Team Leader Button?

[keysersoze]

I'll start off by saying JB surprised me his first year at McLaren. I didn't think he had either the talent or the mental strength to challenge Lewis--few of us did--and he clearly proved many of us wrong. Since then, even though Hamilton has proven to be quicker, Jenson has proven time and again that he's an elite driver.

But I'm annoyed by his latest comments about "molding the team" around him and being "team leader."

Sure, Sergio is new and young, but JB seems to have ignored McLaren's philosophy that no driver gets preferential treatment and, until one is mathematically eliminated from the championship, the other won't be asked to move over during a race.

If I was a crew member, I'd be thinking "You weren't number 1 when Lewis was here. We produced two equal cars and let you both get on with it. We didn't mold the team around him. And he still beat you. Why would we mold the team around you now--all of a sudden change our long-standing philosophy--for a driver who was clearly slower than the one who left? What's all this 'I' business? What happened to 'We'?

[Wasted Talent]

Well maybe I was in the minority but I didn't think that JB would have been dominated by Hamilton, and history shows that he hasn't.

They are different drivers - different styles, different personalities. It is no secret that JB likes his car to drive in a specific way, a different one to LH, and it will take tme to build that in to the design of the car.

McLaren aren't idiots and whilst they may have been surprised and disappointed by Lewis opting for Mercedes I am sure they are delighted to still have JB driving for them.

I wouldn't read anything at all in to supposed quotes of "I" as opposed to the team (I wouldn't believe anything in the press without seeing the full interview in context), despite being immensely competitive JB is a consumate team player, but it is only natural that after three seasons at McLaren, and being a former champion, that he should be seen as "team-leader" when compared to Sergio Perez who, whatever his talents, is a relative rookie with a lot still to learn.

It will be fascinating to see how they develop in 2013, as will the battle within Mercedes, again I don't see it as a foregone conclusion that Rosberg will be the second driver....

WT

[zako85]

During the 2011/2012 break I would think JB should make a great lead driver at McLaren, but now I am not so sure. This year, he spent too many races racing anonymously somewhere in the mid pack, struggling with the "balance", tires, and, whatnot. Not to mention, he lacks the qualifying speed compared to LH. Another year like that, and I bet McLaren will start thinking of replacing him. It would be interesting what happens if Sergio performs equal or better. I really wonder what's going to happen to McLaren next year.

[Bagwan]

To make a comment that they will now mold the team around him would suggests that he believed that this was the case with Lewis , I believe .
It seems like he has put his struggles to come to grips with the car directly on the fact it was designed for Lewis .

Since Lewis signed for another team , they have focussed on Jensen's style , and he's clearly looking forward to it suiting him more .
It must be hard to put up with all the agro when the other guy is at the sharp end , and you're not .

This next year will be a real test for Jensen , as he must prove he is that team leader , with a car designed for his strengths .
He will be expected to shine .

[fandango]

Irony is waiting to strike, rubbing its palms stage left just behind the curtain.
Much is being made of Hamilton's big mistake going to Merc. They haven't scored a point since he signed, etc. Maybe it's because they're working on next year's car. I seem to remember something like that happening in recent history - oh yeah it was when Button himself became champion!
And the last time McLaren had a driver who thought he'd be automatically top dog (2007) look how that turned out.

So, yes, I agree with post #1 here. Button is setting himself up for a fall...

[N4D13]

To be honest, hardly would I expect to see Pérez beat Button in his first season at McLaren. And, well, even though Macca don't usually have a #1 and a #2 driver, if there's a noticeable difference between both drivers, Jenson would be the de facto team leader. I'd also expect McLaren to build this year's car around Jenson, which means that he will surely find it easier to drive and set up than this year's.

And, well, one would expect Merc to improve their performance, but you need to keep in mind that there's no such a big difference between 2012 and 2013 where rules are concerned. Now, 2014 - that's the real deal. Even though Mercedes will have probably been working on the next year's car for a longer time than their challengers, it would be a huge surprise to see them having a winner car out of the box. And even if they started the year with a quick car, will they be able to keep it up? Rosberg's China victory was pretty much the beginning of Merc's downfall in 2012.

[Wasted Talent]

To make a comment that they will now mold the team around him would suggests that he believed that this was the case with Lewis , I believe .
It seems like he has put his struggles to come to grips with the car directly on the fact it was designed for Lewis .

Since Lewis signed for another team , they have focussed on Jensen's style , and he's clearly looking forward to it suiting him more .
It must be hard to put up with all the agro when the other guy is at the sharp end , and you're not .

This next year will be a real test for Jensen , as he must prove he is that team leader , with a car designed for his strengths .
He will be expected to shine .

...Jenson.........not Jensen, they made the Interceptor.....

WT

[Tazio]

I've read these articles they are right next to the ones that say: Button: I Would Like To Be Alonso
Honestly it just sounds like small talk to me. I wish Button all the best next season, and perhaps he will be a stabilizing influence there. However these kinds of comments are pretty typical of a veteran incumbent with a young driver coming in as a teammate to make, which IMHO is a backhanded way to say he and Hamilton are interchangeable in terms of value to the team (talent) but he is not. This may also be a little ground work to take the pressure off Checo. IMO I think McLaren are interested in providing a challenger that Perez, and Button can both be fast in. We know who call the shots at McLaren, so does JB. However there is nothing wrong with him suggesting he is the team leader, (whatever that means) Perez certainly can't claim that mantle.

[N. Jones]

I'll start off by saying JB surprised me his first year at McLaren. I didn't think he had either the talent or the mental strength to challenge Lewis--few of us did--and he clearly proved many of us wrong. Since then, even though Hamilton has proven to be quicker, Jenson has proven time and again that he's an elite driver.

But I'm annoyed by his latest comments about "molding the team" around him and being "team leader."

Sure, Sergio is new and young, but JB seems to have ignored McLaren's philosophy that no driver gets preferential treatment and, until one is mathematically eliminated from the championship, the other won't be asked to move over during a race.

If I was a crew member, I'd be thinking "You weren't number 1 when Lewis was here. We produced two equal cars and let you both get on with it. We didn't mold the team around him. And he still beat you. Why would we mold the team around you now--all of a sudden change our long-standing philosophy--for a driver who was clearly slower than the one who left? What's all this 'I' business? What happened to 'We'?

I think Button should remember how JV treated him before he talks like this again.

[F1boat]

I think that Jenson can be a team leader. If the car is suited to his style of driving he can do well. We saw it in 2009, we saw it last year as well. However, he must beat Perez. And this may not be as easy as it sounds. If he doesn't beat Perez convincingly, this will be the beginning of the end of his career.