Who do you want to be champion? (Poll)
Button leads by 14 points but hasn't won a race since Turkey
There are two races to go and three drivers left in the championship. Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel have all won at least two races each but they’ve all made mistakes and they’ve all had bad races.
Which of the three do you want to win the drivers’ title? Do any of the deserve the crown? Cast your vote and have your say below.
Who do you want to be champion?
- Jenson Button (37%)
- Rubens Barrichello (31%)
- Sebastian Vettel (24%)
- I don't care (8%)
Total Voters: 4,305
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This time last year there were three completely different drivers in the running: Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica. The latter was the driver most people wanted to win the championship, and not just because of the potential for a late upset in the championship – Kubica was also voted the best driver of 2008 by F1 Fanatic readers.
My favourite for the title this year is Button, simply because he’s won more races than the other two put together.
What’s disorientating about Button is how much poorer the second half of his season has been than the first – which has already provoked some people on the forum to ask whether he deserves the championship.
He is, however, driving the shrewd late-season camaign that Hamilton completely failed to do in 2007, and nearly failed to do last year. Athough Button’s qualifying performance at Suzuka wasn’t up to scratch, he almost overcame it with a race drive that blended patience, speed and opportunism.
This is not a vintage title battle. Whichever of the three wins the title, I don’t think any of them have consistently dominated the opposition in such a manner that it might count among on of the all-time great championship wins.
But perhaps you see it differently. Who do you want to win the championship this year – and why?
Read more: Championship points after Japan
Drivers' championship battle (click to enlarge)
Kovy said on 6th October 2009, 8:57
Go Rubens! It’d be nice to see him win after all this time.
But I feel that Vettel is most deserving, simply because he is the best driver out of those 3.
Button proved he can drive well in a good car, but struggles with anything less than perfect.
He’s been comprehensively outscored by Vettel and Barrichello over the last 2 thirds of the season, as well as Hamilton and Raikkonen, and nearly by Webber.
Barrichello and the 2 RBR drivers can at least honestly say that they’ve had tons of bad luck, while Button has had everything go his way.
Tom said on 6th October 2009, 9:12
no need for me to write my reasoning. see above!
Ali Adams said on 6th October 2009, 9:14
I want Barrichello to win it simply because he is very humble unlike Button who after 6 victories started reportedly was saying
“I will kick butts” etc.
A very undeserving human indeed.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch applies to him perfectly when he promised his girlfriend to marry her when he wraps up the time. The use of “when” not “if” shows what a type of person he really is.
Ali
God > infinity
Paddy said on 6th October 2009, 9:29
I agree with Kovy although some of Rubens early season rants have put me off him a bit.
Ronman said on 6th October 2009, 10:00
All i can say is that I’m usually with the one that wins most races, but I’d like for Rubens to put it in the bag… that guy deserves it so much just for hanging on so long for it…. and with a good car, he’s always good, (sometimes in a bad car even), not to mention he is a great sportsman, despite his rants earlier in the season.
i also genuinely believe that early in the season, Button was getting a lot of advantage from Rubens’ technical input, and after the pit stop strategy switch debacle, Rubens outperformed Button in almost every race (seemingly keeping most of the setup to himself i heard)…
Tod Fod said on 6th October 2009, 10:13
Lets face it. We all feel bad for Rubens as hes been driving for ages, but that doesnt make him a worthy champion. Hes just not good enough to be called a WDC. Honestly, Jenson is not good enough either. A good champ makes for an exciting season of f1, these two Brawn drivers have shown us the most boring season of f1 since the schumi days. I hope Vettel wins.
GeeMac said on 6th October 2009, 10:30
How can you say this has been as boring a season as one at the height of the dull and boring Shoe era Tod Fod? We have had all sorts happening this year. A dominant spell from JB, a short dominant spell from RBR, Toyota briefly showing promise, Force India challenging for wins, McLaren and Ferrari coming back to form in the middle of the season, accidents, overtaking (at times). Ok the racing hasn’t been the greatest at times, but it has been a topsey turvey and intriguing season.
