F1 Fanatic

Intelligence is part of being a driver, though. You could be faster over a single lap, but that doesn’t make you a better driver. People seem to play up Hamilton’s speed quite a bit, but as cliched as it is, “to finish first, first you have to finish.” As someone who sim-races a lot, I’ve found that I’m definitely not a hot-lapper and typically qualify pretty poorly when among the fastest drivers. Yet, time and time again, I can snag wins or finish on the podium by driving smart, clean and consistently. So Button’s approach is absolutely a valid one. It doesn’t make him a worse driver or overrated at all. You’ve gotta make it to the end and if you’ve got more left over in your tires or fuel tank when it reaches the closing stages, that plays into your hands all the more. Driving smart IS driving fast, it’s just driving fast over a longer distance.

An on form Hamilton is easily better than Button for me. Button couldn’t touch Hamilton when he was on it, except in changeable conditions. However Button is definitely a better driver than he was three years ago. He’s very economical with his tyres and has good raw speed, but he isn’t as quick as Hamilton in my opinion.

If Hamilton gets his head around the Pirellis this year, then he should be ahead of Button more often this season. Hamilton still has it, he just needs to be more consistent and improve his race craft this year.

@chrisglew Alain Prost was one of the quickest drivers in Formula One history under race conditions in the dry (only a handful of drivers would have been as close to Senna in history), Button is not even close in terms of talent.

Of the two Hamilton is the more talented driver, the quicker driver and in my opinion the better driver. When you have a poor season and your team mate has arguably the best season he has ever had in a long career (including when he won the world championship), and yet the two drivers still score the same number of wins says a lot to me personally. If Hamilton performs to his best this year he will beat Button, its just whether those personal issues he had last year are sorted and can he consistently produce the great results.

I have no idea what Todfod and Faraz are talking about. Button’s wins at Canada and Hungary were no luckier than Hamilton’s wins in China and Hungary.
Other than that. I think Hamilton is the more talented driver, but Button is a tad better overall.

Actually, thinking about it, I don’t think Hamilton has had a particularly strong year at all since his debut year. In fact, I don’t think he has particularly bested any of his team mates either aside from an under performing Kovalainen.

Hamilton’s been somewhat average since 2008 (for a top driver). Button’s just been that way since he won the title – he’s just performing at the limits of what he’s comfortable with. He’s the student that gets straight B+ grades on his report card. Lewis is the one that gets A+ and C- grades. Pit 2011 Button against 2007 Hamilton? I’d give it to Lewis. Any day. But Lewis’ head isn’t on properly – and that’s a requirement of being a human being – let alone a requirement of being a racing driver. Button; on the other hand – to me shone in 2011 because he had an underperforming Webber and Hamilton – and naturally; the second fastest car; in the absence of Webber and Hamilton – would gravitate towards second place.

Button’s Canada win gets talked up too much. He punted Alonso off in a manner that IMO wasn’t different to the way Hamilton punted Webber off at the start of that race and was lucky not to get a penalty for that. He put his teammate in the wall and got a puncture – but was hell lucky that McLaren thought Lewis had broken suspension. Had McLaren not thought that – Lewis wouldn’t have retired; and there would have not been a safety car. Button would have had to trundle to the pits while the others were at racing speeds – rather than at safety car-limited speeds.

The red flag was also immensely lucky for him – had it not happened; the track wouldn’t have dried as much by the end. Button was quite slow in the wet portion of the race – it was when he bolted options that he became 2s faster than anyone else. Not to mention the last 2 safety cars bringing him much closer to the field every time; and an over-effective DRS that helped him close the gap to Vettel every time too – by virtue of giving him “free” laptime.

Suzuka wasn’t too bad – though to be honest it’s a bit like Hamilton’s China win – a race won on strategy. Had Red Bull gone for a 4 stopper McLaren would have had to cover that strategy; and I’m convinced Vettel would’ve taken it.

