54 replies to this topic

[Dunc]

Will this be the year he finally lives up to his promise or another year that ends up being described as 'disappointing.'?

Personally, I'm predicting a reasonable start to the season, he will benefit from no TC more than any other driver but the car will most likely still be a bit of a dog, which should pick up towards the end of the year once Ross Brawn's influence at Honda has a bit more sway.

[Bloggsworth]

Not if the car remains as bad as it has been in testing.

[k1ngy]

Unfortunately other posters have stated and i have read that Ross says they will not win any races this year (possible sandbagging talk) we will have to wait and see but if there is anything in that car Button should be able to wring it out

[AFCA]

Of course he could not have known at the time, but I wonder how much Button regrets his decision of going to Honda instead of sticking with Williams.

[kar]

Or perhaps more importantly when stories in 2005 swirled about him being linked with a seat at Ferrari and he commented quite unfavourably about them (Ferrari)...

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/45626

[Dunc]

I agree. The way Williams are developing with Rosberg must make him pretty green with envy. I bet he also wishes he took the offer to go back to Renault that Flavio floated last season.

Even if he has another bad season with Honda he'll probably stay with them for 2009 to drive a car Brawn has had total influence over. But if even RB can't get Honda winning that year, where do people think the 30-year-old Button could head?

[tkulla]

Originally posted by AFCA
Of course he could not have known at the time, but I wonder how much Button regrets his decision of going to Honda instead of sticking with Williams.

While Williams has gotten the better of Honda last year and (probably) this year, I think Button wants to be WDC. To that end, I suspect he still figures Honda has a higher "upside" than Williams, especially now that Brawn is on board. Personally, I think he's right, unless Toyota decides to pull the factory team and send a bunch of money to Frank and Patrick.

[Peter Perfect]

Originally posted by kar
Or perhaps more importantly when stories in 2005 swirled about him being linked with a seat at Ferrari and he commented quite unfavourably about them (Ferrari)...

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/45626

I wouldn't say he was unfavourable. He basically said that if Ferrari were nailed to the back of the grid he wouldn't be interested in joining them. Would Kimi have said any different?

Originally posted by Dunc
I agree. The way Williams are developing with Rosberg must make him pretty green with envy. I bet he also wishes he took the offer to go back to Renault that Flavio floated last season.

Is this the same Flav who spent 6 months trying to dump Button before reluctantly running him while publicly grooming Alonso for his race seat the following year? I doubt Button would've wanted to go back. Be shafted by Flav once, shame on him; be shafted by Flav twice, get pregnant.

[krferrari07]

I dont see what he's got to live up to. He has yet another pathetic car and yet he always stays positive. I'm not saying he's the greatest but i reckon on their day Honda could get a decent result. They have Ross now as we know.

[kar]

Originally posted by Peter Perfect


I wouldn't say he was unfavourable. He basically said that if Ferrari were nailed to the back of the grid he wouldn't be interested in joining them. Would Kimi have said any different?

It has been suggested Kimi signed a pre-contract in 2005 so perhaps...yes.

[Peter Perfect]

Originally posted by kar


It has been suggested Kimi signed a pre-contract in 2005 so perhaps...yes.

Ferrari were nailed to the back of the grid in 2005?!

[Tenmantaylor]

I hope he has a good season but I dont necessarily agree that he'll benefit from the TC ban more than any other driver. The torque curve of his engine will be as important as his right foot. The confidence drivers like Alonso showed at Melbourne 06 on the fringes grip compared to Button (in a race alot of people think Button should have been able to win) and Hamilton have shown in a less than planted car in 07 make me believe otherwise. Smooth is by no means better as ITV commentators would have you believe. Adapting a car's nuances and exploting its potential is far more important. The contrasting styles of Alonso in the Renault and the McLaren are proof of this.

[Atreiu]

Originally posted by Bloggsworth
Not if the car remains as bad as it has been in testing.

Yeah.

[SirSaltire]

I hope I am wrong but I don't see JB doing much better this year. The car looks as though it is slightly better than last years but still at the bottom of the midfield pack. JB's style is smooth so that may help him a bit but not enough to make much difference. I hope RB pushes him a bit harder for both their sakes.

[Josta]

Originally posted by AFCA
Of course he could not have known at the time, but I wonder how much Button regrets his decision of going to Honda instead of sticking with Williams.

