Embarrassment for Hamilton? The Reborn Button...

[GrizzleBoy]

I hate it, the guy is the fastest driver in F1, even drivers acknowledge this. When is he going to mature?

Mature? The guy is mature.

He is a winner. Do you think Senna would say "well great job Prost! you just flied today and was untouchable, great job mate, bla bla bla"


No he wouldn´t, he would be pissed and considering him the second loser of the rest.
He said congrats to Jenson, is that not enough? Should he put on a fake smile instead and smile for the cameras?

I prefer him like this, an honest guy.

Your point is not a valid comparison.

Senna and Prost hated each other, ofcourse that is not going to happen.

Senna congratulated Mansell and even Berger as his teammate when they won though, and could still maintain a normal conversation.

Lewis and Jenson have no hatred at all so Lewis comes across as a boy and not a man when he sulks.

When Jenson loses to Lewis he puts on a brave smile, not sit there all weird when he loses like Lewis.

Lewis' body language just screams insecurity while there is no reason for it.

Your question about whether Vettel would sulk when Webber won in Brazil is hardly valid either, given that Seb won the championship already a good few races before.

I agree with Nando.

You say there is no hatred between Jenson and Lewis, but how do you know that?

How can you claim to know the truth when you praise drivers for putting on their best fake smiles and pretending that all is hunky dory for the camera, when they are clearly not happy?

Hamilton also congratulated Button in every interview and said it was a positive for the team, but he obviously wanted to do better and wasn't happy he didn't.

Why is this a crime?

These guys are racers. They want to win and are passionate about it. Some more than others.

Asking them to be happy about not winning is the same as telling them to stop caring about winning.

Asking them to pretend they are happy when they aren't is the same thing is saying you want to see actors, not drivers in the cars.

Where was all the boohooing about Webber looking dejected basically all of 2011, even after his one and only win? He gets a pass for being better at faking his blatant and continuous feeling of disappointment through the whole season?

In life, I respect people much more when they are straight up with me and dont hide behind fake smiles just because other people are watching them.

I see no reason why I should expect different from a sportsman, but I suppose that's just me.

[manchild]

If Fuller was Button's manager, he'd be underachieving too.

[marcush.]

thinking you were better than anyone is the first step to lose.I think this is one of the misconceptions on Hamiltons side thinking his team mate is inferior -he is not.
Button has managed the situation at MCL extremely well and as much as the scenario has supported his case I fear a really strong team mate is not necessary a good thing for Lewis ,especially when it´s a nice guy and not Alonso you have to fight ...

[Pup]

So does Lewis think he's better than every one else, or is he insecure? I'm confused as to why I'm supposed to hate him.

Comparing Hamilton to Button on a personality basis is probably a bit unfair, I think. I mean, Jenson is probably the most well adjusted driver on the grid these days. We've all seen Vettel sit in that chair and sulk and we've all heard his little tantrums on the radio, and we've witnessed Webber's passive aggressive comments at the interview table enough, and lord knows we've all seen Alonso poke his lip out more than a few times.

Or how about we compare Hamilton to the Button who was ducking out of contracts left and right every time he though that the team he'd signed up with wouldn't have as good a car as he wanted?

They're pretty much all children.

[Just_a_fan]

Or the Button who, in his title winning year, shouted on the radio "why is this car so --- all of a sudden" in the latter part of the season when the other teams had caught up. Petulant would have been a good word to describe it.

Hamilton isn't perfect. Not by a long way. But Button is no angel either...

[bhall]

All Button has done thus far during his tenure at McLaren is completely change how I view him as a driver.

It was easy to knock his first win and his World Championship because of the circumstances surrounding each. But, he had the wherewithal to leave Honda/Brawn/Mercedes at the right time, even if it meant signing up for one of the more difficult propositions in F1, because he knew he'd have a better car and that success with McLaren versus Hamilton would largely nullify any previous criticism of his talent. He's now done that, and, for the most part, he's done it his way.

[Pup]

I agree fully with that. What I sense though is that some of the others are using Button's success as a wedge against Hamilton. They're both good drivers. It's just that Button seems to be on his game right now and Hamilton maybe not.

