Button believes Hamilton is the fastest driver in F1

[Brogan]

According to Mark Hughes.

http://www.racer.com/racer-special-affinity-and-beyond-at-mclaren/article/198808/

Nothing we haven't really read before but it's a well written piece and worth a read.

 

[Grizzly]

I enjoyed that. A great read, thanks for posting.

When you compare their individual strengths and weaknesses as this article, it really does appear to be the closest thing to a perfect driver line up in recent years. That is, if you want two competitors and not a leader/follower setup...

The fastest and the most sensitive, combined, and working together.

 

[Speshal]

Nice article

 

[Brogan]

The fastest and the most sensitive, combined, and working together.

Indeed.

So it's a damn shame that the designers can't give them a half decent car in which to show off their respective skills.

 

[Speshal]

Indeed.

So it's a damn shame that the designers can't give them a half decent car in which to show off their respective skills.

It is like a finger pointing to the moon. Don't look at the finger or you will miss all the heavenly glory.

 

[Grizzly]

Indeed.

So it's a damn shame that the designers can't give them a half decent car in which to show off their respective skills.

Yeah I was thinking something similar... like, shame the team can't gel as well as their drivers.

Still, I remain optimistic that they can make that car work. I have to.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

It is like a finger pointing to the moon. Don't look at the finger or you will miss all the heavenly glory.​

I try and avoid looking at the finger as far as is humanly possible.​

 

[KekeTheKing]

Good read, and quite refreshing to hear this from from inside the team. This type of "conjecture" is usually being posted by someone like myself from a land far away without any access to the all-knowing telemetry traces.

One thing I found a bit perplexing was the mention of the team following Jenson's development path, and the ultimate realization that it was benefiting Lewis too. This may well be true, but it doesn't change the fact that McLaren was utterly destroyed in the development race last year. Combined, they won 4 of the first 8 races, and just 1 of the last 11. It took them forever to sort out the EBD, and they apparently have still not come to grips with the flexing front wing. Button may be good at steering a cars development in a positive direction, but to reinforce what others have already said here, "C'mon McLaren, give the boys something to slay the Bulls with!"

 

[teabagyokel]

This may well be true, but it doesn't change the fact that McLaren was utterly destroyed in the development race last year. Combined, they won 4 of the first 8 races, and just 1 of the last 11.

Yes, but it has to be questioned if McLaren were ever faster than others last year; look at their wins:

1. Australia - wet, Vettel retires from infront of Button
2. China - wet, RBR make incorrect tyre call
3. Turkey - RBR one-two until they collide with each other; Ferrari terrible weekend
4. Canada - McLaren make correct (lucky) tyre call - RBR get it wrong
5. Belgium - wet, Vettel eliminated colliding with Button - Alonso collides with Barrichello so at back.

If it comes down to tyre calls, last years evidence suggests McLaren will finish higher than their car is fast.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Yes, but it has to be questioned if McLaren were ever faster than others last year

Oh, for sure, NOT! (In the words of Felipe)

While they were certainly never faster,or even as fast as RB, I thought they were closer at the beginning of the year than at the end. They were fairly close to Ferrari at the start of 2010 (occasionally quicker), but by the end of it the Prancing Horse was clearly faster.

And tby, why let little facts about wet races and tire calls get in the way of a great tale!

 

[johnnoble1990]

Fantastic article. Confirms everything i have always said about Lewis. Fernando is the most well rounded driver in formula 1, but Lewis is the best driver because he has raw speed, aggression and skill. When it comes down to it, i think these count for more. Lewis is capable of going out and getting results that other drivers couldn't given the same scenario and he has done this countless times. I'm looking forward to the start of the season because Lewis always performs best in the face of adversity. Just because he doesn't have the fastest car doesn't mean you can count him out.

 

[RickD]

Good article.

 

[Pyrope]

Fantastic article. Confirms everything i have always said about Lewis. Fernando is the most well rounded driver in formula 1, but Lewis is the best driver because he has raw speed, aggression and skill. When it comes down to it, i think these count for more. Lewis is capable of going out and getting results that other drivers couldn't given the same scenario and he has done this countless times. I'm looking forward to the start of the season because Lewis always performs best in the face of adversity. Just because he doesn't have the fastest car doesn't mean you can count him out.

