Was the post-Hungary criticism of Lewis Hamilton valid?
Thursday 30 July 2015 09:03, UK
On the latest edition of the F1 Midweek Report, Daniel Johnson and Alan Baldwin debate Lewis Hamilton's display in Hungary and Nico Rosberg's clash with Daniel Ricciardo.
Hamilton’s performance in the Hungarian GP drew withering condemnation from Fleet Street in the wake of a series of mistakes from the Mercedes driver in Budapest.
According to The Daily Mail’s Jonathan McEvoy, ‘Hamilton raced around the Hungaroring like a man driving back from the Dog and Duck after eight pints’, while Johnson, The F1 correspondent of The Daily Telegraph declared: ‘Hamilton produced the kind of rash performance which holds back his elevation to the status of a true great.’
Quizzed about his criticism on this week’s edition of The F1 Midweek Report, Johnson insisted it was valid.
"He was in the best car, he’s qualified on pole position, he’s not really under a great deal of pressure, he has a decent lead in the championship and his team-mate is off colour – to then drive as he did was inexplicable," Daniel explained.
"It may sound harsh but given all the circumstances it was a pretty dreadful drive.
But in contrast to his press peers, Reuters’ Alan Baldwin argued Hamilton deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Watch the video above for the show in full which includes more debate about Lewis' display, plus analysis of the clash between Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Rosberg, and discussion over whether McLaren-Honda are finally about to come good.
