Max: Hamilton May Be Negitive To F1

[goferrarigo 0]

Hamilton 'may be negative for F1'

Hamilton has been a phenomenon in his first season in F1

Motorsport boss Max Mosley has said Lewis Hamilton could have a negative effect on Formula One if he is as successful next year as he was in 2007.

"If he does the same thing next season as he's done this season, it will certainly have a big effect," he said.

"It will start to be negative because we'll get the Schumacher effect where people start writing to me saying can't you do something to slow him down."

Mosley added that Hamilton's role in revitalising F1 had been exaggerated.

"He has certainly helped enormously in the UK," said Mosley, the president of governing body the FIA, in an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk programme.

"He's also got a lot of interest worldwide because he's come manifestly not from a rich background. He's just made it.

"There is always somebody new. If it wasn't him it would be either [Nico] Rosberg or [Robert] Kubica or one of the other new stars, a [sebastian] Vettel, would suddenly be the big one.

It would be surprising if Hamilton didn't know something of what was going on [in spy-gate], but I've got absolutely no evidence that he had

"So I think there is a tendency to exaggerate the importance of Lewis Hamilton."

Mosley added that it was "very unlikely" that Hamilton would be installed as champion following a hearing next month into the results of the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix.

McLaren have appealed against the decision not to punish the Williams and BMW Sauber teams for having fuel that was too cold.

If McLaren are successful in having their three points-scoring drivers excluded, Hamilton could be moved up in the results to fourth, giving him enough points to displace Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen as world champion.

But Mosley said: "It could happen, absolutely, because this will go to a court of appeal.

"It consists of very senior lawyers who are not connected with any of the countries involved in the events, so not Britain, not Italy and so on. It's an independent court. It can decide.

"That said, it's very unlikely, because even if they excluded those cars they are not obliged to reclassify Hamilton. There's absolutely no need, if they don't wish to, to change the position that Hamilton was in."

Mosley described the 2007 season as "very positive, on the whole", despite the controversies that plagued the sport, because "although the behind-the-scenes stuff was annoying for us and the people concerned, for the public it really adds to the general interest".

One of those controversies was the "spy-gate" saga, when Hamilton's McLaren team were fined $100m (

[Autumnpuma 0]

Totally absurd! What stands out for me are two issues:

"That said, it's very unlikely, because even if they excluded those cars they are not obliged to reclassify Hamilton. There's absolutely no need, if they don't wish to, to change the position that Hamilton was in."

Excuse me, but isn't this manufacturing a result? If two cars are excluded, then Hamilton gets fourth and the points of fourth. Too bad for Kimi, I suppose, but that's what happens when cars are disqualified. How can Max possibly justify Hamilton being the 2007 points leader and NOT get the WDC??

"What you may find are ideas and at this level of technology at this level of motorsport, if the idea is given to the chief designer he will make a component utilising that idea which bears no relation at all to the component perhaps being used by the other car.

"So we will be looking for the ideas. The investigation will be thorough, it will use outside experts and we will do everything we possibly can to make sure that either of the McLarens has no element of Ferrari intellectual property in it or if it does we will then have to consider taking some sort of action.

Ideas? Now they are looking for ideas? If they find a similar idea on the McLaren that is on the Ferrari they will dock McLaren points? Absurd!! Half the grid uses ideas gotten from other teams! When, say, Red Bull hired Adrien Newey, you can bet some McLaren ideas are on the Red Bull. How the hell can Max justify this?

I'm starting to consider parting ways with Formula 1. This is getting completely absurd.

[Elizabeth Sterling 0]

Totally absurd! What stands out for me are two issues:

Excuse me, but isn't this manufacturing a result? If two cars are excluded, then Hamilton gets fourth and the points of fourth. Too bad for Kimi, I suppose, but that's what happens when cars are disqualified. How can Max possibly justify Hamilton being the 2007 points leader and NOT get the WDC??

