Comments on: Button vs the best (F1 in numbers)

By: Chaz

Chaz — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:06:45 +0000

Thanks. I don’t like registrations either but alas it seems you are now the spammers new target…

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:00:57 +0000

I’ve removed the comment. I’m not keen on introducing a registration system which would discourage new users from participating.

By: Chaz

Chaz — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:12:45 +0000

Keith. Lately I see more and more spam on the site like the comment above. Is it worth considering a developing a registration process (which is something I’ve never really been keen on but if needs must then so be it) where people sign in to comment and have to enter the random caption before being able to comment…

By: Jimmy Wilson from EnterF1!

Jimmy Wilson from EnterF1! — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:04:27 +0000

As good as Ascari was, i think looking at Schumacher in 2004 is the best comparison to what button has to achieve this year:

Michael Schumacher (2004) 72.22 13/18

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:32:45 +0000

I think what could be really interesting here is statistically how does Ross Brawn’s involvement stack up on statistics? – maybe its not the car or the driver, but putting those things together beautifully and creating a car that works with the drivers and not against their racing styles. Its a team sport and not down to one card.

By: LewisC

LewisC — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:27:26 +0000

Very good point about Alonso. Much as I personally dislike him, he can make the car go faster than it has a right to at times.

I personally think the closest modern comparison to how Button’s doing at the moment is Hakkinen in 1998 – he’d always been a good, fast driver, but never quite had the machinery. With the ‘Silver Arrow’ McLaren suddenly the car was on the money, but he didn’t waste the opportunity. Button’s been waiting for this car, and he’s not going to let it pass him by now.

By: Jay Menon

Jay Menon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:58:15 +0000

I’m not being Pro-Button or anything, but I just think that his “slow” car over the past couple seasons was ridiculously slow, calling a shopping cart was an uderstatment.

I’m in the belief that he’s always managed to extract the best from his machinery, its just that this is the first time, he’s actually got a car with real race pace.

If you’re arguing Jenson’s ability..same can be said about Lewis huh? The only driver in the current field with the capability of pushing a car to punch above its weight in Alonso, every one else is there and there abouts.

By: Dougie

Dougie — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:36:20 +0000

Surprised Prost 1993 is not on the most laps led stats…just shows you how well Senna did that year in an inferior car. Don’t see that today!

There was nothing inferior about Sennas McLaren/Ford if it can win 5 races and score 9 podiums. The Benetton/Ford also of Schumacher/Patrese scored 1 win and 11 podiums… and don’t forget Damon Hill was also in the Williams winning.

That’s at least 5 drivers (including Prost) capable of easily running at the front.

By: Chaz

Chaz — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:18:57 +0000

I’m all for records being broken, so good luck Jenson…

By: F1Yankee

F1Yankee — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:19:22 +0000

It might have made sense if it compared the same number of races or percentage of season.

there is an asterisk noting the incomplete 2009 season.

But even then the different rules and regulations that applied in the different years make it almost impossible to make these comparisons.

win percentage – how is this disputable?
laps led percentage – some gray area, but still not brain surgery.

As the rules stand at the moment to win a race you just need the best strategy, or luck with safety cars, to be ahead after the final pit stops, before that laps in front basically means nothing.

i think it takes quite a bit in addition to those things to win. as for laps in front, ask a driver where he wants to be running.

By: Ayrton

Ayrton — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:49:16 +0000

Surprised Prost 1993 is not on the most laps led stats…just shows you how well Senna did that year in an inferior car. Don’t see that today!

By: todd

todd — Sat, 30 May 2009 10:03:52 +0000

pretty sure autosport have a data service with every stat possible for a few $ a month. not expensive.

By: W-K

W-K — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:21:42 +0000

Sorry to say this but this is a set of graphs and figures that are trying to compare apples with oranges.
It might have made sense if it compared the same number of races or percentage of season.
But even then the different rules and regulations that applied in the different years make it almost impossible to make these comparisons. As the rules stand at the moment to win a race you just need the best strategy, or luck with safety cars, to be ahead after the final pit stops, before that laps in front basically means nothing. And Jensen can still win this season, on points or ‘most wins’ without winning another race, or leading another lap, in which case it would be 5/17 or 29.41% race wins i.e. not even on the chart.

By: K

Sat, 30 May 2009 01:42:31 +0000

A graph that shows that Button is the greatest F1 driver ever?!!!

I wouldn’t get too carried away.

Stirling Moss might argue that out of the drivers mentioned only Clark, Fangio and Hill could come close to matching Ascari since they had to deal with the possibility of death at every corner and Sir Stirling might be right. He might also argue that the sport since his time has been emasculated although I’d argue that the bigger man would not accept seeing some of his friends and competitors die every other week.

By: K

Sat, 30 May 2009 01:27:05 +0000

I would say he is good but not great. Most if not all great drivers in F1 have had the ability to drive a slow car fast which so far he has lacked. Another skill common in great drivers is the ability to consistently drive a car at it’s limit which helps with a number of things including maximizing a poor cars potential.

By: K

Sat, 30 May 2009 01:21:12 +0000

I think the pit stop thing is relevant, 10 laps every race in a 16 race season is 160 laps.

By: beneboy

beneboy — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:22:07 +0000

And to be fair, most of his team mates where never “great” drivers, Nelson Piquet was the best team mate he had and that was only for a few races before he retired.

It was rare for team orders to be needed.

An interesting article can be found at:
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=6&id=2587932

The same is true for most of the best drivers because teams rarely pair up two top drivers as it normally causes more problems than having an established number one driver.

By: K

Fri, 29 May 2009 21:15:19 +0000

Schumacher isn’t the only driver mentioned to have benefited from team orders.

By: Richard C

Richard C — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:37:34 +0000

I think you also have to take into account ‘team orders’ wins which certainly would distort Schumacher’s statistics.

By: macca

macca — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:50:46 +0000

%laps led is clearly no marker of dominance. ‘94, ‘98 and ‘62 championships all went to the last race and ‘88 to the penultimate with prost actually scoring more points over the season (though senna won on his best 11 scores). never has the championship been about outright dominance in races. it would be interesting to see all the championship winners who led fewer laps than other competitors (rosberg, surtees and hawthorn come to mind immediately)