Jenson Button

Arguably the best ever driver in mixed conditions, all his wins at Mclaren have come in those conditions. His last race win in the dry came at the 2009 Turkish GP.

Button is known for his smooth driving style and is normally seen in must races doing one less stop than his rivals for tyres.

Buttons also know to be a bit of a practical joker and will take part in anything fun.

Since his debut in 2000 Button has won the majority of hearts in this country. But what is your favourite JB win?

Mine has to be Hungaroring 2006, in argubly a midfield team and he won the race in those mixed conditions to take his first win. I can remember James Allen been in tears almost and that was the first race Anthony Davidson ever commentated on.
 
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Here is how I see Jenson's position.

He is only 31 and may have another 8 years at the top of his game (he is only 18 months older than Alonso). He has the opportunity to earn £80m+ and perhaps win another WDC.

He is a huge commercial asset - his marketability driven by the fact that he seems to be a genuinely all round great bloke, just enough of a playboy to keep the tabloids interested and he is also quite quick. He might even be the most marketable of current F1 drivers?

He has proved himself to be one of the top 6 current drivers, Webber is likely to retire well before him and for me crucially, Nico Rosberg is under contract for 2013 already.

If Nico were available for 2013, things might be a fair bit tricker for JB, but he is not, so you have to think that he has any of the top 3 teams to choose from, all of whom would sign him as first choice "number 2 driver".

For McLaren having no drivers in place for 2013 is a difficult situation. If either one signs, the negotiating position of the other diminishes a bit perhaps, but as it stands, Woking may be a bit stuck. I think they know they need to try and book one in sonner rather than later, but this may be difficult with both drivers eyeing up Massa's seat and perhaps Webber's too.

My guess is that Jenson's commercial and sporting interests are best served by doing the opposite to Lewis. If Lewis stays, JB would be Ferrari's (as well as McLaren's and maybe Red Bull's) next best option, meaning in a bidding war. If Lewis leaves, then JB demands a massive contract and clear number 1 status.

The only way McLaren can stop this is by making JB an offer he simply cannot refuse, but doing so would probably drive Lewis out. Bird in the hand vs two in the bush?

For me, the least likely outcome is both Lewis and Jenson staying together at McLaren. I don't see how either of them win from extending the arrangement beyond next year, by which time I think the partnership will have run its course.
 
Brogan said:
A few points.

Hamilton will never go to Ferrari while Alonso is there.

Hamilton will never go to Red Bull while Vettel is there - Horner confirmed that.
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If you believe that, then perhaps Jenson's best move is to leave? He could earn more money and prove himself again? I'm not so certain - maybe they are long shots, but another season of failure for Ferrari and that may change. Of course Lewis could also be tempted by Mercedes? If they can deliver a car for 2012, maybe doors will open there too for 2013?

The main point in my post is that while there is uncertainty over Lewis, Jenson is best off waiting so he can do the opposite.

Brogan said:
If McLaren never made Alonso or Hamilton number 1 driver, why would they do so for Button?
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ok, perhaps not stated number 1, but who would be his team mate? More like Lewis & Heikki perhaps, but my point is that JB would surely fancy his chances against anyone who replaced Lewis. I guess if you think Lewis has nowhere to go, this is academic! :)
 
I think the opposite - JB knows he can compete with Lewis, why take the risk of going somewhere else and discovering that either Vettel or Alonso is actually a much tougher proposition?
 
Galahad said:
I think the opposite - JB knows he can compete with Lewis, why take the risk of going somewhere else and discovering that either Vettel or Alonso is actually a much tougher proposition?
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For me, there are two reasons. One is that he can earn more at Ferrari (or by staying at McLaren if Lewis leaves).

The second reason is that I think he would like to take the risk of taking on Alonso. What if he beat him (or at least did as well as he is doing vs Lewis)? Lewis matched Fernando...

He has probably got to figure that wherever he is, he is a slight underdog but "what if?" does seem to be in his nature, especially if taking the risk pays well. We all thought he was mad leaving Brawn, but he has proved himself. Even so, there are still doubts, people do after all suggest that Fernando may be a tougher proposition. Maybe he wants to prove you wrong too, G!;)

Whichever, he doesn't need to make up his mind now in my opinion. He should at least wait until we all know what Lewis is doing.
 
RayInTorontoCanada said:
In a situation where RBR or Ferrari make a car that's co-equal to McLaren's - like say 2007 and 2008 - then I can't see a McLaren driver winning the WDC if you have the type of form the two drivers have averaged in 2010 and thus far in 2011.
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There's no denying that having two top drivers is a sub-optimal strategy for winning the Driver's title when your car is not the class of the field. 2007 and to some extent 2010 illustrate this point quite clearly. But there is one way to alleviate this potential problem. Build the fastest car. McLaren haven't done that in a while, and maybe that worries Jenson a bit.
 
Going into 2011 there were fans of Jenson's who pointed to the new Pirellis and 'tyre management' as reasons to be optimistic about Jenson's chances against Lewis.

The tyre issue - along with the idea that Jenson would "fit" into the MP4-26 "better" (instead of sitting 'too high' in the 25) and would have some input into 26's direction - was spoken about in the winter (when I was posting on 606).

I figured that those cards, although non unimportant, were being over-played...but it's obvious that these factors (tyres, car) have helped in closing the large gap from 2010.

