From: mpconmy@gmail.com   
      
   Bob Latham  wrote:   
   > In article <_2fkP.37667$Jua7.4066@fx15.ams4>,   
   >   Eric  wrote:   
   >   
   >> I agree - I hope this and the fresh start at Ferrari will help   
   >> Hamilton get to #8.   
   >   
   > Yes indeed. I have been a lewis fan since he started in F1 simply   
   > because he's a Brit and one of the very best of all time. However,   
   > I've also had a long term dislike of Ferrari, it was top of my   
   > dislike list for years but Red Bull now easily take that prize. I had   
   > decided to stay a Merc fan but I admit I'm torn because I do think   
   > Lewis is owed one for the 2021 cheating so I do hope it comes   
   > together for him.   
   >   
   >> Seeing the photos of Lewis in red and driving the '23 car made me   
   >> realize just how much I'm itching for testing to start.   
   >   
   > Oh yes.   
   >   
   >> I'm sure hoping that my Williams can pull something out of the hat   
   >> for this year.   
   >   
   > That would be nice to see and for me I do like Toto so hope Merc cam   
   > solve their issues.   
      
   I think Hamilton deserved 2021. There are plenty of individual issues   
   throughout the season that both sides will argue about, but it was very   
   well fought. The final race, though, was shockingly handled and there is   
   no question to any fair-minded person that the decision to deviate from   
   normal rules (in at least one case) and precedent (in at least one   
   other) combined to make Hamilton's win impossible. That's not fair.   
      
   BUT...time gives no favours out. Hamilton - like any human - is subject   
   to the waning of fitness, reaction-time and so on. He has the benefit of   
   some fantastic experience which can tip the scales back the other way,   
   but you need to both be at the top end of the driver-skill equation   
   _and_ have a car that's the best or very close to the best in the field.   
      
   He can hope he's given a car that's there or thereabouts. I think he can   
   put in a top-rate performance but I doubt that he's physically able to   
   deliver even on where he was in 2021 (let alone earlier). So, if he gets   
   the best car and/or the cream of the other drivers have inferior cars,   
   he has a chance.   
      
   But it's chance. Luck plays a part. Weather, other drivers driving into   
   him (or others), strange on-track incidents of other kinds all play a   
   part. That might benefit him or it might disadvantage him.   
      
   It should be an interesting season but, if I had to lay real money down,   
   I wouldn't risk it on Hamilton. Which is not to say he won't *get* title   
   #8, but the past few years where the RB car dominated made that much   
   harder.   
      
   We're talking about an eighth title, but the history is littered with   
   drivers who lost out on even a single title because they were unlucky or   
   shared the racetrace with a great and, under other circumstances, they   
   would have been champions.   
      
   And that's motor-racing.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)