Best era of F1 ?

[truefan72]

another thread turning into haterade on Hamilton
oh well

[Koz]

Well, when Senna joined McLaren his team mate was a double world champion with McLaren already. Didn't stop him from challenging him and neither did it stop McLaren from allowing him to do so. So why shouldn't Lewis have been allowed to in 2007. McLaren never had a #1/#2 hierarchy.

Key difference being that Senna was an experienced driver who had half a dozen wins and Honda and Prost's blessing.
Vs a rookie in his first season against the reigning double world champion.

Big difference.

[dj_bytedisaster]

Key difference being that Senna was an experienced driver who had half a dozen wins and Honda and Prost's blessing.
Vs a rookie in his first season against the reigning double world champion.
Big difference.

Not really. F1 isn't a meritocracy. Nothing in F1 is as insignificant as last year's title. Everyone, who signs a McLaren contract knows, that he'll not have preferrential treatment over his team mate, even if it turns out to be the enormous cleaning lady. And Lewis wasn't your garden variety rookie either. He had completely molested the opposition in junior formulae. Most of his direct competitors of the time are now proven F1 drivers themselves and he had monstered them.
He got his McLaren seat based on his talent and had every right to challenge the raw crap out of Alonso unless he had compulsory hero worship written into his contract.

[Big Ben]

96-99. why? f1 was new to me... couldn't get enough of it... evil (MS+ Ferrari) was struggling... great days

[Mia 01]

1971 - 2006 I think. Ronnie, Senna, MS and Kimi all in the mix. No Lewis

[henners88]

1950 to 2013 for me. A long era like the last post

[dj_bytedisaster]

96-99. why? f1 was new to me... couldn't get enough of it... evil (MS+ Ferrari) was struggling... great days

You aint serious, are you? That was the most dull time in F1 ever. Except for a fe freak races like Monaco '96 or Europe '99 It was utterly boring...

[henners88]

I would have said 2002 to 2004 was the dullest since I started watching in 1988. I enjoyed watching Schumacher fighting in an inferior Ferrari way more than his dominance of last decade.

[Big Ben]

You aint serious, are you? That was the most dull time in F1 ever. Except for a fe freak races like Monaco '96 or Europe '99 It was utterly boring...

thanks for that. Now that you corrected me I understand I didn't like f1 the most when I started following it. In fact the best era must have been the one I skipped. 2001-2004 was the greatest ... those epic battles between MS, himself and common sense...

[henners88]

Lewis was a McLaren protegé since his early karting days. I think he was 13 when they gave him his first contract. He was groomed to be McLarens next big star since childhood, so I don't think they brought him in as a number two.

I think suggesting Hamilton was always intended to come in and perform as an equal to Alonso is a bit of a stretch. McLaren always intended to give them equal machinery and chances which they did, but I think Lewis exceeded expectations in his rookie year and gained the emotional support of the team in time. Alonso made no secret of the fact he expected number one treatment, but this is not the McLaren way and both drivers were given free reign to fight it out. Whether or not that was good at the time is subjective, but I think it achieved the best outcome for the long term. Nobody expected Lewis to hit the ground running like he did. I remember before Oz 2007 Ron Dennis suggesting Lewis could win a race or two and hopefully be on the podium alongside Alonso on many occasions. I don't think even Ron expected Lewis to very nearly win the title and especially not finish above his double WDC team mate in the final standings. Protegé or not, Lewis was unproven in the highest formula so pre season expectations were realistic at that point, but pleasantly proven otherwise IMO.