Button Vs Bernie...

Tom · Post 20 Oct 2006, 13:09

Found this on AOL news.

Button could do without the kind of comments from Bernie Ecclestone this week that derided his ability.

The Formula One supremo accused Button of lacking the dedication of Schumacher, of not putting in the miles in testing, and on the track mainly profiting from other people's misfortune.

Snapping back, Button feels Ecclestone should check his facts first before passing judgment, as he retorted: "It couldn't be further from the truth.

"I read that I don't work hard enough, that I don't go from a race to a test. That's not true.

"You have to look at the facts, which he hasn't done, because I've done more miles than anyone in testing, especially last winter."

Unusual of Bernie not to look at the facts, then again it does seem a bit harsh.

pRo · Post 20 Oct 2006, 13:22

Button's right, he tested more than any other race driver during last winter.

Heikki Kovalainen 23 077 km
Pedro de la Rosa 21 814 km (well, he wasn't a race driver back then)
Anthony Davidson 20 906 km
Button 19 483 km

No major difference between them during the year, probably cause of the test limitations.

DaveKillens · Post 20 Oct 2006, 14:59

It's the end of the season and Bernie has been throwing quotes around to a few people. Maybe he just want's to be remembered before the season officially ends.
Personally, I think Bernie is pulling a Madonna, just doing cheap controversy for the sake of publicity. Maybe he ought to adopt Sato?

Ciro Pabón · Post 20 Oct 2006, 16:39

It couldn't be more opportune. Personally, I need another villain!

After all, now that.... now that there are not enough villains, Bernie, the egothistical, money obsessed, inferiority complex ridden (apparently), anti-empathy character, seller-of-the-sport-for-100-years-to-bankers we all hate (don't we?), could fill that role

.

I am only waiting for him to mess with Alonso. Better yet, I won't wait. Let's start the fan...

I guess Mr. Bernard Charles Ecclestone can show to Button his magnificent career as a driver and explain to him how it is done. You know, he tried two times to qualify and he couldn't, back in 1958. Lack of testing, then?

Then you have his interesting excursion in F3, in 1951, when he landed his car outside the track on the car parking of Brands Hatch!

This career move (probably) launched him into the car auction bussiness! Yes, he is an used (and repossesed!) car salesman, nothing more, nothing less. And Mosley is his lawyer! The lawyer of a reposseser... nice career these two had had.

What can you expect from these two? Stupid comments on racing... I am afraid this is probably his kind of "kiss of death" to Mr. Button.

Oh, Mr. E, how little people talks about you to criticize... in this age and era of cowards obssesed with money (sorry, I've just read some thread about unions here... guys with social security happy not to have to pay his union wages

).

This is why you are not worried about his famous contribution to the Labour Party (a cool 1 million pounds) in 1997, which resulted in approval of tobacco advertising in F1 races.... how innocent can we be?

I've always been so, so, so, soooooo sorry Mr. Brabham left his team to this guy. He is that kind of person, the one able to say about Danica Patrick (this one goes for Principessa's comment):

"You know, I've got one of these wonderful ideas that women should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances"

!!!!!!!

(nice rant, don't you think?

)

Scuderia_Russ · Post 20 Oct 2006, 16:55

Is this the same Bernie you speak of that dragged our sport kicking and screaming out of the dark ages?

Tom · Post 20 Oct 2006, 17:13

Bernie is really a great character, he has done so much for the sport, even if he is always putting it down. I didn't know much about his F1 career, although i'd heard of the F3 incident. He is so calculated, I only know of one single bussiness mistake he's made, his own digital F1 TV coverage. Even the Brabham days produced something remarkable, with John Watson in the unique flat 12 Alfa Romeo engined thing, and of course the fan car.
I think he has every right to make trouble, he has that mischeveouse air shared with Manchild to try and cause as much trouble and controversy as possible, in a likeable and innocent way, most of the time.

Also Mr Frank Williams, much loved boss of Williams F1, the man who took Hill to the championship, started as a used car dealer too. Its the shrewd machiavellion techniques which took both these men to the top of F1, and it would be a poorer place without them.

Scuderia_Russ · Post 20 Oct 2006, 17:20

Tom wrote:. He is so calculated, I only know of one single bussiness mistake he's made, his own digital F1 TV coverage.

The only reason that went wrong was because it was ahead of its time IMO.

