Formula 1

[kruddler]

Hamilton is fast and clean, rarely crashes. But he come across as a dumb ass with zero mechanical aptitude. Like the character Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder. Top line race car drivers "feel" the car and know what every corner is doing, what the engine and gearbox is doing. The legends I mentioned earlier could get a car home with three wheels, stuck in top gear, etc. If that happened to one of these young bozos (Ham included), they wouldnt know what to do other than throw the toys out of the cockpit and have a good cry.

I'm not Hamiltons biggest fan, but credit where credit is due. He drove his car home on 3 wheels just this year.
He managed to deal with the conditions better than anyone else, despite (for once) not having the best car. Racing point did.

There's a good example of what you are talking about in Rush. The Hunt/Lauda movie.
Niki Lauda jumps in a $hitbox car from a female companion and uses his a$$ to tell that the suspension is shot despite her insistance it just had a service.

I get it, and i agree.

But by the same token, Lauda pulled over mid-race and stopped his car because conditions were too terrible. He lost the championship by a point because of it. No mention of him being a primadonna?

What has changed?
1. Technology
2. Less bravado
3. More brains.

Talent? Debatable. It is a different talent. Modern day drivers are more managers of their cars now.
But....don't forget, the modern F1 driver are still coming through Karts and the lower formulas just like your yesteryear heroes did. They still learn to drive the same thing, the same way.
Just this week i saw a 13 (?) yo Hamilton win a karting race coming from last to first in something like 6 laps. Most of the other racers were 15 or so.