Post by larkimPost by Alan BakerPost by geoffPost by Alan BakerIf Hamilton can consistently outdo first class drivers in the same
machinery, then perhaps he can be numbered AMONG the greatest of all time.
Yes ....
Post by Alan BakerPost by geoffNaa. But very good.
Then Hamilton is just a little better than a "very good" driver.
Your words.
If that's what it takes, then yes, but consistantly.
And nobody has been better in recent years. Even Rosberg despite his
WDC, which may not have happened if for HAM's bad 'luck'
mechanically.
I'm sorry, but "nobody has been better in recent years" can be said
about a lot of drivers who happen to have been in the right car at the
right time.
Today's cars make it harder to find big gaps between teammates than in the
halcyon days gone by, so I don't think it makes any logical sense to
compare Ham vs Bot simply in terms of lap times in quali or races.
Upon what other basis can you compare them?
The fact remains that in exactly the same machinery, Bottas—a good, but
by no one's estimation a great F1 pilot, is very nearly as quick as
Hamilton, race in, race out.
Post by larkimAll F1 drivers today are fairly great. The question as to whether Hamilton
is exceptional is better looked at hypothetically with "who would be beating
Hamilton in the same car today" or "who would be faster than Bottas in the
Merc today".
Verstappen
Alonso
Ricciardo
Post by larkimThere's a decent argument that Max, Fernando, Sebastian might do as well
as Hamilton in terms of outright pace. But Vettel has shown fragility,
Max is no different. Fred might be the one - by reputation his one lap pace
would be slower than Lewis', but his race pace might be equal or faster.
And if Hamilton were really the "greatest of all time", as some want to
anoint him, you would have suggested that any of them might be faster.
Post by larkimPossibly, possibly not.
I think they all would do better than Bottas, but I don't think there are
too many down the grid who would consistently be better than Bottas in that
car. Ricciardo certainly, and you can make an argument for some others, but
not with much certainty.
And that makes my point very well.
Being consistently better than Bottas would put any driver pretty much
on a level with Hamilton, and therefore he cannot be the "greatest of
all time", can he?
Don't get me wrong: I think Hamilton is definitely in the elite circle
of F1 drivers currently racing.
But awarding him the "GOAT".... ...no.