Giancarlo · Post 20 Oct 2006, 19:35

I look at Bernie's comments as mind games, more specifically - negative reinforcement. Its another test to see what Button is made of. Button has been beating his chest saying that he will challenge for the WDC next year, so acting like many coaches would - Bernie is giving him an extra push. (I used to have a hockey coaches that would do the same thing - and it worked)

I see no harm done here. Button took criticsm from JV during Villeneuve's BAR days and Button handled it fine, improved as a driver, and has matured greatly.

If I were to peek inside Mr.E's head, I think I would find that he would like to see Button do well. Button has the image, charisma, talent, and dedication to win. Having another Brit as Chamption would be fantastic for the sport, thus Bernie gets more $$$ and the F1 machine will grow stronger in the Post-Schumacher era.

As much as I respect Raikkonen, he isn't much of a spokesman. Charismatic F1 drivers are few and far between. Rubens, Trulli, Coulthard, and the STR guys all have great personalities and could be great representitives of F1 with one exception; they all have little hope of a WDC. Button is the top candidate.

Alonso has been scolded for not doing enough for the sport while Kimi mumbles and is mono-tone. They're talented, no one can argue that, but Button would make a better (READ:more profitable) poster boy for F1.

Spyker MF1 · Post 20 Oct 2006, 20:08

I think Bernies comments are quite just. I think he's trying to stop Button from claiming he's going to win the WDC every year and pull his finger out his ass and do it. Remember at the moment he's the only British driver who could win the WDC and he's carrying to hopes of a nation with him

f1.redbaron · Post 20 Oct 2006, 20:19

Tom wrote: Also Mr Frank Williams, much loved boss of Williams F1, the man who took Hill to the championship, started as a used car dealer too.

Yeah, I was just going to say that, except that I thought he was a mechanic, not a car dealer. But, it doesn't matter!

However, despite his failures as a driver, the fact that he is one of the richest people on this planet, should tell us something about him. Perhaps he's an a**hole, but he is also a shrewd businessman who knows how to get things done.

One thing that is a guarantee with him is that "contoversy" should be his middle name. Whether it is his BT46, or him telling us that women should be dressed in white to match the colour of the appliances, he never seems to run out of contravesy.

btw, off-topic, Mosley also had a brief career in Formula 2 (3?)

Ciro Pabón · Post 21 Oct 2006, 00:00

f1.redbaron: do you think that calling Danica Patrick (and women in general) a domestic appliance is a "controversy"? Oh, my god.

Scuderia_Russ: mechanic and car salesman are the same thing? Double oh my god.

All (well, most) of you: having money compensate anything? Triple oh my god. You must thank heaven every day you are not girls in need...

I can only imagine what profession you will end working on.

No wonder my desperate calls for a democratization of the sport get no answer.

You seem happy having this guy as a dictator...

I will make a "forum strike" for a while. If I don't, I will start to call you names... Don't bother to answer me (if you were going to).

Tom · Post 21 Oct 2006, 00:41

Not sure if your drunk or me Ciro?

Not really sure what you mean here, breakdown in communication.

f1.redbaron · Post 21 Oct 2006, 03:40

Ciro Pabón wrote:f1.redbaron: do you think that calling Danica Patrick (and women in general) a domestic appliance is a "controversy"? Oh, my god.

Sure it does! Think about it...he said the woman's place is in the kitchen only. Basically, he implied that, whether it is Danica Patrick or any other woman, for as long as he is the boss, they will not be in F1. Such comments are sexist, and sexism is contravesial.

Also, if you re-read my post, you will notice that I called him an a**hole. But despite that, his had some great accomplishments in life, and I won't deny that. I only wish I could be half as successful as he is.

Ciro Pabón · Post 22 Oct 2006, 16:33

All right, I've cooled enough.

Tom: I don't drink, man.

f1.redbaron: sorry, I was completely out of my cabals. Thank heavens I refrained myself of answering yesterday.

Sexism, racism and fascism (at least in my neck of the woods, ravaged by war and drugs, third world country) are not controversies. They are crimes, more or less severe depending on your education and influence.

DaveKillens · Post 23 Oct 2006, 03:20

Ciro Pabón wrote:Sexism, racism and fascism (at least in my neck of the woods, ravaged by war and drugs, third world country) are not controversies. They are crimes, more or less severe depending on your education and influence.

Agreed