I think they were genuinely friendly in the first year, but when you saw them together last year, during Lewis' sulky period in particular, it did seem there was some tension there. That's my impression anyway.

Hamilton is good friends with Rosberg, having coming up the ranks together. So that'll be interesting to watch, especially if Hamilton really is being given the #1 status.

If you look at the last 20 years, Ross Brawn's cars have won 8 drivers' world championships (and I guess Adrian Newey has won 8 too).

 

Yep I agree.

 

I was glad to hear Hamilton is on his way to Mercedes today. He won't be challenging for jack now. Lost all respect for the spoilt brat when he sacked his father back in 2010. The very man who brought him in to this world, dedicated, mentored and sacrificed it all for his son to be a star and then have it thrown back in his face. I really feel for Hamilton Snr. The father and son combination worked. Only world title back in 2008 "its all downhill from here son"

 

Hmmm, not sure on Perez at all. McLaren with a pay driver is interesting.

Still, as Pete says, it is all about the car and the team making the car and less so about the driver.

So lets hope the tens of millions Perez is bringing is put to good use!

 

Think maybe his mum would have something to say about his dad "bringing him into this world" I'm sure she was there too?

 

Oooo get you mr pedantic

 

Did the father son pairing really work though ?

I recall a hell of a lot of bad publicity directed at Hamilton Snr in the early days of Lewis' F1 career.

No matter what he does, haters like you will always hammer Hamilton.

It's quite ironic as people on here bemoan modern F1 for not having any characters. Well I'd say that love him or hate him, Hamilton is one of the big characters of F1. Unless that is that you like your F1 stars to be monosyllabic and monotone like that great 'character' Kimi Raikonen.

Let's face it, if it were Button or anyone else changing team, which let's face it is a regular occurence in F1, then we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

 

But he is not really a character is he? No more than most of the drivers.
Characters have something interesting about them, they kick over the traces sometimes. Not something you can honestly say about LH.(He is something special behind the wheel though)
James Hunt WAS a character as was G.Hill esq.
Kimi is the nearest thing we have at the moment, most of the rest are just corporate clones.

 

DiResta also fired Anthony Hamilton, and is suing him.

Anthony Hamilton certainly did an enourmous amount to get Lewis where he is, but that doesn't mean he'd automatically be good at the big business that is F1. Lots of ex-drivers became managers, like Brundle, Keke Rosberg etc., but they've been there themselves.

Martin Whitmarsh denied that Perez was a pay driver, saying he was being paid "a lot of money". But I think McLaren are losing Vodafone as a major sponsor, and Perez is backed by South America's biggest telco.

 

(Newey appointed)

the bit that mattered most

as always, it's the car first
[/quote]

Indeed. And it still took Newey and co (and very importantly, a vast amount of Red Bull money) 5 years to win the championship.

2014 will be a season where one team is way ahead of the rest following the engine and chassis changes.

What Ross Brwn will be hoping and paying for is that Hamilton will be able to get everything out of the car, no matter how good or bad it is, as he does now.

The qualifying stats are pretty revealing http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/statistic...alifying-data/ and the race points are clear as well, now that Hamilton has begun to learn not to crash into people.