Thandi said on 6th October 2009, 11:19
I also want Rubens to win,after him Vettel and then Button. Button is not deserving at all. A real champion should be hot right now, fighting on the track and getting podiums. One would swear he’s not even in the title race. He’s always at the back, driving us to sleep.
Nitpicker said on 6th October 2009, 10:40
What championship have you been watching? All the early season interviews I saw with Button, he was saying it’s still early in the championship. No doubt he was very chuffed to win 6 races from the first 7, as anyone would be. I wouldn’t say he was being arrogant at all. He has been a bit whingey lately.
Any bloke would recognise that as a brilliant bit of strategic thinking. What’s the problem?
Mussolini's Pet Cat said on 6th October 2009, 14:04
excuse me? which driver was very vocal about his team/car after one particualar race?? He didn’t come across humble or professional then. Come on Jens, you’ve proved (the points don’t lie!) you’re the best this year so far, so finish off in style.
Bigbadderboom said on 6th October 2009, 18:01
I agree, some people post here with exclusive memories and a distinctly biased view.
Jenson does deserv the title as he has been the most consistant driver in the most consistant car, 14 more points with 2 races to go, the story tells itself.
Phil said on 6th October 2009, 18:16
I have never seen Button talking about kicking butts, and there are no gods.
Joshy said on 6th October 2009, 20:01
.
Heeeyy come on Ali Adams, he was just being optimistic and confident in winning the championship, Nothing wrong in that.
In all, I really would love to see Barrichello take it.
Kimi said on 6th October 2009, 10:21
with you on that. would give it to Barrichello but i voted for Vettel, because of the way Brawn fooled FIA and other teams. Honda steped out, they knew who will run the team but they played like they will fall out of the caravan, but in reality, they were working without any wind tunnel limitations (they used 4 tunnels i believe), etc…beating 9 teams that adhered to the strict limits of testing and development by CHEATING isn’t something to brag about and such team IMHO doesn’t deserve no title. I know Vettel has just a sim chance, but still, Barrichello is my second choice. Button won 6 races and allready tought he was the allmighty champion.
Nitpicker said on 6th October 2009, 10:42
Hmm. So they didn’t out-develop all the other teams because their car had been 18 months in the making instead of 6?
Martin said on 6th October 2009, 14:17
Brawn told the OTW that the regulations had a hole in it that teams would exploit. So 3 teams show up in the opening race with the diffuser and Brawn walks away with the race.
Regardless of how Brawn developed the car, they didnt cheat as they had already flagged the regulation and brought it to the attention of the governing body. We know the rest as much ado is made but ultimately it is ruled legal, just as Toyota and Williams said it would be.
Brawn dominates the first 6 of 7 races and everyone is playing catchup. Now the others have caught up and are not only as fast but some are faster now. This situation is no different than when other teams exploited a rule or technology to gain a huge advantage.
I would rather see Reubens win because he struggled early and then ca,e to grips with the car and has shown improvement during the season whul chasing Button, but I also realize that Button is playing it safe and will probably pull it off.
Vettel is young and fearless and I like that but he is either on top or out and because of that I dont believe he will take the crown,although it would be nice for it to happen.
mm said on 6th October 2009, 10:35
Well Buttons winning streak lasted 7 races, since then we have had another 8 races.
Both Barrichello and Vettel together have only beaten Jenson 3 times all season.
I’d hardly call that “He’s been comprehensively outscored by Vettel and Barrichello over the last 2 thirds of the season”. Firstly its roughly half not 2/3rds and see above about him not being outscored consistently in anyway..
Patrickl said on 6th October 2009, 11:49
What did Vettel do that was so magnificent when his car wasn’t half a second faster than the competition?
He crashed or spun off, that’s what he did.
