Head To Head Jenson Button vs Lewis Hamilton

[Brogan]

I would argue that 1 lap earlier than optimum is better than 1 lap later as you avoid the cliff and the inevitable increase in lap time.
<snip>

Once again it could be argued that Hamilton stayed out for one lap longer than necessary today.
He should have pitted on the same lap as Alonso, or even earlier when Button did.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Yes. That seemed a no-brainier. If I can deduce that from the live-timing then how is it that the highly paid strategists at McLaren couldn't react appropriately.

 

[Brogan]

It never ceases to amaze me and always seems to be Hamilton.

Quite frankly I'm at a loss to understand it.

 

[racecub]

Well Im glad it isnt just me who cant understand this. Last week I was told The lead driver gets to pit first. Lewis on worn tyres was left out when asking to come in because he wasnt the lead driver. Today he was Lead driver. Yet first pitstop Button comes in first and almost takes Hamilton's lead, only superb driving saves the day. 2nd stop, Button comes in first and Hamilton does lose the lead. 3rd stop Button comes in first and Hamilton loses 10 seconds!!! to the cars in front and Vettel gains 10seconds on him. Now whats going on? I heard the radio say to BUtton "The slicks are 5 sec a lap faster than the inters" If Lewis was given this information do you think he would have just said "Nah lads, let Jens come in, I'll stop out a while"And if he wasnt given that information why wasnt he? Are his pit crew stupid? Are they incompetent? Has he got the duff outfit? Or is something else going on here?? Why wasnt Whitmarsh insisting Lewis came in?? he could have challenged for first place, Jenson was nowhere.
Oh and apart from pitting him after Button every time, his pitstops were appalling.

 

[Josh]

Before anyone starts with the "Hamilton had terrible pitstops!!! It's so unfair!" crap, Jenson had a terrible pit stop too (36.517 seconds) compared to Lewis' longest (27.961). Jenson lost much more time during pitstops today than Hamilton.

 

[racecub]

Was that to change the nose after he crashed into Narain?
And because he had to make extra stops becuse he couldnt make the tyres work? Thats a bit different.

 

[Josh]

Uhmmmmmmmmm yes it is actually. So disregard my post
I accidentally looked at Senna's pitstop lap instead of Button's

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Before anyone starts with the "Hamilton had terrible pitstops!!! It's so unfair!" crap, Jenson had a terrible pit stop too (36.517 seconds) compared to Lewis' longest (27.961). Jenson lost much more time during pitstops today than Hamilton.

Was that to change the nose after he crashed into Narain?
And because he had to make extra stops becuse he couldnt make the tyres work? Thats a bit different.

Uhmmmmmmmmm yes it is actually. So disregard my post
I accidentally looked at Senna's pitstop lap instead of Button's

 

[Brogan]

Special Delivery!
Facepalm for Josh

 

[Josh]

 

[Il_leone]

the reason why Button makes the calls for the pit stops in changeable conditions better than Hamilton is because his style for gentle feel and smoothness from that tyres where just a slight imperfection makes him take that decision

Whereas LEwis thought I am in the lead and I 'd just bolt out. I don;t think even if Hamilton got in front of Alonso he would have won either because he just slow after a few laps in mid race so would have probably had both Perez and Alonso right behind for a lot of laps

 

[riskitall]

its just confusing. It is like McLaren expect Hamilton to win the WDC on his own, but they'll help Button all he wishes. There isnt equality, its plain obvious. Its quite telling, after Oz, Lewis revealed that McLaren changed his launch procedure at the last moment, after it had been good all throughout the weekend. The strategy today was at least very questionable, but now Hamilton is ahead in the standings, and its China next, where he has won twice, should be 3 (2007) and was 2nd in 2010. He goes very well there, I cant remember a bad performance from him, 2007 was unavoidable and in 2009 he still finished in the points in that dog of McLaren, so it will be strange if Hamilton has a bad weekend, watch this space.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

If we face the evidence that has mounted for the last 3 seasons, McLaren treat Button as requiring extra help and attention than Hamilton. Why this is I don't know and am frankly afraid to speculate on or even think too deeply about

In 2010 we could opiate ourselves by saying it was to make Button more comfortable and settle in etc then we are told that LH can drive round problems but not JB and that's why the design and setup are aimed at JB

apparently, last race, LH was asked to change his clutch launch settings to a new one during the warm up lap, and after a perfect launch. Why change this setting which turned out to be a mistake as he lost more traction at the start compared to the start of war up lap. Why try to change something that wasn't broken?

Today, again the team contrived to get JB ahead of LH and if Button really was a calm master of changeable conditions he would have beaten a a hapless LH who did nothing wrong and was faster all weekend

Something's happening that LH knows about and is not too happy about and sometimes let's us see this

I really enjoyed the fight between the two at the start, Lewis is faster and barring issues is able to stay ahead of, or overtake JB at will, JB is able to put up a good fight and win from to time due to more experience

So why why why do the team have to hamper LH, how is he different from JB?

 

[teabagyokel]

Has anyone ever come up with a reason McLaren, or anyone at McLaren, would want to shaft their own driver?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Err... Is it because Martin Whitmarsh is in love with Jenson Button?

 

[Brogan]

Has anyone ever come up with a reason McLaren, or anyone at McLaren, would want to shaft their own driver?

No.

Here's another question:
Has anyone ever been able to rationally explain why McLaren insist on keeping Hamilton out longer than necessary, compromising his race?

It started at China in 2007 and seems to have become a common theme.

 

[gethinceri]

Has anyone ever come up with a reason McLaren, or anyone at McLaren, would want to shaft their own driver?

Is Danica Patrick about to sign for them?

 

[teabagyokel]

No.

Here's another question:
Has anyone ever been able to rationally explain why McLaren insist on keeping Hamilton out longer than necessary, compromising his race?

It started at China in 2007 and seems to have become a common theme.

I know your theory about 2007 and I don't think this is the place to get into that.

As for more recently, Sauber made the same mistake as did others. They're guilty of being over conservative in difficult circumstances.

 

[Brogan]

Notwithstanding my previous comments relating to China 2007, we are two races in to the new season and Hamilton has been left out too long on old rubber two races running.

 

[FB]

I thought standard practice at Mclaren was the driver leading got first call on pit stops. Perhaps Hammy wanted to stay out longer? Here's Martin Whitmarsh's take on the race:

“For Jenson, it was simply a bad day in the office – losing a front wing in tricky conditions was always going to make it a hard afternoon for him.

“Lewis was somewhat unlucky, too: Ferrari’s ‘double-shuffle’ pitstop meant we were obliged to hold Lewis in his pitbox longer than we would have liked, but that’s motor racing. Nevertheless, he brought home some extremely valuable world championship points – his 15 points today consolidate Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ position at the top of the constructors’ championship.

“Today’s conditions were always going to represent something of a roll of the dice. We didn’t quite manage everything today, and we’ll go back and analyse our performance, but in normal dry conditions we’ve shown that we’ve got decent pace. There’s a long season ahead, and with one victory and two strong podium positions, we can return to Europe extremely encouraged about the forthcoming races.”