F1 2022 thread - see post 1 for rules

Well he would say that, he's always going apply whatever pressure he can. Unlike some posters here I don't think F1 needs him for anything and it would be more competitive if he was gone.

I might be absolutely wrong - but could be a pressure tactic, the sport 'needs' Hamilton, so waiting to see how much he can get out of it maybe, also the penalty for not attending the awards is still awaited... powerplay at play!

North America. He really speaks to that culture, and that culture has a LOT of money. Asia and Europe can only do so much and Africa isn't really into motorsport full stop.

I myself think him winning an 8th championship to go clear of Schumachers 7 is definitely a priority. You saw how little merc cared about the constructors it took them about 3 or 4 days to even recognise that they won it again while they were being sour over Abu Dhabi.

If Hamilton wins the championship this year I'd be surprised if the first media postings from merc say anything other than something along the lines of undisputed greatest of all time, clear of Schumacher yada yada you can make it up yourself what they'll say.

Anyways, all irrelevant as he will definitely be racing next season (and beyond perhaps).

Except the majority of the sims don't have the full aerodynamic modelling integrated into them. The venturi tunnels (in majority but also the lack of barge boards and complex front wings) will make a drastic effect on the rooster tail of dirty air based on what the engineers are saying

It is an untapped market yes, but it is not like F1 needs America to survive or it is curtains. He obviously has a following there through certain aspects, but the sport overall doesn't need one driver to keep going.

Hamilton came behind Verstappen and Norris in the global fan survey, which is pretty damning considering the statistics he's achieved by having a Mercedes under him, and the extent to which the media try to deify him. The reality is that he's nowhere near as popular as some posters here are making out and wouldn't be missed. His presence or otherwise wouldn't change the competitive landscape much either as there's about a dozen drivers on the grid who'd have the same record as him in that Mercedes, we already saw George Russell step in at a minute's notice in 2020 without a chance for a proper seat fitting and he still blew away Bottas and was heading for a dominant victory before the team screwed up the pitstop.

The sport now, for the first time in a long time, has a world champion who's popular around the world rather than just in Britain, and who's flying the flag of the sport by taking part in such events as the virtual 24 hours of Le Mans this week, and who doesn't have too big an ego to respect the traditions of the sport and consider his own number more important than putting the number 1 on the car. The sport is more popular than it's been in years and that's certainly got nothing to do with Lewis, there's a reason why ratings have gone up as other drivers have won.

Yes, Lewis loves lapping up celebrity culture and hanging out with fashion designers and musicians, but it's an extremely shallow view to make the assumption that that means he'd be more popular in the US and a bit of an insult to Americans - they do have plenty of motorsport of their own and they understand racing perfectly well. The average Nascar fan is going to be more impressed by an out and out racer like Verstappen taking the championship with a perfectly judged last lap overtake than someone who's accustomed to cruising to victory in a dominant car without a fight and spends all his time at celebrity gala events, who then goes on to sulk and demand more preferential treatment from the sport's governing body in the event he's beaten.

Hamilton will be back; he's under contract and I'd imagine breaking that contract would be expensive and awkward.

He hasn’t said anything and he won’t. The only places running with it are British news outlets citing “sources close to Hamilton”.

Its likely a Mercedes strategy to try and exert as much influence/pressure as they can to ensure changes to the rulebook are in their benefit.

Jesus, can we keep the Hamilton talk to the Hamilton thread and lose all this dogwhistling crap

I hope he does come back so we can have him and Verstappen battle it out again.

If you look at the major detractors of Hamilton on this thread and look at their post history, particularly on the BLM/racial equality threads, you can plainly see their reasons for disliking the driver

Reading over on the autosport forum that Hamilton won't return if Masi is still there. If Masi leaves due to that, the sport is beyond messed up and how's how Merc have used their power for the last decade to get things their way.

I really hope it is not the case, not that I like Masi, but him leaving to keep a driver because a team kicks up a fuss over it...slippy slope.

He made up the rules for entertainment alright, but the more traditional options would advertise been controversial too - it was an unenviable position.

Whether he deserves to go or not is another question but he might get caught up in the politics. It happens in every business and entertainment industry and sport at different times.

There were posters calling for his head throughout the season for various reasons anyway. His wasn't a particularly popular reign as race director so I doubt there will be much opposition to his removal.

When evidence is there that its Mercs standing that they want him gone apart from forum gossip?

Irregardless of what RB/merc side of the fence you are on, he made up a rule when it wasn't his place to do so ,and that's not counting the other dodgy calls he made during the season