[rcracin]

I was disappointed for Max. Glad he's with a competitive team to help him reach higher, but redbull's strategies really suck this year.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Hah, fun race! Not a big Hamilton fan, but the way he trolled the race was incredibly entertaining. He also came off perfectly after the race, very respectful, thankful of the team, and congratulatory to Rosberg. Nice guy.

I don't get the JB 2.0 comment. Reliability is a part of racing and the same bad luck Hamilton had this year, Rosberg had last year. There's no doubt in my mind Hamilton is ultimately the better driver of the two, but Rosberg won this year fair and square.

ROS has never had the bad luck HAM had this year. This year was insanely one-sided with issue after issue for HAM and virtually none for ROS. No conspiracy, just a ridiculous discrepancy. 2015 saw ROS have one more DNF than HAM. Don't recall anyone having issues with starts last year.

Yes, ROS won the championship, but he did so not because he was the best driver, just had the best reliability. Exactly how JB won his only championship in 2009. Best car, better reliability than his teammate. Don't recall JB having a smell of a WDC prior or since.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by rcracin

I was disappointed for Max. Glad he's with a competitive team to help him reach higher, but redbull's strategies really suck this year.

Agree, Redbull's strategies this year have been absolutely horrible!

[dmatre]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

ROS has never had the bad luck HAM had this year. This year was insanely one-sided with issue after issue for HAM and virtually none for ROS. No conspiracy, just a ridiculous discrepancy. 2015 saw ROS have one more DNF than HAM. Don't recall anyone having issues with starts last year.

Yes, ROS won the championship, but he did so not because he was the best driver, just had the best reliability. Exactly how JB won his only championship in 2009. Best car, better reliability than his teammate. Don't recall JB having a smell of a WDC prior or since.

For all the whining about Hamilton's lack of reliability, the whiners overlook the fact that if had learned to use his steering wheel in Azerbaijan, he would again be champion. How many laps did he spend idling around the course in the wrong operation mode? It wasn't only a failure of his equipment that cost him the title.

Perhaps he was the faster In a singular race toward the end of the season, but he wasn't at the beginning - and points are awarded all season long - not just at the final event.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by dmatre

For all the whining about Hamilton's lack of reliability, the whiners overlook the fact that if had learned to use his steering wheel in Azerbaijan, he would again be champion. How many laps did he spend idling around the course in the wrong operation mode? It wasn't only a failure of his equipment that cost him the title.

Perhaps he was the faster In a singular race toward the end of the season, but he wasn't at the beginning - and points are awarded all season long - not just at the final event.

Oh good lord stop. You're choosing to focus on one race (Baku) as costing him the championship? In that case, if a brand new engine doesn't explode in Malaysia with 15 laps remaining and a 20-30 second lead, HAM would be WDC.

It's not whining, it's trying to get an explanation on how only one guy kept having equipment failures. Insane to think how many other Merc engines were in the field and yet only one guy had consistent failures. With all the telemetry available, someone knows why only HAM's engines failed. Maybe his style is just harder on the equipment. Although even though he's always been a balls out racer, he's never had failures like this.

[3798j]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Don't recall anyone having issues with starts last year.
.

Clutch rules were changed from last year. Only one clutch allowed on starts for '16.
Lewis admitted he was more the problem on starting than was the car.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/an...adache-839922/
For me...I was pleased to see Nico win the championship.

[Diamondblackcars]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Oh good lord stop. You're choosing to focus on one race (Baku) as costing him the championship? In that case, if a brand new engine doesn't explode in Malaysia with 15 laps remaining and a 20-30 second lead, HAM would be WDC.

It's not whining, it's trying to get an explanation on how only one guy kept having equipment failures. Insane to think how many other Merc engines were in the field and yet only one guy had consistent failures. With all the telemetry available, someone knows why only HAM's engines failed. Maybe his style is just harder on the equipment. Although even though he's always been a balls out racer, he's never had failures like this.

Fact: Hamilton and Rosberg have both had 4 Mechanical failures each in the last three years at Mercedes.

In years to come nobody will remember who came second in the 2016 FI World Championship.

