FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[CookinFlat6]

Ok so it's understandable for a 15 year veteran 15 mill WDC to be comprehensively beaten over the weekend by a rookie?

[myownalias]

Ok so it's understandable for a 15 year veteran 15 mill WDC to be comprehensively beaten over the weekend by a rookie?

Hardly comprehensively beaten, Button finished one place behind Magnussen in the race where it counts. I think Button's experience helped with the strategy, there is more to F1 than being the fastest driver. Undoubtedly Magnussen is a 'faster' driver but often strategic thinking can be more important especially with the new regulations.

[CookinFlat6]

But strategic thinking did not overcome the raw speed of a rookie. And when you are on a 15 mill wage, and Ron Dennis is 'observing' you would have to be suicidal to feel proud of finishing behind a rookie in his first ever F1 race.

Put it this way, Lewis finished 3rd in his first race. But his WDC teammate who was ejected by Ron at season end, finished 2nd.

There is no excuse of bad luck in quali, there is no excuse of changeable conditions. Under Rons stewardship the result is the result. Button should have beaten his rookie teammate comprehensively over the weekend. There is no 'I had bad luck in quali' or ' I had no grip in Q2', there is only I took your car Ron and did this with it. Mag did what he was tasked to by Ron. He was the defacto McLaren driver on the weekend. Jenson will not be sitting around thinking 'I recovered from 10th to 4th, thats great' like in the slack lazy underachieving era of the aberrational TP. He will be thinking ' I did not prove I am the inherently best driver on the grid - a Ron McLaren driver because I know Ron does not do second best. If Jenson is gonna survive at the new/old McLaren he has gotta be thinking ' I missed a chance to whip the behinds of every other driver on the grid, starting with my rookie teammate'

This is what Lewis, Mika, Montoya and Mag would be thinking. It was only in the McLaren of the last few years that a driver would be feeling proud of qualifying in 10th and finishing 4th by default.

Jenson aint stupid, his forte is experience, changeable conditions, race craft etc, and he got beaten by a rookie in ALL departments over the weekend. Jenson will rise to this and will be burning to put Mag in his place next race in front of Ron (who has run all the best drivers in modern F1). However this will have to be done on track this time.

[Hammer278]

Very well put mate.

[IheartKimmi]

But strategic thinking did not overcome the raw speed of a rookie. And when you are on a 15 mill wage, and Ron Dennis is 'observing' you would have to be suicidal to feel proud of finishing behind a rookie in his first ever F1 race.

Put it this way, Lewis finished 3rd in his first race. But his WDC teammate who was ejected by Ron at season end, finished 2nd.

There is no excuse of bad luck in quali, there is no excuse of changeable conditions. Under Rons stewardship the result is the result. Button should have beaten his rookie teammate comprehensively over the weekend. There is no 'I had bad luck in quali' or ' I had no grip in Q2', there is only I took your car Ron and did this with it. Mag did what he was tasked to by Ron. He was the defacto McLaren driver on the weekend. Jenson will not be sitting around thinking 'I recovered from 10th to 4th, thats great' like in the slack lazy underachieving era of the aberrational TP. He will be thinking ' I did not prove I am the inherently best driver on the grid - a Ron McLaren driver because I know Ron does not do second best. If Jenson is gonna survive at the new/old McLaren he has gotta be thinking ' I missed a chance to whip the behinds of every other driver on the grid, starting with my rookie teammate'

This is what Lewis, Mika, Montoya and Mag would be thinking. It was only in the McLaren of the last few years that a driver would be feeling proud of qualifying in 10th and finishing 4th by default.

Jenson aint stupid, his forte is experience, changeable conditions, race craft etc, and he got beaten by a rookie in ALL departments over the weekend. Jenson will rise to this and will be burning to put Mag in his place next race in front of Ron (who has run all the best drivers in modern F1). However this will have to be done on track this time.

I somewhat agree with most of this, but to say he got 4th by default is disingenious and to say he "Cruised and Collected" is downright unfair. He was out of place on the grid and made it to 4th on the day, a good drive by anyone's standards, no? Was he 'crushed' by his team mate, no. As I have said here so many times before - do I think he is the fastest, no I do not. I am excited for MacLaren with Ron back and an obviously fast guy in Kev.

RC, I apologise if I seemed to be looking for a fight, nothing was further from my mind. I'm sorry.

Cookin, look I can quote, so your snide comments helped me learn, thank you for that

[racechick]

That's cool. No worries IheartKimmi

[ang4f1]

Near the end of the race, Lap 45/46..ish Jenson had heard Ricciardo was going slow...he asked his engineer what the situation was (maybe cruise & collect, look after the engine).
Edit
Maybe JB has had to give up his engineer to ease Kev into McLaren...?

[CookinFlat6]

I think maybe Jenson had to give up having all the engineers working for him, leaving Sergio with just the one last year. Maybe one of Rons changes has been to give the rookie equal support

[IheartKimmi]

I think maybe Jenson had to give up having all the engineers working for him, leaving Sergio with just the one last year. Maybe one of Rons changes has been to give the rookie equal support

I think you might be right, in fact, you are actually Ron Dennis because some of the posts you make here suggest you are. You have made claims that only Ron Dennis himself would know. Go on, go on, go on..... admit you are RD Or admit that you only know as much as the rest of us in the workings of McLaren. Otherwise you are just like me, an armchair critic on an F1 forum.

[sagi58]

That would be amazing!! Ron Dennis on our forum!!

[What's Burning?]

I'd rather have Flavio Briatore, he'd post better pics.

[1Lemon]

I'd rather have Flavio Briatore, he'd post better pics.

Don't do it! DON'T DO IT! !!!

[LRW]

[1Lemon]

Oh someone did it..... I'm very disappointed in you class!

[CookinFlat6]

Ok, like we expected Jenson has made a statement of intent. No excuses either, Ron's influence is obvious. Let's see how it goes next race as Mags confidence grows

It was an impressive showing from the Dane and a sure sign that Button, who finished one place back from his team-mate, won't have it all his own way at McLaren.

The British driver, though, is relishing the challenge.

"The team wouldn't have employed someone they didn't think was going to be good," he said in an interview with Press Association Sport.

"You are always going to have a competitive team-mate, but I've never been scared of a team-mate. It's exciting to have someone that competitive.

Jenson has to beat the rookie on track as excuses or team orders will no longer be acceptable. Good move though to throw down the gauntlet instead of finding excuses. Ron's strictness could be the making of Button, otherwise it could be the BBC next year