I doubt he regrets it. If he would have gone to Williams he wouldn't have won a race yet.

[volumenzero]

Originally posted by Dunc
Will this be the year he finally lives up to his promise or another year that ends up being described as 'disappointing.'?

Personally, I'm predicting a reasonable start to the season, he will benefit from no TC more than any other driver but the car will most likely still be a bit of a dog, which should pick up towards the end of the year once Ross Brawn's influence at Honda has a bit more sway.

Last year he made everything that was human possible with a bad car ...

[volumenzero]

Originally posted by Dunc
I bet he also wishes he took the offer to go back to Renault that Flavio floated last season.

source please?

[Tenmantaylor]

Originally posted by Josta


I doubt he regrets it. If he would have gone to Williams he wouldn't have won a race yet.

Im sure he's done alot better financially than if he'd stayed at Williams also.

[Dalton007]

The car is a lot better than last year in terms of stability and predictability. It's just not fast enough yet...

[1george]

Button is going to start his ninth season in Formula 1 and still remains as an enigma. He is fast and consistent but I don't know if he is potentially a top driver or just a decent driver... and the years are passing.

[Orin]

Originally posted by volumenzero


Last year he made everything that was human possible with a bad car ...

Yes I agree. The aggression with which he fought with the other tail-enders was especially impressive, I think gone are the days when he would let Schumacher by at the Variante Alta. Last year's car might have been a dog, but Button was at his most impressive. I don't expect much from Honda this year, but perhaps in 2009 he can be thinking about the odd podium again (probably in changeable conditions and with a bit of luck). And if Brawn delivers on his 3-year plan and Button is still driving as strongly as ever he might even score another win or two before he retires.

[HSJ]

Originally posted by 1george
Button is going to start his ninth season in Formula 1 and still remains as an enigma. He is fast and consistent but I don't know if he is potentially a top driver or just a decent driver... and the years are passing.

Well he's probably the best British driver in F1 at the moment. The enigma part comes into play because his cars and teams have had wildly varying performance over the years. If he had been, say, at Ferrari or Renault for the past 5 years or so, there'd be no enigma.

[Durant]

Originally posted by HSJ


Well he's probably the best British driver in F1 at the moment. The enigma part comes into play because his cars and teams have had wildly varying performance over the years. If he had been, say, at Ferrari or Renault for the past 5 years or so, there'd be no enigma.

He used to be at Renault but they threw him away because he wasnt good enough. Alonso took his place and cleaned up a few WCs in the process. Button is pretty average. Massa level.

[Durant]

Originally posted by volumenzero


Last year he made everything that was human possible with a bad car ...

Apart from getting beaten by his team mate 11 times..

[Peter Perfect]

Originally posted by Durant


He used to be at Renault but they threw him away because he wasnt good enough. Alonso took his place and cleaned up a few WCs in the process. Button is pretty average. Massa level.

Button certainly had a nightmare of a year (mostly down to lack of technical knowledge) when he first joined Renault/Benetton. Flav tried to dump him but the contract couldn't be broken so he was forced to run him for another year while grooming Alonso. In his final year there Button improved considerably but it was too late, Flavs Golden Boy was already marked for the seat.

When Button joined the team the car was qualifying right at the back of the grid, when he left it was a reliable points scorer. If Alonso had joined in 2001 he wouldn't have won the WDC (as you appear to imply) partly because he wouldn't then have had his two training years beforehand, but mostly because the car was deeply flawed.

Anyhow, that's the past.

This year..who knows? As with any F1 driver the car is 95% of the performance. If Honda make a mess of this one I shudder to think what kind of result I would view as an achievement, but if they make a good, stable and reliable car then I think we could be in for some eye-opening performances.

[tkulla]

Originally posted by Durant

He used to be at Renault but they threw him away because he wasnt good enough. Alonso took his place and cleaned up a few WCs in the process. Button is pretty average. Massa level.

Flav replaced Button rather than Trulli for only one reason... Trulli was one of Flav's drivers (personal manager). While Jarno got the better of Jenson in qualifying that season, the opposite was true in the races. It was a purely political move by Flav, not a performance one.

[LostProphet]

Provided they get a decent car, Jenson will show what he's made of.

I've said before that seasoned pundits' opinions are worth a million BB posters, and every review of Jenson's driving last year has said what a fantastic job he did, and showed real promise of what he could achieve in a decent car.

