Jenson - The Car or the Driver?

Matt · Jenson - The Car or the Driver?

It's the eternal question, but I was just wondering what people thought with regards to Button's stellar start to the season.

There are some very knowledgeable F1 fans here and I'm merely a casual observer, so do you think he finally has the car or is it that he's matured and put all his race-craft into one effort and nailed it?

Sav

I think Button is the real deal. Its very easy to say that he has the fastest car, but look how he is making the most of this opportunity. Think back to Bahrain when he made that decisive move on Hamilton, it was neccessary but not overly risky. Button just does what is needed.

Rubens plays a part though. It seems to me that Rubens is immediately happy with the car's handling on Friday, and Button takes a little while to get up to speed. But when Button does get up to speed, he is extremely impressive. If you look at the opening stages of the Monaco GP, Rubens and Vettel struggled (the latter obviously more) with the super soft tyres, Button intially conserved his and then Button could push hard and effectively leave everybody behind. Button just does what is neccessary, with no silly moves.

Button reminds me of Alonso in 2005, unfazed by almost anything and virtually error free drives. I do hope that Vettel or Rubens can challenge Button a bit more, but I cannot see that fazing Button much.

BeN

Both actually.

It's very clear that the Brawns are a huge improvement, and that has showed in both Button and Barrichello's performances so far.

However, I guess that Button has just that bit more hunger in him, as compared to the experienced Barrichello who has had his fair share of success at Ferrari, albeit in Schumacher's shadow.

Button I suppose is trying to put to rest all his past failures, and is making good use of having a very competitive car for the first time in his career.

I think it's just a question of who wants it more.

Giant

I've read, though I'm no expert, about a psychological barrier being removed once a driver finallly puts a couple of wins together. Once may be disregarded as a fluke, but two close together proves to himself that he is as good as he has always believed. Once this barrier is lifted it becomes almost second nature to win, making the right choices becomes subconcious when previously it took massive effort and not always correctly made. Obviously the car needs to be very good for this to happen in the first place.

I like Button quite a bit, I don't remember him moaning too much when his car was rubbish and he doesn't seem to be gloating now he is on top.

Humphrey The Pug

Nice Guy Eddie

Mostly the car. You could put probably more then half of the current grid in that car and it would be a winner. Button is clearly very talented but his immediate competition is Rubens. A guy I have huge respect for but is probably past his very best. Stick Alonso or Hamilton in the Brawn and I'd be suprised if Button could keep up. Whatever it is Button is certainly having his shredded wheat this year and his smooth style seem to compliment the package he's given.

the other ct

I think JB has raised his game because of the car and the winter of uncertainty. But because his ability has often been unfairly criticised throughout his F1 career many are surprised.

Big Blue

JB has just grown up. He as in F1 far too young and did what any other boy brought up mainly by his dad would do and enjoyed the fruits of success before having enough success.

Now he's done that; knows he can continue to do it as he gets older, at 29 he's the right age for an F1 driver; this is the age of physical fitness / stamina and psychological peace (check out the ages of top TDF cyclists) and he's just lucked in by being in the right team.

Note that last year Hamilton was in a car that was built around him, in a team that focussed on him, in a car that was the class of the field and he became champion. No doubt he's one of the best drivers but he is now having the hard time in F1 that many drivers in the past had when they were cutting their teeth in Arrows, Leyton House and the like BEFORE moving up to a top tier team. He will be far happier to be champion a second time after the pain - which is where JB is right now.

Rubens is far too unrested mentally to be world champion and will be spitting the name of Button in the same breath as he must do Schumacher, M.

Mark

Both the car (+ team) and Jenson Button are doing an excellent job - long may it continue.

His driving style is brilliantly smooth, too. Watching his on-board qualifying lap that put him on pole was riveting.

Twelfth Monkey

It still takes a very good driver to be able to extract the maximum from the best car. The journeymen who raced alongside Alonso at Renault would never have won his titles, and Patrese didn't get close to replicating Mansell in '92.

Rodge

I remember Brundle doing a feature on the driving styles of some F1 drivers, saying Alonso drives in one way, Kimi in another, Lewis throws the car into corners, but Button had the best lines that were also the most consistent.

This is before he was in a good car, so I think he's finally in a car that he's able to get the best out of, and that's why he's been so good this year.

For a driver I didn't like before, I've really come to admire him and fully hope he wins the championship this year. He deserves it.

