Head To Head Jenson Button vs Fernando Alonso

[Incubus]

To counter-balance it's gotta be pointed out that FA was in front of JB in Sepang before the retirements... which doesn't make much difference anyway.

I think given the choice JB would prefer finishing behind FA in the race if that meant finishing in the points.
As someone said earlier it's kinda difficult to get all that excited about this one. And at this rate it'll even end up becoming a bit dull. Like fighting over the last few scraps on a fish & chips.

 

[The Artist.....]

Incubus... Some of us will take even Stevens as a victory for JB; simply because:

1. Alonso is reputed to be on a retainer three times as large as JB
2. His RONness tried to drop JB
3. Many have stated that they expected Alonso to crap all over Button (much as they had stated that they expected Hamilton to humiliate JB).

The fact that Button has been roughly equal with Hamilton, alonso, has been equal with or beaten almost all other team mates!

 

[Incubus]

Of course every driver want to beat their team-mate. From a viewer's point of view it doesn't change the fact that it doesn't quite have the same impact when the fight's all about trying not to be last does it?

From a driver's point of view unless things change quickly I can only see it as a loose-lose situation. You can't tell me a past WDC over 30 years of age will retain the same motivational edge at the perspective of labouring somewhere around the back in GP after GP for what could take months or even years.

 

[The Artist.....]

I still half expect to see Alonso fail to see out the season....

 

[Mephistopheles]

I wonder how much Honda's influence had on making Ron retain Jenson.

 

[Dartman]

There would only be two reasons for Honda to have an influence on Ron regarding Jenson, He may have some Japanese language that would help in communication, his wife is half Japanese and the publicity is good and provides a national ink without the need to employ a less capable Japanese driver.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Also he is massively popular in Japan plus he was extremely loyal to Honda in the earth car days plus Honda are paying Alonso's wages you have named three and I have just given you a fourth, fifth and sixth.

So like I said I wonder how much influence Honda had on keeping Jenson..

 

[Dartman]

If Honda are paying Alonso's wages, I wonder what the get out clause is, that also would explain his support for the car instead of there needs to be more effort. There is also the point Honda may have paid too much for an out of work driver being that Vetel was on his way and not as No2.

 

[teabagyokel]

I still half expect to see Alonso fail to see out the season....

Well, if I were either of the McLaren boys, I'd be trying to win Le Mans. At this rate, for Toyota.

 

[Bill Boddy]

It was stated earlier in the week that due to the long straights this would not be a circuit which would suit the McLaren. Considering where they were two races ago they did very well. It was interesting that running the drivers on differing strategies finished up with them being next to each other (even before the safety car).

 

[Incubus]

This thread never really got started and no wonder. It's been kind of hard to get too excited when most of the "races" have consisted of (often short-lived) testing sessions.

However now that the team have at least begun to appear as though they can deliver some sort of actual racing maybe it's time to revive it.

Interesting last few laps at this German GP. In a race where both cars were critical on fuel Jenson was still able to push and gained another place whereas Fernando crawled over the line with barely a drop onboard. Is Button using up less fuel then?

 

[Dartman]

No, he can maintain a reasonable lap time over the length of the race using a bit here and saving a bit there when necessary without compromising his position, I think he tempted Alonso into having a go and Alonso used too much fuel thinking he would gain a place, Jenson had enough for emergencies like gaining a place of defending a place, in this case gained a place. Difference in thinking the race, or going for it and failing, had Alonso kept station and saved fuel by drafting Jenson he would have made 10th possibly 9th. Jenson considers the race as a whole, Fernando considers the lap and where he is, with a fairly crap car the spectacular grabs attention but not always places.

 

[gethinceri]

We would only know if we had access to all the fuel load and consumption data, which we don't.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Oh come on gethinceri all we need is an opinion; facts are only there to confuse.

 

[gethinceri]

Sorry Bill Boddy, I agree with the comment that #thelovelyboy considers the race as the whole and I'd extend that to the weekend, rather than session at a time.

 

[RasputinLives]

I think one of the reasons Button is so under rated is people relying on quali stats. He's never qualified great because his main focus is the Sunday afternoon.

 

[Incubus]

Is he really all that underrated though, or is it just us forever calling him underrated that ends up making him underrated?

 

[The Artist.....]

Incubus no, he definitely is underrated- many talk him down, and always look for excuses if Button beats Alonso/Hamilton/whoever over the course of a season!

 

[RasputinLives]

Certainly how hard he had to work to clinch his title in 2009 is under rated. All people see is the dominant Brawn of the first 7 races not the incredibly competitive close field and lack of Brawn's development as the year went on.

 

[Hamberg]

But he didn't win any races when the field got closer and more competitive?