The curious case of Jenson Button

[i70q7m7ghw]

Because everybody knows website articles are made of pure fact.

Do you have any of the footage to post up? I'm interested to see it.

It's been agreed in the race thread if you bothered to read it, that Jenson most likely slowed at the apex to prevent a cut back. It's a very common defensive technique, and it's good race craft. Secondly, he was slower than Perez (clear to see), and he wasn't on the racing line.

Choose to believe what you will, it's clear for all to see you simply hate Jenson Button, since everything you post has some sort of anti-Button comment.

Oh... and you're calling Button a "ruthless serial killers and murderer" now?

[Emerson.F]

No i just said looks can be deceiving. I dont hate him. He's a good driver non the less and a World Champion.

[Richard]

....

This all seems rather personal to you.

So Button showed himself to be a competitive racer who'll try to push down any threat either on track or via the team. Show me a racer who doesn't do that. Or to put it another way, every F1 driver has to be ruthless and selfish to even get a chance of a test drive, let alone a regular slot.

So it shouldn't be any surprise that Button has that ruthless streak behind the beguiling mannerisms and beaming smile.

Anyway I can't fathom out why you have such venom for him, its almost pathological.

Sure you can shrug things like naming Jenson as a McLaren world champion and snubbing the last actual McLaren world champion

Hamilton did continue to appear in the later episodes, so he's just as culpable as Button. It's a bad attempt at comedy ... so maybe .. just maybe... it's PR piffle that has barely any link to reality?

The point of posting those political caricatures was to illustrate that caricatures aren't a balanced view. It was just PR piffle. Button does not help ladies across the road. It's not real. I can't believe it is being used as the basis for a detailed psychological profile. If we say the tooned cartoons are an accurate representation of Button & Hamilton's relationship, then we should say Camaeron has a condom on his head, and I'm a banana.

Then again I'm puzzled why people get take things so personally when it is only some bits of carbon fibre going in circles around a track.

[tathan]

This thread is becoming bizarre and OT...

It's a standard trick from the defensive driving book to be slow on the apex to make the following driver lift/brake unexpectedly so you get a run on them out the corner. Perez showed his inexperience/lack of racecraft/over-aggressiveness (delete as appropriate) and touched Button, Button reacted by giving him a bit of a physical bollocking, which IMHO is fair enough. You don't expect your new teammate to risk both of you, especially early on and for lowly points. And with DRS etc there's no reason to be bumping teammates when you could be a bit more circumspect and pass cleanly a few corners later.

Disclosure - not a particular Button or Perez fan or hater, both seem decent enough drivers and friendly guys. You're all reading far too much into a few post race comments... I say stuff all the time that sounds worse than I meant it to, usually because I'm failing to be funny.

[JimClarkFan]

Over half the season gone and Lewis is beating Nico quite comfortably. I expected it to be much closer than it was, and in fact, if you account for Lewis's bad luck at Silverstone he would be even further ahead.

I have been thinking what this means in terms of driver rankings, and specifically what this means for Jenson. I have always rated Nico quite highly, but does the fact that Lewis is beating Nico at a canter mean anything with respect to how we can rate Jenson as a driver?

[PlatinumZealot]

I rate Jenson higher than Nico to be honest.

[JimClarkFan]

I rate Jenson higher than Nico to be honest.

In hindsight, I would agree, mostly because Jenson is a very good racer.
Before Hamilton's move though, I was not so sure.

[Absolutelee]

It was Button describing, on Top Gear, how he purposely let the back of his Brawn go mid corner to unsettle the driver following him that made me go seek out F1 and ultimately become the fan I am today. This may bias me, but I see Button as an immensely talented and smart driver. He may not have that balls to the wall raw speed that some of our current and past favorites have, but IMO he is a great asset to any team who employs him. In a way I feel that he is expertly filling the role of 'old head' in the paddock.

[JimClarkFan]

Jenson Button heads into his 250th grand prix this weekend with the inspirational words of late father John still ringing in his ears and providing a poignant reminder as to why he remains in love with the sport.

After making his debut at the age of 20 in 2000, 34-year-old Button is currently competing in his 15th Formula One campaign, with only four other drivers ahead of him who have driven in more races.

At present Rubens Barrichello leads the way with 322 career starts, followed by seven-times champion Michael Schumacher (307), Riccardo Patrese (256) and Jarno Trulli (252).

Button has naturally endured a number of highs and lows along the way, with his capture of the 2009 world title being the zenith, and earlier this year the loss of his father John - who attended all but one of his son's races prior to this season - being the nadir.

Ahead of reaching the milestone at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, Button concedes it is "crazy" to consider the fact he has been around for so long.

But this year is another learning experience for Button without his dad by his side, although there is one comment that sticks with him to this day.

Reminiscing, Button said: "The nicest thing anyone ever said to me came from my dad.

"He said: 'You might not be the quickest driver in the world, but you're the best'. Those words meant a lot, and they still do."