Also something really confused me about Button. Last year he said a story about how his dad couldn’t afford wet tyres and so he used to kart in the wet with slicks – and in an interview he said his dad was normally called Papa Smurf. Before that interview – I have never heard John Button called Papa Smurf. I HAVE however heard Papa Vettel being called Papa Smurf before – in Abu Dhabi 2010. I also HAVE heard before, around the time of Spa 2008; that the Vettels never could afford wet tyres during Seb’s karting days; and so were forced to let him run on slicks – which he does to this day. Button doesn’t strike me as the lie-to-the-press type; except maybe a white lie. But why does the story seem overly familiar to what Seb’s story is?

@Faraz , @Todfod

I TOTALLY agree with you guys!!

Most people here seem to favour Button over Hamilton as does the Media (which BTW I´m getting tired of because it´s always button this, button that… they are building him up too much). I will admit that Button does manage his tyres very well BUT, I read a comment before that made me laugh… someone said speed is not always all… And all I have to say is… if you´re not quick enough to hang with the top dogs and are only driving as a “poacher” waiting for something to go wrong… then that takes the merit away from a win or a podium in my books.

The Canada win is over built up. Yes he worked his way up the field… took two of his direct competitors out (team mate included) and Vettel made a “mistake”…. Well I don´t see it that way…. For me, Vettel´s spin might have been deliberate OR it just goes to show the kid can´t handle the pressure… although I tip the balance to the deliberate hypothesis.

Most people might say that I´m crazy… and say: “why would Vettel do that on purpose?” Well for the simple fact that it´s good for the SHOW!!! and it hypes Jenson´s exposure!!! These are little “favors” done in F1… Just as the one done by Renault in favor of RBR in 2010… which was later paid back by means of 2 podium finishes in 2011… I know some might call me crazy but hey… I have opened up my eyes and now see F1 as a business and not a sport… Some things we may call LUCK, I see as simply reading a script… and it all points to ONE man and his Int€r€sts!!

Really… this man´s influence is HUGE! And he tries to write a good script but in the end… he gets it wrong… Nobody like dominant seasons…. only the ones who win like them… but for the fans, the REAL fans, we just get bored… but as long as the winning team is winning and getting a busload of money and it attracts a younger audience that have no clue of F1 and just see this “preppy” looking kid winning the way he does and a coo looking car, then it´s good for business… more viewers equals more money and this man, takes 70% of the tv earnings… 30 percent goes to the teams and gets split up 12 ways although nobody really knows how they split it…

So all in all it´s just a show…. and the guys that appear on camera more often are the main characters…. THAT is why I believe Button will “beat” Hamilton… although EVERYBODY knows that Hamilton is superior.
I guess it pays to be a “likeable” guy and handle the press real well, always make time for photos, sign autographs, etc… we just don´t see the type of A-holes they might be when the camera isn´t on them…

@matt90
It´s your opinion… as my last comment was mine… you are entilted to your opinion as I am to mine… you might not agree with mine and I sincerely wish I could agree 100% with yours but it´s more like a 60-40 in that aspect to me…

I encourage you to read “I´m no angel” by Tom Bower…. it might shed a bit of light on why I think the way I do… And just to make it clear… You didn´t disappoint me… I wish i could believe it really is a sport and THAT is why I watch every race… get up at 2:30 a.m. just to see the first practices, at 4:00 to see p3 and stay up to watch the qualifying on saturday… BUT having read a bit about that man and how his mind works… and seeing all these freak strikes of “luck” kind of messes up things for me…2010 was perfect for me in every way as it was very exciting but the ending was a real bummer for me… and made me remember that it´s a business… 2011 was ALL business and I hope 2012 is better although I highly doubt it since I just read HE would bet on Vettel again this year… And what really scared me was how he said that he can truly see Vettel breaking Michael´s 7 WDC record! THAT is a scary thought!

It just sucks that the head of F1 is a person who admitted to cheating while being the owner of Brabham…