Nico Rosberg

1950 Nino Farina
1951 Juan Manuel Fangio
1952 Alberto Ascari
1953 Alberto Ascari
1954 Juan Manuel Fangio
1955 Juan Manuel Fangio
1956 Juan Manuel Fangio
1957 Juan Manuel Fangio
1958 Mike Hawthorn
1959 Jack Brabham
1960 Jack Brabham
1961 Phil Hill
1962 Graham Hill
1963 Jim Clark
1964 John Surtees
1965 Jim Clark
1966 Jack Brabham
1967 Denny Hulme
1968 Graham Hill
1969 Jackie Stewart
1970 Jochen Rindt
1971 Jackie Stewart
1972 Emerson Fittipaldi
1973 Jackie Stewart
1974 Emerson Fittipaldi
1975 Niki Lauda
1976 James Hunt
1977 Niki Lauda
1978 Mario Andretti
1979 Jody Scheckter
1980 Alan Jones
1981 Nelson Piquet
1982 Keke Rosberg
1983 Nelson Piquet
1984 Niki Lauda
1985 Alain Prost
1986 Alain Prost
1987 Nelson Piquet
1988 Ayrton Senna
1989 Alain Prost
1990 Ayrton Senna
1991 Ayrton Senna
1992 Nigel Mansell
1993 Alain Prost
1994 Michael Schumacher
1995 Michael Schumacher
1996 Damon Hill
1997 Jacques Villeneuve
1998 Mika Häkkinen
1999 Mika Häkkinen
2000 Michael Schumacher
2001 Michael Schumacher
2002 Michael Schumacher
2003 Michael Schumacher
2004 Michael Schumacher
2005 Fernando Alonso
2006 Fernando Alonso
2007 Kimi Räikkönen
2008 Lewis Hamilton
2009 Jenson Button
2010 Sebastian Vettel
2011 Sebastian Vettel
2012 Sebastian Vettel
2013 Sebastian Vettel
2014 Lewis Hamilton
2015 Lewis Hamilton
2016 Nico Rosberg

[Diamondblackcars]

Nicoonigan

[dmatre]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Oh good lord stop. You're choosing to focus on one race (Baku) as costing him the championship? In that case, if a brand new engine doesn't explode in Malaysia with 15 laps remaining and a 20-30 second lead, HAM would be WDC.

It's not whining, it's trying to get an explanation on how only one guy kept having equipment failures. Insane to think how many other Merc engines were in the field and yet only one guy had consistent failures. With all the telemetry available, someone knows why only HAM's engines failed. Maybe his style is just harder on the equipment. Although even though he's always been a balls out racer, he's never had failures like this.

Only pointing out that 5 points cost him the championship.

Any place where he failed to collect these 5 points can be considered the cause of his failure to repeat.

But everyone wants to focus on the things that "weren't his fault", while he had his share of poor performances through the season which the conspiracy theorists conveniently overlook.

It was a great season (other than constructors championship), and with rules changes, hopefully next year will be tighter for the constructors.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by dmatre

Only pointing out that 5 points cost him the championship.

Any place where he failed to collect these 5 points can be considered the cause of his failure to repeat.

But everyone wants to focus on the things that "weren't his fault", while he had his share of poor performances through the season which the conspiracy theorists conveniently overlook.

It was a great season (other than constructors championship), and with rules changes, hopefully next year will be tighter for the constructors.

I can't argue with that.

[E90SLAM]

JB 2.0? I guess everyone forgot Brazil GP 2009 where JB drove brilliantly and get the overtakes needed to become WDC.

Anyhow, not a big fan of Nico. But whoever earned the most points throughout the season deserves WDC. The only thing I can argue was Hamilton didn't lose the championship to Nico, Mercedes lost Hamilton the championship.

There were just too many issues with Ham's car, besides the Malaysia blow up. Many FP sessions and qualifying gremlins that "indirectly" dis-advantage Ham's chance to fight for the win. On those races, the most he can do was to get P2.

Nonetheless, its part of racing, best car, best driver, best team, best reliability all adds up.

The besides the Mercedes dual, the most exciting for me of 2016 is Max!!! He will be definitely be the next Championship.

[Ramos]

Well Nico will be a one and done champion just like Kimi and JB were.
I doubt he will win more than a couple of races next year.

The supremacy of the Mercedes car is the only reason he is in this position.
If the Ferrari's and Red Bull's were on par with the Merc's, Rosberg would never even get a podium. Of the six drivers driving for the top 3 teams, he is by far the slowest.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

JB 2.0? I guess everyone forgot Brazil GP 2009 where JB drove brilliantly and get the overtakes needed to become WDC.

Anyhow, not a big fan of Nico. But whoever earned the most points throughout the season deserves WDC. The only thing I can argue was Hamilton didn't lose the championship to Nico, Mercedes lost Hamilton the championship.

There were just too many issues with Ham's car, besides the Malaysia blow up. Many FP sessions and qualifying gremlins that "indirectly" dis-advantage Ham's chance to fight for the win. On those races, the most he can do was to get P2.