Trouble is, I think Lewis can be a bit like Ronny Peterson or Jim Clark, in that both were devastatingly fast but neither really knew how they did it. That lack of knowledge and lack of fundamental understanding can be useful as they occasionally didn't know the received wisdom about what could and couldn't be done in a car and so found areas that others didn't realise existed. On the other hand, it also meant that they weren't great at developing a car or getting the best out of it. Being a great driver is about more than being able to get from point A to point B quickly in identical machinery to your opposition. If that opponent can get themselves a better car then you'll always be catching up.

 

[johnnoble1990]

Trouble is, I think Lewis can be a bit like Ronny Peterson or Jim Clark, in that both were devastatingly fast but neither really knew how they did it. That lack of knowledge and lack of fundamental understanding can be useful as they occasionally didn't know the received wisdom about what could and couldn't be done in a car and so found areas that others didn't realise existed. On the other hand, it also meant that they weren't great at developing a car or getting the best out of it. Being a great driver is about more than being able to get from point A to point B quickly in identical machinery to your opposition. If that opponent can get themselves a better car then you'll always be catching up.

Hmm...interesting point. I think we have a long way to go before we can safely access Lewis as a driver. It is easy to forget he has only been in Formula 1 for four seasons. Ultimately his success will be measured in championships - rightly so - and that of course means more than raw speed. I think Lewis will eventually prove his doubters wrong because at the end of the day there is no better driver out there at the hard things. It is just the easy things he needs to get right for it all too come together. Of course, the success of any driver is hugely dependent on the development of a great car and this is where Mclaren have let Lewis down so far in his career. They won't give up though. It is a long season and even if they are a second behind the leaders in the first race, it will not be over.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

I tend to agree with johnnoble's last point.
Let's remember that in Hamilton's four seasons in F1 he nearly became WDC in his rookie year, the second year he did do it; in season three, after the car being so bad at the start, he was the highest scoring driver in the second half (how much might his development input have had to do with the improvement of that car?) and last year again he was in contention for the title right up until the last race, in not the quickest car. I believe that when if given a decent, competitive machine he will show just how good he is with more titles.

 

[Brogan]

When you put it like that Chad, to be 1 race away from 3 titles in your first 4 seasons is an achievement in itself.

 

[derby]

I have to agree 100% with Chad Stewarthill and johnnoble, was reading this months edition of F1 magazine, and its highly regarded that the 2 best drivers on the grid is Alonso and Hamilton, Although he is the current champion, there are still a high amount of questions over Vettel, although quick, whats he going to be like when things are not quite as rosy as they have been for the last 2 years?

Hamilton will come out of this spell of not being in an ulta competitive car straight away a better driver, the difference between most of the field and Hamilton, Hamilton is a racer, the rest are drivers.

 

[johnnoble1990]

Hamilton will come out of this spell of not being in an ulta competitive car straight away a better driver, the difference between most of the field and Hamilton, Hamilton is a racer, the rest are drivers.

Completely agree. Lewis has such a different perspective on racing to everyone else. You just need to look at the Korea GP to see just how much his view differs. From what i know of motor racing in the 80s, Lewis has a lot more in common with that group than the modern drivers.

 

[RickD]

Hmm...interesting point. I think we have a long way to go before we can safely access Lewis as a driver. It is easy to forget he has only been in Formula 1 for four seasons. Ultimately his success will be measured in championships - rightly so - and that of course means more than raw speed. I think Lewis will eventually prove his doubters wrong because at the end of the day there is no better driver out there at the hard things. It is just the easy things he needs to get right for it all too come together. Of course, the success of any driver is hugely dependent on the development of a great car and this is where Mclaren have let Lewis down so far in his career. They won't give up though. It is a long season and even if they are a second behind the leaders in the first race, it will not be over.

I don't think development of a car is quite as easy as you make out and that also seems to be Lewis' problem, therefore its not just the easy things he needs to get right. You also have to question whether it is McLaren letting Lewis down or McLaren being let down by not getting enough information from Lewis.

 

[johnnoble1990]

You also have to question whether it is McLaren letting Lewis down or McLaren being let down by not getting enough information from Lewis.

Well obviously on this occasion it is the team letting Lewis down. Mclaren arrived at pre-season testing already quite a way behind the field, as well as being a week late, and then when they did get going, reliability didn't allow them to go out and get that information.