Anyone Else Notice Jenson Button is Kicking Lewis Hamilton's Butt?

[cosworth151]

Button has been the better of the two so far this season. One very good thing about Lewis so far this season: I haven't heard of him going all Barrichello and claiming that it's all because the team favors Jens over him.

[SennaMan]

Button has been the better of the two so far this season. One very good thing about Lewis so far this season: I haven't heard of him going all Barrichello and claiming that it's all because the team favors Jens over him.

too true cossie and here's hoping it stays that way......

[FW14B]

It all seems quite pally between them right now, I couldn't believe how much backslapping and hugging went on when the two drivers got out their cars after the Grand Prix.  I am sure much of it is because Button comes across as extremely likable which must make the working relationship easier.

[Monty]

I'm a Button fan but you guys do make me laugh.
Button has been either lucky or brilliant with tyre choices. Either way he has not driven as well as Hamilton and would not have beaten Vettel if the spark plug incident hadn't happened.
I still think Vettel and Hamilton are the best drivers in the pack at the moment but Jenson is definitely improving.

[romephius]

I agree with you Monty, however, I'm not a Button fan I think he is constantly rated far higher than he deserves.  Having said that, I do believe he has had a little bit of luck and alot of wisdom with his tyre choice and timing this year... all credit to him for his good TACTICAL choices, his driving as Monty said still isn't on the same level as Hamilton & Vettel.

Rom

[Jericoke]

I agree with you Monty, however, I'm not a Button fan I think he is constantly rated far higher than he deserves.  Having said that, I do believe he has had a little bit of luck and alot of wisdom with his tyre choice and timing this year... all credit to him for his good TACTICAL choices, his driving as Monty said still isn't on the same level as Hamilton & Vettel.

Rom

Driving and racing aren't the same thing.  The best drivers don't always make the best racers.  Anyone can win an F1 race, but it takes a full season to sort the men from the boys.

I always thought Button was overrated, and I still feel he is... and yet he's won two races this year, while defending a championship he wasn't expected to win.  Has there ever been an underestimated double WDC?

I think that Button understands modern F1 more than anyone else on the grid and that's why he's making the right choices.  (Incidentally, I think MS has the weakest understanding of all the 'big four team' drivers, which shows how much the sport has really changed in 3 years.)

[johnbull]

I think you guys are counting your chickens a bit early.

I compare Button and Hamilton to Prost and Villeneuve. Prost won more races. Villeneuve won more hearts.

Hamilton livens up GPs. He is a real racer. Like Villeneuve before him, he only knows one way to race, and that is FLAT OUT. He's a joy to watch, though he may not win as many championships as Button.

I'll wait a while before making judgement.

Oh, and Sennaman, I notice you haven't lost any of your dislike of Hami while I was away ! 

[Chris Borg]

Prost won more races. Villeneuve won more hearts.

Prost also won four World Formula 1 Championships in the process........with no disrespect to the late Villeneueve.

[SennaMan]

I think you guys are counting your chickens a bit early.

I compare Button and Hamilton to Prost and Villeneuve. Prost won more races. Villeneuve won more hearts.

Hamilton livens up GPs. He is a real racer. Like Villeneuve before him, he only knows one way to race, and that is FLAT OUT. He's a joy to watch, though he may not win as many championships as Button.

I'll wait a while before making judgement.

Oh, and Sennaman, I notice you haven't lost any of your dislike of Hami while I was away !  

it's not a dislike John, rather it is a belief that lewis's flaws, which to me are very obvious, are too often overlooked. The biggest being his lack of race craft and he crumbles too easily under pressure. Perhaps it is a maturity thing which he may conquer as he gets older. Time, as always will tell.

kimi RAIKKONEN was a similar "balls-out" racer and now no team wants to hire him, apparently preferring drivers to be more stable and professional  in their approach to F1.

We already have had "liargate" from lewis and an increasing tendency to lean on his competitors on the race-track. Mind you, he is probably copying my hero ayrton and that other fellow named michael who started the "win at any cost" nonesense.

No wonder martin BRUNDLE is calling for the stewards to be tougher; they need to be.

In the meantime his biggest worry is not his team mate but rather sebastian VETTEL who just seems a more mature, complete and gifted racer and the one driver I think will thwart lewis's ambitions for more wins and titles particularly as he gets better cars and teams which will come his way because of his prodigious talent..

[John S]

In the meantime his biggest worry is not his team mate but rather sebastian VETTEL who just seems a more mature, complete and gifted racer and the one driver I think will thwart lewis's ambitions for more wins and titles particularly as he gets better cars and teams which will come his way because of his prodigious talent..