Nonetheless, its part of racing, best car, best driver, best team, best reliability all adds up.

The besides the Mercedes dual, the most exciting for me of 2016 is Max!!! He will be definitely be the next Championship.

JB won that championship because of the huge advantage he gained during the first half, and once the better teams with better drivers caught up he virtually disappeared. He was lucky to hold on. That's how I view ROS. He most definitely won the WDC, but not because he outdrove anyone. His car simply didn't fail. In fact I think you could argue there are a half dozen drivers on the grid who could drive circles around him. Oh well.

I can't see him winning another one. That kind of luck doesn't last.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

JB won that championship because of the huge advantage he gained during the first half, and once the better teams with better drivers caught up he virtually disappeared. He was lucky to hold on. That's how I view ROS. He most definitely won the WDC, but not because he outdrove anyone. His car simply didn't fail. In fact I think you could argue there are a half dozen drivers on the grid who could drive circles around him. Oh well.

I can't see him winning another one. That kind of luck doesn't last.

I'd say 2009 and 2016 was slightly different. At least there's no memorable drive from Nico all season long. All I remember when Nico did overtake/defend, or attack, either resulted in crashes (Spain, Austria), or penalties (Germany, despite inconsistent penalty given out from stewards).

Nico's winning races actually reminds me Vettel. In 2011 and 2013, just drove the car to build enough gap and control the race. The issue wasn't nico or lewis, it was Mercedes dominant races. When Mercs are in 1-2, although both drivers are allowed to race, but it was being neutralized by similar strategy or minimum risk taking. We never see the straight battle like Bahrain 2014 since then, if there were any, like Spain this season, it ended in tears.

Anyways, if Hamilton's car was a bit more reliable, not 100%, but reduce the issues in half this season. We should able to see a more fierce battle than just whining about Hamilton backing him up.

Speaking of that, what's everyone's thought about Hamilton backing Nico up to the RBR and Ferraris in the last stint?

[Ramos]

I think Ham was entirely within his rights to drive as slow as he wants, it wasn't dangerous in any way, didn't make any illegal double defensive moves. He's not in any obligation to help his rival / teammate especially when the constructor title has been long decided and the driver title is only between the two Mercedes drivers.

The team had no business making those radio calls, they should have butted out and let their drivers figure it out on track.

If the situation was reversed, Hamilton in second place would have attacked and made the pass for the win. He's a true racer and deserved the title more for many reasons.

[Mtxzptlk]

Race

[E90SLAM]

Massa & Button: "Peace out! We're out of this monkey show!!!"
Vettel: "If Ferrari failed me again, I'll join you guys. I've had enough of those idiots don't follow Blue Flags!"
Hamilton: "SH*T! Picked the wrong glasses and forgot to wear my gold chains."
Rosberg: "The cap is going to ruin my perfect styled hair."
Verstappan: "Clap my hands"
Riccairdo: "I wonder who else will join my shoey".
Raikkonen: "F*** I'm bored"
Kvyat: "I hate this season"
Palmer: "Can I take one of the retiree's racing seat, those should be better than the stupid yellow French car."

[E90SLAM]

Nico has hired some villains to take care of the other two World Champions.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by Ramos

I think Ham was entirely within his rights to drive as slow as he wants, it wasn't dangerous in any way, didn't make any illegal double defensive moves. He's not in any obligation to help his rival / teammate especially when the constructor title has been long decided and the driver title is only between the two Mercedes drivers.

The team had no business making those radio calls, they should have butted out and let their drivers figure it out on track.

If the situation was reversed, Hamilton in second place would have attacked and made the pass for the win. He's a true racer and deserved the title more for many reasons.

Agree, but let's be real. HAM would also have bitched up a storm before attempting/making the pass.

[3798j]

Good video of Nico (4 minutes): http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story...ke-kart-112816

[thebishman]

Interesting comments from Toto Wolfe mentioning that Mercedes let Hamilton down, and that if his car hadn't blown up in Malaysia, he would be WDC. Then went on to backtrack a little attempting to say that of course, Nico was a worthy champion. lol
Bish

[AW335TT]

As much as I dont think what Hamilton did was wrong, but when you are being paid 150 million for 3 years and your boss tells you to do something, you do it. Hamilton is a cry baby, he seems like those people that when they cant get what they want, they want to ruin it for other people. BUT theres no denying the guy is fkn fast.

I think luck is a part of every championship, weather its good luck for the winner or bad luck for others.. Lewis just had a lot of bad luck this season and Nico had a lot of good luck.