Scouse

Like any top line driver he has to have the car to show his best. Remember when he was best of the rest behind a certain German and Brazilian in the red cars?

Big TC

One of Jensen's best skills is being able to keep his lap times competitive, when he's not on the 'prime' tyres. In a couple of races this year he's beaten Rubens fair and square simply because his lap times were way better when on the option tyres, and also when heavy with fuel. ANd his style is so smooth.

In this respect, he reminds me of Alain Prost. Not an exciting driver to watch, necessarily, but extracts all the speed there is in the car.

Obviously, the car is top notch too - but he's still got to get the best out of it, which he is obviously doing.

Big Blue

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Chris M Wants a V-10

Big TC

So, if he wins the World Championship, will he become BBC Sports Personality of the Year?

After all, he has more personality than one L. Hamilton....

the other ct

Unless England win the ashes, or Murray gets to the Wimbledon final there won't be much competition.

Eff One

Coming back to the original question, it goes without saying that if you put Button in a Force India - or a Mclaren, for that matter - he wouldn't be looking quite so shiny, results wise.

It's also true that all of the current grid could produce respectable results in a Brawn.

But as I've said elsewhere, after nine years we're finally seeing Button at his peak. He hasn't always given of his best - 2001/2 and 2008 were poor years - but far more knowledgeable people than me have long had him down as one of the most gifted drivers on the grid. We saw flashes of it in the second half of 2004 and in 2006. In 2009, he finally has a car with championship potential and has risen to the occasion. He's consistently getting the best out of the car and himself.

Barrichello is a good barometer for measuring Button. He's very much a known quantity and his level, though not quite in the top flight, is very high indeed. As is his motivation.

In my opinion, only three current F1 drivers in the same situation could beat Barrichello as consistently as Button has managed so far - Alonso, Kubica and Hamilton. Vettel and Raikkonen are the only other possibles.

Big Blue

Chris M Wants a V-10

There was an article on the radio, I think, after the Oz GP where one of the commentators/experts remarked on a race a year or two back. Button had a horrible Honda and was one of, if not THE, slowest car on the circuit. Someone put oil down and made part of the track very slippery. Flags came out etc..... and Button was suddenly the fastest car on the track by several seconds per lap. He's obviously got the smooth car control under his belt, so to speak

Gooner

You've got to remember that most drivers on the grid these days could be champion in the right car. If you swapped Kubica and Button between cars, Jenson would be back of the grid again and Kubica would be winning. The car makes a massive difference and that was clearly shown last year when Kubica was keeping pace with Massa and Hamilton up to the point where BMW stopped developing the 2008 car whereas McLaren and Ferrari continued developing theirs.

Jenson's always been a great driver any doubt of that have been blown out the water this year.

Scouse

Did you see the side-by-side shot of him & Vettell? The lack of movement in his hands on the wheel once he turned in was unbelievable, especially when you saw the constant corrections the Vettel was doing.

"him"

Matt

On the qualies yesterday they were explaining it as being different steering rack settings, but there's a huge difference, so it can't all be that.

Chris M Wants a V-10

Watching Qualifying on Saturday... that McLAren is just an absolute dog of a car..... it was all over the place with almost zero grip, and presumably little feedback to the drivers as to when it's about to let go. How could McLaren have got it so wrong this year?

...and Matt, wtf is "Dobly" anyway?

"him"

Humphrey The Pug

DaveGibson

"him"

Martin

Twelfth Monkey

I loved Jordan's suggesting that McLaren bringing updates forwards was a bad idea, only to have the infinitely more informed Coulthard remind him that with no testing allowed, McLaren has nothing to lose and possibly quite a bit to gain.

Did I hear Brundle refer to DC as Crazy Dave on the grid walk?

Humphrey The Pug

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

After yesterday's race, it's clear to me that while he couldn't win six out of seven without a good car, Jenson is making a heck of contribution of his own. How many races has Barrichello won again?

Chris M Wants a V-10

Big Blue

TimR

Gooner

And what does Eddie think they should do when they ditch the car? Build a new one in 2 weeks. What a tit! Though perhaps his words could provide some inspiration for the BBC F1 production team.

SpecB

EJ is a complete idiot and I do wish the BBC would get rid of him. He's nearly as bad as James Allen.

TimR

I hope the BBC keep him because I'm certain that him and DC will have a fight and I don't see DC losing that

Otherwise, yeah he's a tit.