You have got to be joking. Vettel is lucky that he’s in the fastest car and that apart from Red Bull now a lot of other teams are faster than the Brawn.
Vettel made driver errors, was unable to overtake cars and suffered from poor strategy. Neither of those is bad luck.
Vettel had one engine failure. Button got rammed off by Grosjean. So they really are equal in the “bad luck” department
SaloolaS said on 6th October 2009, 14:17
Vettel actually had two retirements because of the failures (Valencia and Hungaroring)
Bigbadderboom said on 6th October 2009, 18:01
But far more driver errors than Button
Patrickl said on 7th October 2009, 16:41
But Hungaroring was because he crashed into Raikkonen.
GeeMac said on 6th October 2009, 9:13
I really want Jenson to win the title. He has the most wins, and made the best start to the season.
A lot has been made of his lack of mid season form and there is this perception that he is “backing into the title”. The simple fact of the matter is that Rubens, Vettel and Webber haven’t been consistent enough over the course of the season to haul him in. They haven’t shown the kind of dominance that Jenson showed at the start of the season despite Jenson’s lack of pace. A lot has also been made of Brawn’s dominance at the start of the season. If Jenson’s form was just due to the pace of the Brawn why didn’t Rubens have 6 second places in the first 7 races? If he did, he would be leading the championship now and we would all be hailing a well deserved WDC after a fantastic F1 career.
The fact of the matter is that Jenson did the best job at the start of the season and no one else has been good enough to catch him. If he gets overhauled in the last 2 races it would be a crime.
Interestingly enough Britain, Brazil and Germany are the countries which have won the WDC on the most occasions (28 between them, Britain 13, Brazil 8 and Germany 7). If Jenson wins he will be Britain’s 10th WDC. If Rubens wins he will be Brazil’s 4th WDC. If Vettel wins he will be Germany’s second WDC.
Nitpicker said on 6th October 2009, 10:46
I agree completely. However I’d like to see Barri get the title simply because it looks like he’ll be pushed out of Brawn next year because of his age and relative lack of marketability. I doubt Barri will get this chance again, so it’d be great if he wins it!
Martin said on 6th October 2009, 14:19
They might both get pushed out if the reports are true.
WidowFactory said on 6th October 2009, 13:34
Yeah i agree with this.
If Button had done it the other way round – performed mediocre in the first two-thirds of the season, then won the last 6 races – everyone would be raving about what a great and worthy champion he is. Button deserves it.
Mussolini's Pet Cat said on 6th October 2009, 14:06
amen to that.
Hallard said on 6th October 2009, 16:39
You are totally right. Because that would at least give the illusion of a closer title battle. I think that Button has earned it, just not with as much grandeur as we’d all like to see:)
LewisC said on 7th October 2009, 14:09
Hear hear.
If you reverse the results Button would have been a bit behind while Vettel, Hamilton and Barrichello won two each, and Raikonnen and Webber got on the list. We’d then have been bouncing about what a storming late-season run he was mounting, interrupted only by Vettel’s third.
If you win the first nine races and then don’t score another point, you’re still champion. Go JB.
wasiF1 said on 6th October 2009, 9:17
Button once had the opportunity to move to Mclaren but he didn’t he along with Barrichello had to live with bad cars over the last two years & I agree with you Keith he won more races the the other two.
Hope whatever happens we have the same drama as we had in the last two year.
Ali Adams said on 6th October 2009, 9:45
The “Max and Bernie Comedy Show” guarantees more drama than that of last year, last race, last lap, last corner, last 15sec.
We promise and we deliver on our promise every time even if it means “correcting” the result after a year or two as you will undoubtedly see Massa as 2008 champion in 2010 because we are working hard on making the 2008 Singapore race void, but not until Lewis sucks all the marketing benefits which he gladly shares 50% of with us. Then we can start milking Massa for a further year or two, concurrently with YOUR favourite driver, Alonso, of course :)
Trust in us and you will keep you on your feet, fully stressed and no clue as to what’s around the next bend, Ferraaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh ;)
If you like a full transcript of our Concorde agreement, please send a self-stamped addressed BROWN case with a million pound cash and we will be glad to forward you part 1a out of 99z of the pseudo-secret agreement.
