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[calvins48]

We know that Lewis will nine times out of ten outqualify Button, but points are not handed out for qualifying; Spain was a shocker for Jenson but in the race (in general), I don't agree that smoother is necessarily slower, hooking up every apex every lap will pay dividends over the course of 70 laps (for example). And a smoother, e.g. not sliding the car will look after the tyres better so may well mean one less pit stop. Lewis is the better qualifier but I believe on most occasions in race trim, the McLaren duo are fairly even, I still wouldn't like to call it either way this season!

I think pole position should get a point nowadays.

They do it in GP2 and it works well.

Drivers drive just as hard in quali as they do in the race and quali is the only place where you'll see the cars and drivers at their outright quickest due to the new Pirellis. Surely showing how quick your car and driver combo is should earn the driver and the team a point? Pole position isn't as important as it used to be but it still shows who is the fastest, even if it is over one lap.

Lewis did really well with the Bridgestones because tyre deg wasn't as severe and he could show off his true pace more. He may have achieved a higher finish in Spain if it wasn't for tyre conservation. Vettel only passed him because of fresher tyres on the Red Bull and Lewis was about to pass Rosberg due to fresher tyres on the McLaren, if I remember correctly.

[bud]

Conserving Tyres in motorsport is not a new concept.

[CookinFlat6]

Conserving tyres, preserving the equipment at least till the end of the race, pacing oneself, overtaking and ofcourse driving as fast as the car and conditions allow have always been part of F1 racing

Your Vettels and Hamiltons can do all these things and more, Button can only really conserve tyres and avoid incidents, and only if the car is perfect drive as fast as it can go

The 'drive as fast as possible' card has being removed by these tyres unless in quali, and at the same time another attribute becomes king, namely the ability to adapt to the changing balance of the car intra race and the variable setups required to coincide with the narrow operating window of the various tyre compounds

The clue is that JB has trouble with all the compounds, can't adapt enough his style to switch them on

He was flattered last year as the tyres had more of a linear deg curve before the cliff, this year you need to get them working first before you start worrying about the cliff

If you can only be smooth, and being smooth doesn't get the heat required you adapt or come behind the flexible and therefore more talented drivers, where Button will spend most of this season apart from the odd race when his narrow operating window coincides with the narrow operating window of the tyre inspired setup for that race

[darwin dali]

What did Herr Schumacher say? Driving like on raw eggs...

[Hammer278]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

[andrew]

What did Herr Schumacher say? Driving like on raw eggs...

He said the tyres are a joke and he was bang on. There is far too much economy style driving going on. I want to see drivers pushing themselves and the equipment to the limit every lap, not for a couple of laps and then slowing down for fear of their tyres falling to bits.

[calvins48]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

He's already moaned about it's safety...

[myownalias]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

He's already moaned about it's safety...

I think he has a point, remember back in 2005 at Indianapolis, when all the Michelin runners pulled out because the tyres were dangerous around the banked final turn. 14 cars pulled into the pits at the end of the formation lap, this was on the grounds of safety, it was suggested that the Michelin shod runners would slow down in the final turn but the idea was dismissed because of safety fears, surely a car suddenly running 30 seconds plus slower when the tyres go off the cliff is just as dangerous. Slightly off topic but I wanted to point out the hypocrisy!

Back to the debate at hand, I believe that Jenson will still factor in this season's world title fight, call me an optimist or call it blind faith, I still believe his smooth driving style will pay dividends, just like it did for Damon Hill in 1996, although Hill's WIlliams was a better car than today's McLaren (in my opinion).

[CookinFlat6]

I admire your faith, the bookies are not reading the same hymn sheet though, current odds for the Monaco race make Hamilton 11/4 favourite, and Button is 10/1.

This should be one of his better tracks this year due to the lower speeds and slightly less demand on tyres so I dread to think what the odds will be for other races

unless he really cracks his long standing 'narrow operating window' issues quickly he could get left behind, long season though and if he challenges he will prove to be a amongst the best on this grid

[myownalias]

No one can call me a glory hunter can they? I support Button, Webber and Kobayashi, I also keep an eye on di Resta and Senna!

And thank you CookinFlat6 for keeping it civil and having a good debate/discussion with me... it's nice to not be belittled for going against the Hamilton support grain!

[mugshot]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

He's already moaned about it's safety...

A man who was once a god of the circuit is reduced to being a bit part...why? His car is not upto standard. If he had a car like the others he would be further up the field...not winning granted but further up the field nontheless

[andrew]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

He's already moaned about it's safety...

Yes, we all know that Monaco is the safest racing facility in the whole world(!)

[calvins48]

Herr Schumacher's feeling the presshah! The tyres are at fault, Grosjean is at fault, Bruno Senna's at fault, next would be the tarmac at Monaco is too grainy for his liking.

He's already moaned about it's safety...

Yes, we all know that Monaco is the safest racing facility in the whole world(!)

They key word is "moaned", andrew.

[calvins48]

[Hammer278]

Lol another meme fan huh?

This one is still my F1 favourite:

After Bahrain: