****** FORMULA 1 THREAD ******

[RedRobin]

^
Lewis drove a great race and there was some superb close stuff with Mark Webber and all very fair and good driving. He does seem to be very unhappy and sarcastic though - I used to like the guy more but I'm now thinking that he's perhaps a very bad loser.

By contrast, Seb Vettel is a true champion and you couldn't ask for a nicer guy. You've got to see him on the BBC Red Button aftershow to see what he's really like.

[Hedge]

I suspect Lewis and Mclaren may part company at the end of the season.

[Nodz]

Lewis needs his Dad back behind him or something as his off track attitude is getting worse by every race. Ever since he played the race card when the FIA were always penalising him he's slowly got worse. He's a good driver but his off track attitude needs looking at.

I agree with Robin that seb in the f1 forum on the red button always has a laugh and has a good attitude about it all. Just annoying that we will probably have another 7 years of hearing the German national anthem after a race, I thought we saw the end of that when Schumacher retired, lol.

Also liked the fact that they told seb to slow down and look after his tyres then on the final lap he sneaked in the fastest time.

Also there was some good battles all down the field in this race

[Makaveli]

In my opinion I dont think Hamilton is being sarcastic, there is no doubt there has been a change in his demeanor but I think this is more to do with him believing he is "damned if you do, damned if you don't" so he is staying quiet and trying to stay out of trouble.

[RobH]

Yep i can see Lewis and Mclaren parting company he clearly isnt happy there anymore judgng by his attitude this weekend. Its a shame because its been good having an all british team to watch.

Not so sure where that leaves Hamilton for next season though...?

[Makaveli]

I cant see him going anywhere, he will back to himself at the start of next season refreshed and hopefully with a competitive car!

[RedRobin]

In my opinion I dont think Hamilton is being sarcastic, there is no doubt there has been a change in his demeanor but I think this is more to do with him believing he is "damned if you do, damned if you don't" so he is staying quiet and trying to stay out of trouble.

....It was only the one comment in the post race interview with Lee McK when he turned to his McLaren 'assistant' and asked him if he had infringed anything this race as an answer to Lee's question. He just seems very 'off' and almost disinterested in the whole F1 circus.

I cant see him going anywhere, he will back to himself at the start of next season refreshed and hopefully with a competitive car!

....I agree, but we still have a few more races and Lewis won't be doing himself any favours if he continues his recent attitude.

I'm coming to the conclusion that many of these drivers behave like spoilt brats when they're not winning. Thank goodness Plato now can't win the BTCC!

[QD MBE]

Perfect podium.

[andrewparker]

I think Hamilton is a very hard person to read and I can wholeheartedly understand why people think he is sarcastic and offhand. However I do think he is being unfairly treated by the media and critics. I am no apologist for the man, nor even a fan of him, however I think his attitude in recent times has come from a frustration in his own performance and a failure to know how to express this nor how to deal with it. He is still very young, and clearly quite naive, understandable for someone thrust into the limelight with no guidance of how to handle it. At first I discarded comments suggesting he needed his Dad back by his side, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. I think the sarcasm is him trying to be "cool", but it's really not doing him any favours.

Perhaps his subdued attitude this weekend was him reflecting on how good the season could have been had it not been for needless collisions, conflict within the team etc.

[MarkMarked]

Don't think articles like this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2049953/Lewis-Hamilton-Nicole-Scherzingers-relationship-hits-rocky-patch.html are helping Lewis at the moment

He has been trying to push everything to the limit driving and yet he always gets punished by the stewards.

Vettel wasn't punished by the stewards on Sat for cutting out part of the track so that he could get back to his pit with enough time to get a final lap out, Would they have let Liewis get away with it

[RedRobin]

Don't think articles like this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2049953/Lewis-Hamilton-Nicole-Scherzingers-relationship-hits-rocky-patch.html are helping Lewis at the moment

He has been trying to push everything to the limit driving and yet he always gets punished by the stewards.

Vettel wasn't punished by the stewards on Sat for cutting out part of the track so that he could get back to his pit with enough time to get a final lap out, Would they have let Liewis get away with it

....I thought exactly the same when I saw Seb Vettel cut across and was surprised by the stewards let-off.

Re Lewis' GF Nicole, I wouldn't be inclined to believe anything a newspaper writes but I did wonder if a contributory cause of his recent lack of smiles was to do with her. There's plenty more fish in the sea if you're a wealthy F1 driver.

[Janner_Sy]

im a big fan of hamilton, but there is something definitely wrong.

He was on pole position, finished a very commendable 2nd, managing to keep webber in a faster car behind him, in a car that was not ideal and never had any incidents, yet he was very subdued in his responses during the press conference. Something isnt right at all.

[RedRobin]

.
It's official:

Lewis and Nicole Schwithingy have split up. It was on the TV News tonight.

Perhaps now Lewis will get back to being his old happy self.

[vRS Carl]

If Lewis is like any NORMAL red blooded bloke then I don't think he would be happy splitting up with her 

[Hedge]

If he is like any normal red-blooded male he will still have the videos and pictures to console himself with.