Jenson Button

[JBAFCB]

What's everyone's opinions of Jenson Button on this forum then? I've been an avid fan for the last 10 years, ever since I first saw him driving an F3 car at Thruxton in '99. I've always rated him, but taken so much stick over the years, added to facebook groups like 'Jenson Button couldn't overtake a milk float' & even now it seems people can't wait to put him down

I don't think he get's the praise he should do. His performances at the start of the season show what a great driver he is, he's done some brilliant and important overtaking manoveures this season & finished in the points in all but one race

I may shed a few tears if he can get the job done, but what does everyone else think of him?

[Kevincal]

He's a cocky Brit who drives fast! :D It is boggling how his performance went from god-like earlier this season, to mediocre in the 2nd half. And at the same time, Rubens went from mediocre to one of the quickest. I think he'll (Jenson) still pull off the championship, but who really knows after the unbelievable last race drama of the last 2 years.

[gloomyDAY]

Bunsen needs to shave those pubes off his face.

Other then that, no problem.

[AndyL]

You know I have absolutely no idea what anyone's opinion of Jenson Button is on this forum. I don't think anyone's ever mentioned it.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

When he is in the groove he is as fast as the best of them. When he has the car underneath him he can pull out the fast lap times when he needs them and rarely ever makes a mistake. But he can be mediocre when he doesn't have the car suited to him, and that is what separates him from the best. I reckon that drivers such as Hamilton and Alonso could pull off great results even in a car that is a dog (Hamilton at Bahrain and almost at Australia :p , Alonso at Singapore).

Button has impressed me with his overtaking skills this year, particularly at the start of races. He has certainly been the best overtaker out of the none-KERS cars. This has been critical to his title campaign.

[wedge]

The general trend is ebb and flow but Button wins in one part of the season and then spends the rest of the season picking up points by scraping the barrel.

There are better drivers out there who, Put it this way, were more likely to fight for a podium than fight for 1 or 2 points in the second half of the season.

Good driver but can he pull something out of the bag more consistantly? NO.

Saying that if he becomes WDC then well done to him.

[woody2goody]

He's just under the top guys IMO, Alonso, Massa, Hamilton and probably Kimi too.

Smooth and intelligent driver, great on a damp track, doesn't panic under pressure, he'll be a good champion (hopefully :D )

[keysersoze]

The top 15 or so drivers in F1 are immensely talented, so criticism is relative. I have him rated as the 12th best of the current bunch. The ones who deify him note his smoothness, while his harshest critics would note how he often fails to extract the utmost out of a car not to his particular liking.

But he's going to be the 2009 WDC so good on him and congrats to his legion of fans.

[woody2goody]

I do wish people would realise that he's done his best in every race, and like he said, he had a 16 point lead after Monaco and has a 14 point one now.

He could have won 3 or 4 further races and still only had the 14 point lead. He'd be in the same dominant position, he would just have got there in a different manner.

The development, and the different types of car has been unbelievable this year.

For example, Williams had their usual strong start, then drop off, then solid performance on high mech grip circuits. Force India designed their car around a strong engine and low downforce, they got a podium.

Every team apart from Toro Rosso I believe has a podium this year, and for nobody to have caught Button says more about the shift in power from Brawn, then to Red Bull, then to Mclaren and Ferrari, and back to brawn again and now Red Bull again.

Jenson had the most dominant period out of ANYONE this year, winning 6 out of 7. this is why he hasn't been caught.

If he'd have been 30 points behind, and won 6 out of the last 7 races, people would have said he was amazing, not that he was mediocre for the first half of the year, so he doesn't deserve the title.

The driver with the most points deserves the title, regardless of the way he earned it.

[Roamy]

very fast and smooth but not brilliant !

[pino]

A fast and reliable driver and a very nice person :up:

[Mk2_Escort_RS]

I do wish people would realise that he's done his best in every race, and like he said, he had a 16 point lead after Monaco and has a 14 point one now.

He could have won 3 or 4 further races and still only had the 14 point lead. He'd be in the same dominant position, he would just have got there in a different manner.

The development, and the different types of car has been unbelievable this year.

For example, Williams had their usual strong start, then drop off, then solid performance on high mech grip circuits. Force India designed their car around a strong engine and low downforce, they got a podium.