Ali
tEQUILLA sLAMMER said on 6th October 2009, 9:56
Luv it Ali……..#:) Sarcasm rox!!! #:)
Ali Adams said on 6th October 2009, 10:08
Welcome dot com :)
dp said on 6th October 2009, 11:47
Nice one Ali!
The shear arrogance of those that control F1. Not content to make milions, they have to manipulate and misinterpret the guidelines, sorry rules, by playing God, controlling decisions and outcomes just to screw more money out of the gullible fans and sponsors.
So when we talk about winners and losers, in reality, the men behind the curtain could have Coco the clown, sponsored by McDonalds, with wheels falling off his car, driving away from the pits with his fuel line still attached and he could still become WDC in what has become a circus!
The actual sport is brilliant, but the corporatocracy behind it sucks.
ajokay said on 6th October 2009, 9:17
I want Jenson to win it, and I want him to win it by winning at least one of the last two races this year. I think he might be pretty handy at Abu Dhabi. I’m thinking someone else will have a pop at winning in Brazil.
I wouldn’t mind seeing any of them win, but I’m British, and I’ve always liked Jenson. I think he deserves this chance at the title.
mm said on 6th October 2009, 10:41
If he wraps it up in Brazil with a win people would forget the nonsense of calling him bad.
Hallard said on 6th October 2009, 16:42
I sure would!
Clare msj said on 6th October 2009, 9:31
I think the criticism Button is getting for not having a great second half of the season is unfair, and the idea that a driver who has won six races in a season could be seen as underserving is ridiculous. Its is so easily forgotten how he took all those wins earlier in the season, and his results on a whole have been no worse than any other champion in the past – its just all his good results came at the start, and his not so good (but still in the points!) have come recently. If he had done the season alternating the two, the criticisms wouldnt be half as bad.
And its not all about the car – else why didnt Barrichello take a win in those opening races? I know it helps, but that is no different to any other champion in the past who most likely had one of the most competitive cars on the grid. I dont think the Brawn was infinitely faster than the Red Bull at the start either – just Red Bull and their drivers messed up opportunities. Obviously they have had one of the better cars, but from the mid point the other teams have caught up and its not so clear cut anymore – its why we have had some many different winners recently – Button couldnt have been expected to continue winning as much as he did when Ferrari and Mclaren were not so strong.
Plus even when the car hasnt been so good he has still managed points – and hasnt really made any major mistakes, other than not being quite so high up in qualifying. Both Vettel and Barrichello have made mistakes over the year – which is why they are still a fair chunk behind Button – they may have outscored him in recent races – but clearly not by miles else Button wouldnt still have a fourteen point lead is it?
A championship is not just about a selection of races, it is about the whole year – and its all well and good scoring loads of points towards the end, but if you have scored very little at the start it means nothing. Button took the opportunity when his car was the best to take as many points as possible, and Rubens didnt. Now its not the outright best he has been topping up the points to maintain the lead – they might not have been spectactular results, but they have been solid, and very crucial results nonetheless.
Just in case you havent guessed, i am firmly in the Button camp for this years world title – although if either Barrichello or Vettel were to take it, whilst being gutted for Button, i still do like both the other guys so I wouldnt be too outraged!
Kovy said on 7th October 2009, 1:05
Barrichello made mistakes at the start, but he also took the most of the team errors and mechanical trouble.
Barrichello has also had far more good races than Button, Button just had the luxury of a good car when he had good form.
cholle said on 6th October 2009, 9:34
I feel that Jenson’s good early form was just brought about by the fact that Brawn got smart (and lucky) with the car setup in the first races. He’s a good driver, alright. But since the other teams have caught up with the Brawns car setup, the field has evened out. Drivers skills have been more obvious than ever (with only 1-2 seconds covering the field’s laptimes), as well as the adaptability of cars to the tracks, something which I feel Brawn has just been sitting out on lately.