Not neccesarily. You can exclude a car without stripping it of its position, just any points it gained.

Ideas? Now they are looking for ideas? If they find a similar idea on the McLaren that is on the Ferrari they will dock McLaren points? Absurd!! Half the grid uses ideas gotten from other teams! When, say, Red Bull hired Adrien Newey, you can bet some McLaren ideas are on the Red Bull. How the hell can Max justify this?

I'm starting to consider parting ways with Formula 1. This is getting completely absurd.

Most teams don't possess the blueprints from other teams. I'm a total die-hard Mclaren fan but I accept this needs to happen.

[Max Mosley 2]

Totally absurd! What stands out for me are two issues:

Excuse me, but isn't this manufacturing a result? If two cars are excluded, then Hamilton gets fourth and the points of fourth. Too bad for Kimi, I suppose, but that's what happens when cars are disqualified. How can Max possibly justify Hamilton being the 2007 points leader and NOT get the WDC??

Ideas? Now they are looking for ideas? If they find a similar idea on the McLaren that is on the Ferrari they will dock McLaren points? Absurd!! Half the grid uses ideas gotten from other teams! When, say, Red Bull hired Adrien Newey, you can bet some McLaren ideas are on the Red Bull. How the hell can Max justify this?

I'm starting to consider parting ways with Formula 1. This is getting completely absurd.

Yeah. I agree tbh.

Not neccesarily. You can exclude a car without stripping it of its position, just any points it gained.

Very true, but can you see any good justification for doing this, other than to avoid causing a PR fiasco as Kimi is stripped of his title?

Most teams don't possess the blueprints from other teams. I'm a total die-hard Mclaren fan but I accept this needs to happen.

I'm not so sure. The teams certainly have all sorts of information. It really is ridiculous how the FIA impose such a harsh penalty when we all know that everyone is cheating in F1.

[Medilloni 6]

Most teams don't possess the blueprints from other teams. I'm a total die-hard Mclaren fan but I accept this needs to happen.

So difficult though Elizabeth. Let's say (keeping it simple) Ferrari had an idea that cooled the brakes more efficiently through aero vanes in the wheels (and hadn't been seen before), then we see it in the next race on a BMW and Honda, and then McLaren, will McLaren be penalised?

I figure it's reasonable to have all these great minds having ideas all the time - how they go about the design of implementing it is their own interpretation - so how can the FIA judge fairly on that?

Potentially, McLaren could have a much tougher year next year than the one just gone.

[Autumnpuma 0]

Not neccesarily. You can exclude a car without stripping it of its position, just any points it gained.

In theory they can, but should they? What's your view on it? In all the years I've watched F1, I can't remember a single instance where a car was excluded from a race and the drivers didn't move up in points because of it.

Most teams don't possess the blueprints from other teams. I'm a total die-hard Mclaren fan but I accept this needs to happen.

Irrelevant. The only thing the Technical Regs state is that no team can use a part designed by another competitor. No rule says anything about 'ideas'. The whole grid runs similar ideas on it's cars...would you have McLaren go back ten years in order to avoid running another team's idea? I'm sorry, Elizabeth but you are wrong. There is never any need to punish a team for ideas.

[whiskee 0]

Max is letting out completely crazy stuff this year. It can only do harm for the sport to have a chairman that is so obviously favors one top team over the other. I'm not a McLaren fan but they've gained my sympathy this season.

I still hope the title isn't handed to Hammy because the time Nico and BMW's saved because of a little cold fuel was surely less than five seconds and it would be awesome if the rulebook went by common sense in this case.

[Autumnpuma 0]

I still hope the title isn't handed to Hammy because the time Nico and BMW's saved because of a little cold fuel was surely less than five seconds and it would be awesome if the rulebook went by common sense in this case.