Just thought I would mention that Vettel is no angel either, in the pit lane incident Seb's retaliatory pushing of lewis towards the pit boxes is equal if not worse than the original transgression, so I'm not convinced Vettel is more mature.

The old adage that the only proper test to show you're a better driver is to best your teamate is I feel sitting heavy at the moment on Lewis' shoulders, but Seb has proved in countless races he has the measure of MW (unfortunate but true) so has less pshycological pressure to weigh him down, which probably translates to less desperate racing. Sometimes though we have seen Vettel struggling more when Mark is ahead and flying.

On the point about better cars I thought the general concensus at the moment puts the Red Bull way in front of other runners, even Christian was moaning about how bad their result was in China given the potential speed in their car. Perhaps this thread out to be about Jenson kicking butt all round.

[markb]

I would agree with JohnBull and JohnS.  I believe that Hammy will definitely improve as he gets older, after all, experience is the key.  He is a racer and he just loves to entertaine - the way he has carved his way through the field after poor qualifying in the last three races, really says it all. 

Let us also, if we are making comparisons with drives like Aryton, Prost etc is, that F1 probably boasts the best bunch of drivers that are currently racing against each other, so, I suppose none of them are "dominating" the season, and the WDC's in 2007. and 08 have been won by a mere ONE point, which is better for all of us.    

[Jericoke]

Let us also, if we are making comparisons with drives like Aryton, Prost etc is, that F1 probably boasts the best bunch of drivers that are currently racing against each other, so, I suppose none of them are "dominating" the season, and the WDC's in 2007. and 08 have been won by a mere ONE point, which is better for all of us.    

Whatever flaws the current rules have introduced, they HAVE achieved their main goals of providing a level playing field amongst the teams.  Ferrari can no longer simply spend their way to the front of the field, which gives more drivers a chance to shine. 

When was the last time F1 had seven racers who could be expected to win a race?  (Sorry MS, no one is expecting it any more, even if they want it...), and a handful more who wouldn't be a complete shock?

[SennaMan]

In the meantime his biggest worry is not his team mate but rather sebastian VETTEL who just seems a more mature, complete and gifted racer and the one driver I think will thwart lewis's ambitions for more wins and titles particularly as he gets better cars and teams which will come his way because of his prodigious talent..

Just thought I would mention that Vettel is no angel either, in the pit lane incident Seb's retaliatory pushing of lewis towards the pit boxes is equal if not worse than the original transgression, so I'm not convinced Vettel is more mature.

The old adage that the only proper test to show you're a better driver is to best your teamate is I feel sitting heavy at the moment on Lewis' shoulders, but Seb has proved in countless races he has the measure of MW (unfortunate but true) so has less pshycological pressure to weigh him down, which probably translates to less desperate racing. Sometimes though we have seen Vettel struggling more when Mark is ahead and flying.

On the point about better cars I thought the general concensus at the moment puts the Red Bull way in front of other runners, even Christian was moaning about how bad their result was in China given the potential speed in their car. Perhaps this thread out to be about Jenson kicking butt all round.

yeah, good points as usual John. I have to say VETTEL's retaliation towards lewis's car was showing lewis he was not to be fooled with; that he was not intimidated by HAMILTON's stupid aggression.

......and after RED BULL showing it has a problem in wet weather I am almost certain sebastian will want to drive for FERRARI and McLAREN at some point and I bet both teams will want him to.

[stealthhaggis]

Mercedes want him too, but i doubt he would go to them when they are either worse or even if they drag themselves up to the same level as RB. Looking at the top 4, the only team with contracts up for renewal are Ferrari and RB, McLaren & Mercedes have long term deals with their drivers. Although if Schumacher fails to improve I wonder how long he will stick around for. Wasn't the rumour that Kimi to RB to replace MW and Kubica to Ferrari in place of Massa? That would be a mouthwatering line up in the front 8 cars if that did happen!

On Vettel, well lets face it, both he and Hamilton are the best young guns out there currently and any team would want them. It actually would not surprise me to see both of them drive for both of McLaren & Ferrari at some point. Hamilton to have a massive falling out with McLaren and go 'sleep with the enemy'!

[FW14B]

I think Vettel will end up at Ferrari when Alonso has finished there. 

I wonder where Massa will be next season, I get this feeling that Ferrari are lining up a replacement for him with Kubica, but maybe he feels really settled at Renault.  All the talk is he is really happy at Renault and maybe he feels he can guide them to the front of the grid? 

I do hope Kimi comes back to F1, but I wonder if he is now out of the minds of the teams.  Red Bull seem the most obvious choice given his tie up with them in the WRC.  But then what for Webber?

There had been some talk of Hamilton moving on at some point, interesting really.  I can see the relationship with McLaren coming to an explosive end also!