The good news is that there are quite a few races left in both of them to help fuel this little argument. And in the same team, nonetheless. It's a luxury to be able to compare two world champions side by side in the same machinery. At least without them being at each other's throats. I'll take Lewis sulking a bit any day over the antics between Hamilton and Alonso, or between Senna and Prost.

[bhall]

It may seem counterintuitive, but I think all of the praise lavished upon Hamilton so early in his career has been more hindrance than help. He was given the benefit of a very quick car and an imploding two-time World Champion teammate during his rookie year, which did little but feed expectations. Then he got an even quicker car and a relative afterthought for a teammate the next year when he won the title. At that point, he might as well have been dubbed the inventor of sliced bread by the uninformed masses who don't ever seem to recognize that circumstances in F1 often play a role as significant as talent.

It's always tough for a young driver to succeed in this game, much less a young black driver with an iconic F1 team. But, now, perhaps unfairly, he's got the weight of monumental expectations upon his shoulders, too. Moreover, I think it's easy to forget sometimes that he's still a young driver with a lot to learn.

(Incidentally, this could very well be the year that Vettel learns that little lesson, too.)

[Pierce89]

It may seem counterintuitive, but I think all of the praise lavished upon Hamilton so early in his career has been more hindrance than help. He was given the benefit of a very quick car and an imploding two-time World Champion teammate during his rookie year, which did little but feed expectations. Then he got an even quicker car and a relative afterthought for a teammate the next year when he won the title. At that point, he might as well have been dubbed the inventor of sliced bread by the uninformed masses who don't ever seem to recognize that circumstances in F1 often play a role as significant as talent.

It's always tough for a young driver to succeed in this game, much less a young black driver with an iconic F1 team. But, now, perhaps unfairly, he's got the weight of monumental expectations upon his shoulders, too. Moreover, I think it's easy to forget sometimes that he's still a young driver with a lot to learn.

(Incidentally, this could very well be the year that Vettel learns that little lesson, too.)

I think that losing Ron Dennis in the day to day was also a big change for Lewis and not having the one man he ALWAYS aimed to please around anymore helped to put that more emotional less controlled edge we've seen the last three seasons.

[bhall]

A thought so nice you had to say it twice?

[Pierce89]

A thought so nice you had to say it twice?

Dammit. Didn't even notice.

[CHT]

I actually think it is humiliating for Lewis to be beaten by Button at Mclaren, a team where he grew up as a kid. His behavior on the podium (after just 1 race) does speak very poorly of his character as a sportsmen.

And the way Lewis handle his business, relationship and personal life does give me the impression that he is desperately trying to keep up with Button.

I am not sure if replacing his dad with his mum and having Nicole back in his life is such a good idea to start the 2012 season.

[ParanoiD]

I actually think it is humiliating for Lewis to be beaten by Button at Mclaren, a team where is grew up as a kid. His behavior on the podium (after just 1 race) does speak very poorly of his character as a sportsmen.

And the way Lewis handle his business, relationship and personal life does give me the impression that he is desperately trying to keep up with Button.

I am not sure if replacing his dad with his mum and having Nicole back in his life is such a good idea to start the 2012 season.

agreed. that's why when I heard that he is back with Nicole. I know his 2012 might be just like his 2011, may be just a little better...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I'll take Lewis sulking a bit any day over the antics between Hamilton and Alonso, or between Senna and Prost.

Nah, Senna/Prost was immense. People remember that. This rivalry is still in its infancy as no one gave Button a prayer against Hamilton.
I'm as surprised as anyone to see him being uber competitive against Lewis.

Or the Button who, in his title winning year, shouted on the radio "why is this car so --- all of a sudden" in the latter part of the season when the other teams had caught up. Petulant would have been a good word to describe it.

Hamilton isn't perfect. Not by a long way. But Button is no angel either...

Werent you wondering how the almighty BGP001 had lost its edge all of a sudden? Almost a cliff drop in performance.

[raymondu999]

To be fair it wasn't really the BGP001 moving backwards was it? More like hte others overtaking it (in terms of pecking order)