It's not about the time saved. It's about whether or not two cars will be excluded from the results. If that were to happen, all the other drivers would move up two spots and gain the points of those spots. To do otherwise would be legal, insofar as anything the FIA do is legal because they make the rules, but it wouldn't be fair, proper or good for the sport.

[whiskee 0]

It's not about the time saved. It's about whether or not two cars will be excluded from the results. If that were to happen, all the other drivers would move up two spots and gain the points of those spots. To do otherwise would be legal, insofar as anything the FIA do is legal because they make the rules, but it wouldn't be fair, proper or good for the sport.

Yea, sure they make the rules and if the rules state what the penalty is, then they should get that penalty... just sayin' that according to my understanding it would be cheap to hand the title to Hamilton. Isn't it difficult anyway to control the fuel temperature? Does someone know could the circumstances have caused it? And oh yes, I think it's 3 cars that would be excluded. None, or them all.

[JayStorm 0]

I'm starting to like Max Mosely...

Agree with 90% of things said by him.

[pabloh20 1]

Never have I seen a better illustration of seeing the speck in somebody else's eye when there is a log in your own.

The irony of Max Mosley saying Lewis has had a negative effect on F1!

[Medilloni 6]

Never have I seen a better illustration of seeing the speck in somebody else's eye when there is a log in your own.

The irony of Max Mosley saying Lewis has had a negative effect on F1!

Seconded.

They Shoot Horses Don't They?

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Excuse me, but isn't this manufacturing a result? If two cars are excluded, then Hamilton gets fourth and the points of fourth. Too bad for Kimi, I suppose, but that's what happens when cars are disqualified. How can Max possibly justify Hamilton being the 2007 points leader and NOT get the WDC??

You're right, there's no consistency. If BMW & Williams are DQ'd, Hamilton will surely still be classified 7th, because they dont want an uproar on their hands. But it just goes to show that the authorities can bend and shape the rules depending on the situation. You're right, there probably has never been a race where drivers werent promoted up a position (or 2) when someone else has been DQ'd. Its quite ridiculous, but on the other hand I really hope BMW & Williams dont get DQ'd because if Hamilton was then made champion, it would just make a joke of the whole sport, and I'd feel really really bad for Kimi, he won it on the track.

As for Mosley's comments about investigating McLaren, I'm quite shocked, and I'm fearful too - are we going to see a news story in January saying McLaren start 2008 with a heavy points deduction, just because FIA's investigators THINK they've found some idea that was taken from Ferrari??? Its all outrageous, I'm truly surprised, in a bad way!

[pabloh20 1]

Seconded.

They Shoot Horses Don't They?

I guess the question is would you ever get tired of slapping the inane smugness off his face

[Fed up 0]

I'm with Mike on this one and think Max is being deliberately vague so as to enable the panel to decide what they want when they get the Mclaren 2008 design - They are making the rules up as they go and he is already hinting at a sanction that will be imposed - a points deductions before the season has already started!

As for the Brazil result, if the cars ahead are disqualified it would make sense to promote those behind as it happens in Cycling, Athletics and 99% of all other sports. As to whether it would be popular, that is irrelevant as ethics & integrity are more important that popularity.

[Autumnpuma 0]

Yea, sure they make the rules and if the rules state what the penalty is, then they should get that penalty... just sayin' that according to my understanding it would be cheap to hand the title to Hamilton. Isn't it difficult anyway to control the fuel temperature? Does someone know could the circumstances have caused it? And oh yes, I think it's 3 cars that would be excluded. None, or them all.

Cheap? Handing the title to the points leader is never cheap.

I'm starting to like Max Mosely...

Agree with 90% of things said by him.

Choose your second, we meet at dawn.

You're right, there's no consistency. If BMW & Williams are DQ'd, Hamilton will surely still be classified 7th, because they dont want an uproar on their hands. But it just goes to show that the authorities can bend and shape the rules depending on the situation. You're right, there probably has never been a race where drivers werent promoted up a position (or 2) when someone else has been DQ'd. Its quite ridiculous, but on the other hand I really hope BMW & Williams dont get DQ'd because if Hamilton was then made champion, it would just make a joke of the whole sport, and I'd feel really really bad for Kimi, he won it on the track.