Rubens probably deserves it more than Jenson, as he’s been more consistent than his teammate given the circumstances I mentioned earlier.
But I voted for Vettel. His wins were from perfectly driven races. And on days when his results weren’t perfect, he’s extracted the most out of his car. Although some people are having doubts as to his competitve driving (i.e. overtaking skills), I would like to think the RB5 is a car that wasn’t meant to overtake much — it’s just a really fast car. (IIRC, Vettel in his Toro Rosso days has done quite a number of overtaking manouevres, so he would if he could!)
Looking forward to Brazil now!
Ali Adams said on 6th October 2009, 10:24
And don’t forget how Brawn treated Barrichello as #2 right from the thrid or fouth race and only when the Spain saga blew up they started believeing in him, so in all fairness they she make Button lose one race and let the final race be the decider
Nitpicker said on 6th October 2009, 10:51
Oh yes. I’m sure Ross is knocking on your door right now for more pearls of your wisdom.
VoX said on 6th October 2009, 19:24
I agree, I think Vettel deserves it most followed by Barrichello.
Martin said on 6th October 2009, 20:02
ouch!!!
antonyob said on 6th October 2009, 9:38
I humbly disagree… this is a classic year. More winners than ever before, teams going from back to front to back again and a hare being caught by the tortoises. I think its a modern F1′s fan unrealistic expectations of a “champion” that skews thoughts on Jenson. To my memory Keke Rosberg only won twice in his WDC year (1982) but no one would say he wasnt “worthy” -the same with Piquet snr, never the quickest but certainly the canniest. Man Utd win the league by getting points when they’re off form why is it “not worthy” when Jenson does it?
GeeMac said on 6th October 2009, 9:54
I’m so glad that someone mentioned 1982.
That season any number of drivers “should have won” the WDC. Prost, Pironi, Arnoux, Lauda and Watson had the most wins (2). Keke and 5 others all had 1 win each. That season Villenueve should have won, but was unfortunately killed. Pironi should have won, but crashed in qualifying in Germany and broke his legs. And so on and so on and so on.
As someone pointed out in the forum on this topic F1 fans can always find a way of saying that someone else deserved the championship. It’s just the way it goes.
That’s why the man with the most points at the end of the year wins. That’s why the F1 points system is the best way of deciding who the WDC is! If they had introduced the medal system Jenson would have already clinched WDC. And we would all be saying what a great season he had.
Jenson deserves it. The end.
dp said on 6th October 2009, 11:53
possibly the most common sense statement on the entire blog.
GeeMac said on 6th October 2009, 12:52
I have been waiting so lon to hear that! ;-)
GeeMac said on 6th October 2009, 12:53
“long”.
Martin said on 6th October 2009, 14:23
Good history lesson. Nice that others remeber the old times.
Becken said on 6th October 2009, 16:31
I cant agree more!
maciek said on 7th October 2009, 1:45
I don’t see how he deserves it before he wins it…
GeeMac said on 7th October 2009, 7:03
So 6 wins aren’t enough in your book? 6 wins was enough to make people say Massa deserved the championship last year…
Patrickl said on 7th October 2009, 16:42
Mind you, that was 5 wins plus a stolen one …
Andrew said on 6th October 2009, 9:38
I want Jenson to win it because I have been a fan of his for years now, but I think it will be a bit of an anti-climax if he can’t get at least another podium, if not a win, this year.
mm said on 6th October 2009, 10:43
Win/podium) at Brazil is what we all want to see.
gaz said on 6th October 2009, 9:53
if jenson wins the WDC say without scoring a podium at brazil and adu dhabi would he have some sort of record as having the worst run of results en route to becoming world champion. i can’t recall a run so bad.