The other factor is that Lewis - though still plain and clearly faster - seems to have not progressed and I can cite a number of such examples:

1. Malaysian qually mistake;
2. Monaco Q3 (I wrote an article about it on here on that very Saturday);
3. Canada DNF
4. Hungary spin-and-penalty
5. Belgium DNF
6. Monza Safety-Car In lap lack of focus on Vettel

All these have helped Jenson in relation to Lewis...but if Lewis cuts down these types of errors, I can't see Jenson beating Lewis consistently because Lewis is just faster and, on top of that, should really be learning from this season and progressing from them (as Vettel learned from 2010 and progressed from it).

Jenson can't count on Lewis remaining in this type of funk in perpetuity. It would be a huge error in judgement to think so.
 
KekeTheKing said:
There's no denying that having two top drivers is a sub-optimal strategy for winning the Driver's title when your car is not the class of the field.

Build the fastest car. McLaren haven't done that in a while, and maybe that worries Jenson a bit.
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If you recall Williams made a superior car in 1986 but Piquet and Mansell tried to destroy each-other and it allowed Prost to pip the title.

Your last statement about Jenson being worried about McLaren not building the fastest car.

Can you expand on it?

Because if McLaren build the fastest car by say 2 or 3 tenths, then I can see Lewis taking Pole most times and winning from the front.

Don't you think?
 
RayInTorontoCanada said:
Your last statement about Jenson being worried about McLaren not building the fastest car.

Can you expand on it?
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Obviously this is purely speculation, but if Button wants to win another title he's going to need the fastest car. McLaren have been unable to produce a world-beater in some time. This might be somewhat troubling to somebody they're trying to lock down to a lifetime contract.
 
Keke's quite right, but nothing in life is guaranteed. McLaren are more likely than most to build that car - not as likely as Red Bull admittedly, but theirs is a castle built on sand (Newey) if you ask me...
 
KekeTheKing said:
... if Button wants to win another title he's going to need the fastest car...

This might be somewhat troubling to somebody they're trying to lock down to a lifetime contract.
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OK Gotcha! :)

But I think we share this view:

Button is unlikely to win a WDC with a driver of Hamilton's calibre in the other car if that car is indeed the fastest car on the grid.

I pointed to 6 errors/issues in my previous post and, frankly, Button can't hope that Lewis has that many issues in 13 or so races in the future. It would be folly.

Nope, I simply don't see Button beating Hamilton to a WDC if Hamilton's also got the clearly fastest race car on the grid and is starting most races from Pole.

I simply don't see Hamilton making an unusually large number of driving and mental errors every year, especially if he's on Pole most times.

Those 6 issues I pointed out...ALL of them benifited Button in one form or another. That too is unusual.

As per your last sentence, Jenson better make hay while the sun is shining because Lewis could easily win Singapore whilst Jenson could be easily hitting the wall.

Things change very quickly.
 
Galahad said:
Keke's quite right, but nothing in life is guaranteed. McLaren are more likely than most to build that car - not as likely as Red Bull admittedly, but theirs is a castle built on sand (Newey) if you ask me...
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Well, Ferrari haven't made the fastest car since 2004.

Raikkonen won in the co-fastest car for the types of reasons i've discussed here: 2 top drivers taking points off each other at McLaren.

I think you're kinda right about RBR being a castle of sand. Their edge could end very quickly though not neccessarily immediately.

All you'd need is one of the following 3:

1. Newey gets it wrong...or goes elsewhere...or retires;

2. Red Bull hit money issues;

3. A MASSIVE pay-package-with-a-fresh-challenge prompts Vettel to head up Ferrari or Mercedes or even McLaren in 2013 or 2014. (And this idea that Alonso is 'safe' at Ferrari until 2016 is all poppy cock. Lauda, Mansell, Prost, Schumacher, Raikkonen...none of them were "safe" at Maranello.)
 
Ray - what do you mean Ferrari haven't made the fastest car since 2004. IMHO the Ferrari was the fastest car out of the lot in 2008 and yet Lewis won the championship and forgive me didn't they win the WCC that season too?
 
Wouldn't say the Ferrari was the fastest by far in 2008 either hammy, the mclaren was faster in qualifying and in cold conditions which that season had a lot of, in optimum conditions yes the Ferrari was the fastest. As for 2007 the mclaren for
me was the fastest car and most reliable car.
 
hammydigrassi said:
Ray - what do you mean Ferrari haven't made the fastest car since 2004. IMHO the Ferrari was the fastest car out of the lot in 2008 and yet Lewis won the championship and forgive me didn't they win the WCC that season too?
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I could be completely wrong but I don't think Ferrari made the fastest car in 2008.

Heikki wasn't pulling his weight, IMO, and that's one reason why McLaren lost the WCC. (Same why Massa didn't pull his weight in 2010 making it seem as if Ferrari only had the 3rd fastest car.)

In addition, Ferrari had problems generating heat into their tyres...and the Belgian GP (where McLaren lost a win which went to Ferrari thanks to post-race decisions) helped Ferrari in the WCC to some extent.

Also, McLaren could have won Canada instead of BMW but Lewis had brain fade in the pit lane when he piled into Raikkonen at the red light.

2004 was a clear case because McLaren, Renault and Williams were no where close.

But that's my opinion and I could be completely out to lunch. :)
 

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