As for Mosley's comments about investigating McLaren, I'm quite shocked, and I'm fearful too - are we going to see a news story in January saying McLaren start 2008 with a heavy points deduction, just because FIA's investigators THINK they've found some idea that was taken from Ferrari??? Its all outrageous, I'm truly surprised, in a bad way!

I think NOT awarding the championship to the points leader would make a joke of F1. I would feel bad for Kimi as well, but rules are rules. Kimi didn't win it on the track, he won it through mistakes made by Hamilton. Could we not say that if two cars are DQ'd Hamilton would win the title by mistakes from Williams and BMW?

[Karta 0]

Mistake by those two teams Meteo... company that supplied them maximum temperature for the day.

Anyways, i dont think Willimas and BMW will get DQ'd. The rule might get clearer wording however and exact procedures how to determine the temperatures will be established.

Max is right about Hamilton can be negative to F1, but that is mostly due to biased press feeding people too much. Majority of people take so much and if you try to choke them with information/goods they will generate allergy towards the cause. For them cause would be Hamilton of course, not the press itself.

[Rainmaster 7]

What is fair? Kimi has six wins this year, the other main contenders have four, in my opinion he deserves it more. He did win his title on the track, as he put in far better performances than Hamilton in the final two races. From what I have read it will be difficult for Mclaren to win anyway. Lewis has plenty of time to shine.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

is never any need to punish a team for ideas.

It is so open to subjective interpretation - for this reason, you can't patent an idea.

Its an absurd comment from Max and as a lawyer he should know better.

[Fed up 0]

What is fair? Kimi has six wins this year, the other main contenders have four, in my opinion he deserves it more. He did win his title on the track, as he put in far better performances than Hamilton in the final two races. From what I have read it will be difficult for Mclaren to win anyway. Lewis has plenty of time to shine.

How many of those 6 wins were gifted to him by Massa

At least 2 IMHO

[Rainmaster 7]

How many of those 6 wins were gifted to him by Massa

At least 2 IMHO

Not sure it matters, he still didn't make as many mistakes as Lewis, which in my view means he beat him on the track. Kimi put himself in a position where he had the status over Massa, and therefore a better chance of winning races.

[Max Mosley 2]

Not sure it matters, he still didn't make as many mistakes as Lewis, which in my view means he beat him on the track. Kimi put himself in a position where he had the status over Massa, and therefore a better chance of winning races.

For sure, Kimi drove better in the final 2 races. But for me, that doesn't necessarily mean he did better over the whole season.

[Rainmaster 7]

For sure, Kimi drove better in the final 2 races. But for me, that doesn't necessarily mean he did better over the whole season.

I see your point, but he did score more points than any of the others in the second half of the season, with a different points system I think he would have won by more?

[Fed up 0]

I see your point, but he did score more points than any of the others in the second half of the season, with a different points system I think he would have won by more?

For me, Lewis and Nando were the best drivers this season and, but for the team's ridiculous equality stance, would have been 1/2 in the driver's standings by a mile.

[Max Mosley 2]

I see your point, but he did score more points than any of the others in the second half of the season, with a different points system I think he would have won by more?

Yep perhaps that's true. I just don't think we can really say who was better over the year. After all, with many points systems he might not have won at all! It seemed to me that he had the fastest car in the 2nd half of the season (and for much of the first half too), and he also had help (or at least not much of a challenge) from his team mate, whereas obviously Alonso and Hamilton managed to screw each other up royally.

For me, Lewis and Nando were the best drivers this season and, but for the team's ridiculous equality stance, would have been 1/2 in the driver's standings by a mile.

Another chap who thinks the WDC is flawed, at least this year?