Alex said on 6th October 2009, 9:55
Most wins? Button. Most overtaking, of the three? Button. Most consistently in the points? Button. The one who put in quick laps in the race when it was needed? Button (in fact, that’s where Barrichello has been particularly poor). I’m more of a Vettel fan, but I expect him to have plenty more chances for the title: this year, go Button!
Random Chimp said on 6th October 2009, 10:40
Exactly…
Chalky said on 6th October 2009, 11:51
I have to agree with you Alex.
I want Button to win for the same reasons.
I still like RB and Vettel but they have made too many mistakes. Vettel crashing out at Monaco and Australia really hampered his chances.
Vettel although driven well in the other races seemed unable to pass a car to gain that decisive result.
In the end all 3 are an asset to F1 and would be a worthy champion. Whoever takes the most points is a worthy champion.
Accidental Mick said on 7th October 2009, 10:28
Thank you Alex – now I needn’t bother to post as you have said it all.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 7th October 2009, 22:52
Yeah that point about overtaking is a big thing for me too: Alonso at Sepang, Hamilton at Bahrain, important moves that helped him win races.
Kevin said on 6th October 2009, 10:03
I think after the disastrous couple of years that Jenson has had he really deserves it. He stuck with Honda and every time he was interviewed on itv after finishing 17th and 18th place he always spoke about the good work that was being done at the team and never criticsed them. Now his persistance and support has paid dividends.
I would love to see Rubens win one though and Vettel but Vettel is definitely going to win one WDC and maybe two within the next 4 years so i’m not that worried bout him.
I really like Rubens but i didn’t like his rant at the Nurburgring. I cant stand drivers giving out about favouratism of the other driver. Beat your team mate on the track and make your own luck.
I really liked Ross’s comment to the BBC in the Forum on Sunday bout Rubens taking points of Jenson. And Ross’s answer was id rather lose a championship by giving both drivers a fair crack at it than favour a driver.
Red Andy said on 6th October 2009, 17:45
I don’t understand where this myth comes from that Button was always gracious in those difficult two years at Honda. Just about every time I heard him, he was saying how the car wasn’t good enough and how he couldn’t be blamed for his poor performance. The man was criticising the team week in, week out.
steph90 said on 6th October 2009, 18:49
I agree Andy
James_mc said on 8th October 2009, 16:31
I believe his favourite adjective at those times was “dog”
torrit said on 7th October 2009, 23:08
“Beat your team mate on the track”
do you think this is easy when your team prepares better race strategy for him?
antonyob said on 6th October 2009, 10:03
what guff! so Rubens was so good at setting his car up but he was slower then Button? Hes not that good at set up then is he!
And if you think Ross Brawn would jeopardise results by allowing data to be withheld from either driver then think again.
Adrian said on 6th October 2009, 10:20
Jenson all the way. I’ve supported him since he first drove for Williams way back when…
What I don’t get is why people are so quick to say that because he hasn’t won a race for months, he doesn’t deserve the title. Yet one of the things people often talked up about Schumacher was his ability to still score points even when his car wasn’t good enough to win…so if it’s good enough for Schumi, why isn’t it good enough for Button??
Personally I would like him to wrap it up in Brazil, then perhaps he can go all out for a win in the final race, just to end the season on a high!!
If Vettel wins, I won’t be too disappointed cos he seems like a really nice guy. If Rubens wins I hope they engrave his trophy with “blaa, blaa, blaa”…
antonyob said on 6th October 2009, 10:22
Vettel is quick but hes hardly excitng, the man cant overtake.
Button has turned nul points into 1′s and 2′s by overtaking. Maybe not up there with Mansell, Senna but he has overcome his qually cock ups by quite well
Lustigson said on 6th October 2009, 10:32
I would very much like to see R.G. Barrichello take the title, but in the end I don’t really care who is WDC, as long as we’ve seen a good fight.