Every team apart from Toro Rosso I believe has a podium this year, and for nobody to have caught Button says more about the shift in power from Brawn, then to Red Bull, then to Mclaren and Ferrari, and back to brawn again and now Red Bull again.

Jenson had the most dominant period out of ANYONE this year, winning 6 out of 7. this is why he hasn't been caught.

If he'd have been 30 points behind, and won 6 out of the last 7 races, people would have said he was amazing, not that he was mediocre for the first half of the year, so he doesn't deserve the title.

The driver with the most points deserves the title, regardless of the way he earned it. Excellent post! :up: :)

[V12]

If he'd have been 30 points behind, and won 6 out of the last 7 races, people would have said he was amazing, not that he was mediocre for the first half of the year, so he doesn't deserve the title.

This sums it up perfectly, ASSUMING Jenson does win the title (and I know that is not guaranteed by a long shot) by limping in with a few low scores in the last two races...

You just know that if you theoretically reversed the season's races (Abu R1, Brazil R2, ..., Australia R17) people would be far more impressed with Jenson's season if it was reversed rather than how it actually panned out, despite them being absolutely identical in terms of achievements.

A load of psychological stuff to do with perceptions and recent memory I guess...

[Sonic]

I guess what winds me up about Button the most is he seems to lack that killer edge. Back in '04 he had a BAR under him that could (perhaps should) have won races - San Marino springs to mind. Had an Alonso or a Kimi been at the wheel I maintain that 2004 would have seen a debut victory for BAR.

And this season he should have put the title in his back pocket already. In Valencia where the car was on fire again he was no where and hasn't been beating Rubens for half a season. And now coming into Brazil he has spoken already about there being no need to wrap the title upat Interlagos! Come on man - wrap up the title in some style. Go out there and blitz the field and no one will remember the mid season wobble.

[ArrowsFA1]

If he'd have been 30 points behind, and won 6 out of the last 7 races, people would have said he was amazing, not that he was mediocre for the first half of the year, so he doesn't deserve the title.

The driver with the most points deserves the title, regardless of the way he earned it.
Exactly :up:

Button establised a championship lead and has maintained it. Coming to Brazil the criticism (if any is warranted) should be directed towards Barrichello, Vettel and the rest of the field for failing (for whatever reason) to surpass Button's points haul.

They might manage it in the next two races...

[F1boat]

Very good driver, not among the best of the best, but still very good.

[ioan]

What's everyone's opinions of Jenson Button on this forum then?

I'll better not make my opinion of him public. :laugh:

[jimakos]

Very good driver, not among the best of the best, but still very good.

Agree!!
He's a good driver but not in the top level of drivers.
I need some more time to say my opinion for sure looking him next year...

[Roamy]

IMO he who wins the most races and has the most points deserves to win the title. I think this is usually the case but not always.

[Wasted Talent]

I'll better not make my opinion of him public. :laugh:


oooh, I so doubt that ioan........... :)

WT

[driveace]

Cocky in the first few races when he had a far superior car to anyone else ,and knew it.BUT it was obvious that they were all going to do some developement and catch up.Now they have his results are very mediocre.Far better drivers out there ,Alonso sprins to mind,at least Alonso dos,nt sulk if he has not got the BEST car

[HelloWorld]

I don’t know how anyone can call any driver an unworthy champion because at the end of the day it is the champion who has scored the most points and is therefore the seasons’ best driver.

Button made the most of what was turbulent beginning to the season with 6 wins and Barrichello and Vettel have both driven some excellent races to keep their title hopes alive.

In short, whoever becomes champion this year has not had it easy and deserves the utmost respect.

Personally, I would like to see Vettel win it. I don’t know why though, Jenson just has something about him that makes me want him to lose. I suppose it’s always more exciting to support the long shot when you’re not realy a fan of either.

[Roamy]

yikes - could there be a problem between button and brawn??

[wedge]

I don’t know how anyone can call any driver an unworthy champion because at the end of the day it is the champion who has scored the most points and is therefore the seasons’ best driver.

Button made the most of what was turbulent beginning to the season with 6 wins and Barrichello and Vettel have both driven some excellent races to keep their title hopes alive.

In short, whoever becomes champion this year has not had it easy and deserves the utmost respect.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/jenson-button/6348429/Jenson-Button-must-remind-us-just-how-good-he-really-is.html