A smooth, skilful style, rather than outright speed, has resulted in Button claiming 15 race wins and eight poles, in addition to his one world title.

Now F1's most experienced active driver, Button has learned a number of lessons along the way, but with one more important than others.

"It would be to take the rough with the smooth," added Button.

"Like most F1 drivers I didn't experience much rough en route to F1 and it was only when I got here I had to learn to deal with it.

"You're going to have frustrating days, but it can turn around tomorrow and you've got to be ready for that moment."

As was the case at the end of 2008, the start of 2009 when Button's days appeared numbered following Honda's withdrawal from the sport.

Out of the ashes of the Japanese manufacturer's demise rose the phoenix of Brawn GP, and with it an unlikely championship triumph.

At the end of that year came Button's surprise move to McLaren, and with it a battle of the Britons as he was up against Lewis Hamilton, to this day the man he regards as the best of his 10 team-mates.

Offering an intriguing insight into Hamilton, Button said: "The most interesting and exciting team-mate has been Lewis.

"He was very up and down emotionally, but always super-fast. He's very talented and it was great having him alongside me.

"He was very quick in qualifying and there were days when I'd look at his lap time and say, 'I don't know how he did that'.

"But there were days when I beat him and they felt very special. In terms of race pace there wasn't much between us and we both had to do the perfect job to beat each other."

At the end of the day part of Button's longevity in F1 is down to the fact he has always proven himself competitive, no matter who has been on the opposing side of the garage.

"I'm very happy with my career, even though there have been highs and lows," said Button.

"One of the things I'm most proud of is the way I've stacked up against my team-mates.

"I've had 10 of them in 15 seasons, so I've needed to prove myself to the new guy sat beside me virtually every year.

"It's a very funny sport in that respect because even after everything you've achieved, you've still got to prove yourself time and again."

Back in 2011 Button added another fairytale chapter to his career when he won his 200th grand prix, taking the chequered flag in Hungary with McLaren.

It would be a major surprise if Button were to mark his latest milestone with a win in Bahrain, which this year stages a night race as part of their 10th anniversary celebrations.

With McLaren competitive, but off the pace of frontrunning Mercedes, Button said: "The gap to them is a concern. They're cruising round.

"It's amazing to think they are that much quicker than the rest.

"They do have the best power unit, as we do, so we have no excuse there, but they've a consistent car that has downforce, and that is where we are lacking and where we have to improve."

Thought this was a nice article about Jenson

[lebesset]

pretty much as I see jenson , which is why he is one of the 3 drivers I would be happy to see as WDC this season ;
unless there is some miracle at McLaren it ain't going to happen though
in 2009 jenson just kept racking up what points he could without sticking his neck out after his car dropped back in the pecking order ,kept his eye on the ball ; i can only remember one race where he took chances
if only webbo had done the same thing in 2010 instead of saying..I have to win another race ...we might have had a different champion

[marcush.]

pretty much as I see jenson , which is why he is one of the 3 drivers I would be happy to see as WDC this season ;
unless there is some miracle at McLaren it ain't going to happen though
in 2009 jenson just kept racking up what points he could without sticking his neck out after his car dropped back in the pecking order ,kept his eye on the ball ; i can only remember one race where he took chances
if only webbo had done the same thing in 2010 instead of saying..I have to win another race ...we might have had a different champion

+1
Jenson did a Sterling Job in 2009 and lest not forget his Switch to McLaren did Not hurt his Reputation at all.Who would have thought he could survive Hamilton?

[PNSD]

He had nothing to lose. He was already a champion so what could he lose? Nobody expected to fair as well as he did so all ended up doing was enhancing his reputation and enhancing (if at all possible) the value of his championship.

[Emerson.F]

This year Button priorities should be finishing ahead of Kmag and Hulkenberg. The Hulk is really making a name for himself.

[DavidRacer1983]

The saga continues. Admittedly, things were a lot closer all weekend twixt the two mclaren boys. Yet again, in Q3, Lewis drags an extra couple of tenths out of the car. In the press conference he mentioned making some last minute setup "guesses" which just happened to be in the right direction. Have Lewis and his engineer got a setup they are keeping secret until the last minute? Or is this just the natural order of things?

I think it is quite possible of Hamilton hiding his setup.

If you were in his position I dont think you'd like it if you have to drive a slower setup just because your team mate sucks? That already is something to get angry about yet he is still smiling. I havent even named the chance Hamilton has to become WDC. His team is pretty much throwing Hamiltons chance at WDC away just to 'equalize' things within the team, much like happened to Kubica in 2008.

I will add another thing to this which is a bit off topic; Hamilton will leave this team as soon as his contract ends.

Yor were right he left lol =D>

[JimClarkFan]

Looks like jenson could be facing his last year in formula 1.

My question is, if jenson was at Mercedes, how well do you think he would be performing... Better than Rosberg? Better than Hamilton?

Button didn't have the pace of Hamilton, but he was very competitive on a Sunday.