It's just a matter of time.

[Red Behelit]

Originally posted by AFCA
Of course he could not have known at the time, but I wonder how much Button regrets his decision of going to Honda instead of sticking with Williams.

I dont think it was a bad decision to remain at Honda for 2006 rather than going to Williams. At least he won one race.

[Dunc]

Originally posted by volumenzero


source please?

http://www.dailymail...in_page_id=1954

[molive]

It looks like Honda will suck again this year, and so, another no-season for Jenson and Rubens.

[NakajimaF1Fan]

Even if Jenson wants to move on from Honda, there is not many places he can go to.

[giacomo]

2008 does not look too rosy for Button. But I don't see a place for him at Ferrari or McLaren, so he should stay with Honda and hope for the Brawn factor.

He's 28 now, and he still has several good F1 years to come. Time enough for Honda to become a top team and for him to win a title with them.

[Risil]

Originally posted by Josta


I doubt he regrets it. If he would have gone to Williams he wouldn't have won a race yet.

Webber in Monaco and Rosberg in Bahrain probably had as good a chance to win as Button in Hungary that year. A dog it may have been most of the time, but arguably the Williams-Cosworth was the only credible challenger to Renault and Ferrari in 2006.

Button has been let down by a series of bad decisions and poor cars, but to be honest, better drivers than him have achieved much less due to similar misfortunes. Aged 28, though, if he sticks around he'll still have his ability in 2015, by which time Honda will presumably have sorted themselves out. [edit oh snap Giacomo]

[Caractacus]

I dearly hope that he does well. I like the fact that F1 is pretty gentlemanly still and that the all the drivers are pretty courteous and are still good. It would be a shame if the 'show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser' attitude came here - Button, I hope, will show that you can be a good loser and a good winner.

However, I can't say that I am especially optimistic - maybe next year after Brawn has some time to get the team functioning better. And get a better car!

I just hope that he gets a chance to show what he can do...come on Honda!

[primer]

Originally posted by 1george
Button is going to start his ninth season in Formula 1 and still remains as an enigma.

There's no enigma. He's at best a second tier driver, let us be polite and say David Coulthard Ver 2.0.

If his car is the best on the grid and team-mate significantly worse (think Alex Yoong level), he might win something. Since those two events are rather unlikely to occur, I feel that he's just wasting his time in F1 (as a driver). This could be his last season, though I do think he'll make a better commentator than driver.

ITV could replace Allen with Button and that would be just fine.

[NakajimaF1Fan]

Originally posted by primer


There's no enigma. He's at best a second tier driver, let us be polite and say David Coulthard Ver 2.0.

If his car is the best on the grid and team-mate significantly worse (think Alex Yoong level), he might win something. Since those two events are rather unlikely to occur, I feel that he's just wasting his time in F1 (as a driver). This could be his last season, though I do think he'll make a better commentator than driver.

ITV could replace Allen with Button and that would be just fine.

You can't really say that. The only time he had a good car, Ferrari was absolutely massacring everyone. Even then Button dominated his team mate Sato. The question is, how do you distinguish between a good driver and a good car? For example MS fans like to argue that MS didn't win 2005 and 2006 because Ferrari wasn't up to speed. Surely you can say the same about Button.

[MortenF1]

Originally posted by Risil


Webber in Monaco and Rosberg in Bahrain probably had as good a chance to win as Button in Hungary that year. A dog it may have been most of the time, but arguably the Williams-Cosworth was the only credible challenger to Renault and Ferrari in 2006.

What?? OK, Webber seemed to have the pace for as long as his race lasted, and that's the key part; his car broke down. Rosberg set the fastest lap in Bahrain hunting down the field from the back, but that race, had he maintained his starting position or not, could never have presented him with a chance of winning. It was dry, he had a back to front race, and as should be noted, he was a rookie in his first GP.

I'm not taking anything away from Button's performance, but it's ridiculous to say that Webber and Rosberg each got one opportunity to win a race. In addition you make no mention of McLaren. Räikkönen probably lost a race win though.

About Button this year - I think he'll develop further from working with Brawn, and I expect him to continue to be quicker and better than Barrichello.

[tkulla]

Originally posted by primer


There's no enigma. He's at best a second tier driver, let us be polite and say David Coulthard Ver 2.0.

