me".
Frankly, I'll be surprised if Lucy is behind the wheel of a Mercedes for the last race of 2022 season.
Can anyone tell me who the true greats were who won a wdc without the best car and without cheating by team, driver, or officials?
Nominations please. My f1 history is not up to the task.
James Hunt for one
Right mate!
Hmm# nice one.
Nikki Lauda & Jackie Stewart come to mind.
Typical JV.
His fans suffer with him 😄
Presume they mean the media.
is he gone yet
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