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[1Lemon]

He's consistent and really likes the wet weather, I feel in rain he is one of the strongest drivers and it'll be a sad day when he leaves F1 one of the few old schoolers left. However I don't think he is the man needed to lead McLaren from a drivers front out of the rut, he couldn't do it with Honda with effectively a blank cheque, I don't think Kimi would help with that either, what they need is clear direction right from removing the design by committee that McLaren have to the driver direction.

[LewEngBridewell]

Well, he completely outclassed Sergio in Spa.

As for the season:

BUTTON = 47 points
PEREZ = 18 points

[racechick]

In Sergio's defence, had he not been penalised ( I think it was unfair) he'd have been very close to Button from a compromised starting position. But yes, Jenson has the lions share of the points and McLaren must be grateful for that.

I remember reading something about him, not long ago but I forget who wrote it, about his driving style. It's not in complete wet weather where he does well, but in that sort of changeable weather where it's not just changing by the lap, but by the corner. His sensitive touch does well in that particular condition.

[CookinFlat6]

Well, he completely outclassed Sergio in Spa.

As for the season:

BUTTON = 47 points
PEREZ = 18 points

As for Mclarens seasons return on investment

BUTTON = 47 points = 2.6x Sergio
PEREZ = 18 points

BUTTON = 47 points = £12million wage = 12x Sergio
PEREZ = 18 points = less than £1million (rumoured to be less than zero)

BUTTON = 47 points = 12 years experience = 4x Sergio
PEREZ = 18 points = 3 years experience

sorry just not good enough for lead McLaren and new contract must address this

Also not particularly fast in the wet, but good at picking the right tyres for the conditions, a function of 12 years experience

Good points = doesn't push hard enough to make mistakes and therefore an effective points harvester in mid grid

[racechick]

Another view on Button's position at Mclaren.

https://twitter.com/thejudge13/status/3 ... 2407539712

[Jabberwocky]

However I don't think he is the man needed to lead McLaren from a drivers front out of the rut, he couldn't do it with Honda with effectively a blank cheque,

I don't think JB is a natural leader, but that is a bit harsh. The Brawn was a Honda in all but name

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[CookinFlat6]

However I don't think he is the man needed to lead McLaren from a drivers front out of the rut, he couldn't do it with Honda with effectively a blank cheque,

I don't think JB is a natural leader, but that is a bit harsh. The Brawn was a Honda in all but name

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The Brawn was a Honda in all but a certain loophole. Apart from that the Brawn did not actually improve much as we were told by Button late on in the season 'How can this car be so bad'

[LRW]

At the end of the day Button is a victim of circumstance.

I believe some people think he isn't that good for a world champion. However, if Brawn hadn't seen the loophole, and given Button the head-start in '09, then he more than likely wouldn't of been a world champion.

And then the same people who dislike him now, may of just seen seen him the same as the other 'good enough' long term drivers such as Reuben / Mark Webber / DC. The guys that have moments of brilliance, and some great races, but overall just aren't WDC material.

So in conclusion; Don't hate on Button - Hate on Brawn. Its Brawns fault for elevating Button above his natural position.

[racechick]

good point LRW, i think you've gone some way to hitting the nail on the head there. ........but how can you hate Brawn? he's like a cuddly Teddy bear...albeit a deadly efficient one.

[CookinFlat6]

Interesting point LRW.

I would go as far as saying its the FIA's fault for being incompetent enough to allow a team to field a car 2 seconds clear of the field in the hands of a couple of journeymen, who then proceeded to make a mockery of the value of a WDC by their second half season antics

If Button had driven even like a semi champion in the second half of 2009, then he would have been regarded as a potential champion who finally got lucky. But the way he crumbled and returned exactly to the type of results he was getting before the first half of loophole 2009 made it clear that the FIA did not run a sporting competition in 2009.

It was a fix

edit: to be clear, I dont think people dislike him because he got lucky in 2009 and was elevated above the other journeymen. Nope, I think the beef started a few races into his McLaren career when he, Whitmarsh and the media decide to extend the abberation of 2009 and rewrite Buttons past to make out he was always WDC and had been unlucky for 10 years. When this came at the detriment of the best British driver since the 90s and then at the detriment of a popular team

[Jabberwocky]

Isn't being in the right team at the right time a string to a drivers bow. I am sure all the button haters would agree to that this year because the chosen one managed to do it.

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[CookinFlat6]

I am not sure its about right team right time. No one minds about that, its the mugging people off by pretending to be a worthy WDC

Say at the last Olympics Usain Bolt had been beaten by a fat unfit guy who had a loophole allowing him to to take a taxi round the 200m track, yes he was in the right team at a lucky time, and managed to exit the taxi at the finishing line just ahead of Bolt.

What if the next Olympics the same guy turned up, this time been lauded as a true champion. Then went on to run his teams worst race in decades, and show that he was still as unfit as ever

Its the last bit i think that has caused the most offence.

Lewis is at Merc on merit, he is leading them in their best season so far. Look at all the outpourings over a secret test that may or may not have given a slight advantage. Imagine Merc had a loophole advantage of 2 seconds over the rest somehow I dont see Nico or Lewis disintegrating half way through the year qualifying 8 places behind teammate and moaning 'how can this car be so bad?'

Yes thats the same car with the advantage and the same car his teammate, the oldest guy on the track, a number 2 driver by profession was qualifying front row with whislt Button was moaning

[Hammer278]

:hehe: good point LRW, i think you've gone some way to hitting the nail on the head there. ........but how can you hate Brawn? he's like a cuddly Teddy bear...albeit a deadly efficient one.

[oaba09]

Not the best season as a McLaren fan but Jenson has given them some solid points so kudos to him for doing his job.

Jenson may not be as fast as lewis or Fernando but his consistency is the reason why McLaren is surviving this season.

Sergio is young so I'll give him 1 more season before grading him. He has shown flashes of brilliance but he needs to be more patient in races.

Jenson is the clear leader of this team and if rumors are true, it seems like he'll be receiving a new contract soon. I just wish the team can give him and Sergio a car that can be a contender. His 2009 championship may have an asterisk but let's not forget that jenson proved that he can contend if given the right car(2010 & 2011).

I'm not putting him in the same tier as lewis, Fernando, seb, or even kimi because he clearly isn't but I do think that he is a solid driver

[What's Burning?]

there were contenders in 2011?