If his car is the best on the grid and team-mate significantly worse (think Alex Yoong level), he might win something. Since those two events are rather unlikely to occur, I feel that he's just wasting his time in F1 (as a driver). This could be his last season, though I do think he'll make a better commentator than driver.

ITV could replace Allen with Button and that would be just fine.

Sigh. Another trollesque post.

[xype]

Heh, as much as it pains me to say it (because I feel sorry for him, he seems like a nice chap);

Jenson is the new Jacques.

[Gecko]

Originally posted by xype
Jenson is the new Jacques.

Not quite. Jacques won a WDC.

[xype]

Originally posted by Gecko
Not quite. Jacques won a WDC.

I ment more in the sense of having great promise and stuffing his best years with BAR/Honda.

If Honda gets their act together, Jenson might also win a WDC – but more than one, I doubt. For that, the time is running out...

[TickTickBooom]

*will not be flamed and trolled*

I know what I believe and I'm sticking to it. I don't believe that 2008 is going to be a classic year for Button fans, but I do believe in Jenson as a driver and in the future.

(More) Time will tell.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally posted by Peter Perfect


Ferrari were nailed to the back of the grid in 2005?!

Yes.

More or less.

If the *World's Greastest driver*, flinging the mighty scarlet Ferrari off the kerbs of Monaco at 125%, can only manage 6th or 7th place, needed a lasting minute lunge past the lowly team-mate, then that is not good is it!?

[WACKO]

Another year, same... for Jenson I fear.

[Dunc]

Originally posted by xype
Heh, as much as it pains me to say it (because I feel sorry for him, he seems like a nice chap);

Jenson is the new Jacques.

I actually thin k a better comparison may be that JB is the new Martin Brundle or Jean Alesi, a good driver that just never seems to be able to go the extra mile to fulfil their massive potential.

[HSJ]

Nah, Alonso is the new Jacques Villeneuve, but Jenson is more like Häkkinen: has the talent, just waiting for the right car and opportunity while sticking with his team through tough times. Unlike Häkkinen, he may not get his chance though. Jenson's driving and talent is very similar to Häkkinen's IMHO, as is his character and approach. Of course this is just my impression through the media, without actually knowing either of them.

A thought: David Richards and Jenson could team up again - this time at Macca. That I'd very much like to see.

[LostProphet]

Originally posted by HSJ
Nah, Alonso is the new Jacques Villeneuve, but Jenson is more like Häkkinen: has the talent, just waiting for the right car and opportunity while sticking with his team through tough times. Unlike Häkkinen, he may not get his chance though. Jenson's driving and talent is very similar to Häkkinen's IMHO, as is his character and approach. Of course this is just my impression through the media, without actually knowing either of them.

A thought: David Richards and Jenson could team up again - this time at Macca. That I'd very much like to see.

Pretty good comparison I think. I'm still waiting with baited breath to see Honda's aerodynamic package. If it's half-decent, I think my faith will be restored. If not, then I'll be championing him to get the hell out of there as soon as an opening comes up at another team.

[Durant]

Originally posted by HSJ
Nah, Alonso is the new Jacques Villeneuve, but Jenson is more like Häkkinen: has the talent, just waiting for the right car and opportunity while sticking with his team through tough times. Unlike Häkkinen, he may not get his chance though. Jenson's driving and talent is very similar to Häkkinen's IMHO, as is his character and approach. Of course this is just my impression through the media, without actually knowing either of them.

A thought: David Richards and Jenson could team up again - this time at Macca. That I'd very much like to see.

You compared Alonso to JV in another thread then ran off when I cornered you. Now your back in another thread saying the samw rubbish as usual. Can you explain why Alonso and JV are comparable? Whats the connection in your feeble brain. What does the youngest ever double wc whos has success consistently through his career in different teams have to do with JV?

You seem to suggest Jenson has more talent, he just needs to find the fight car. Funny how Alonso finds it everywhere he goes.

[SeanValen]

Button could of done without the arrival of Hamilton, but now no one is expecting great things from him, if he does get a good car sometime, the only way is up.

But 2008 another write off year.

If Frank Williams didn't take on Montoya in 2001, Button should of won more races by now, his Williams debut season was a blessing too early perhaps.

[Tenmantaylor]

First impressions last... without that good debut year Jenson might not be in F1 anymore.