I'd argue that some drivers, such as Button and Kovi, tend to take defeat or a bad performance with a fair amount of grace. Indeed, Button's performance in Malaysia is a good example of that, so I'd agree that not all drivers are like that. However, things that are said/done in the heat of the moment are not always the best way to judge someone as we are all susceptible to flashes of emotion. During last year, I remember that those who still doubted Vettel's abilities said that they would like to see how he raced when things weren't always going his way. This season, or Malaysia at least, seems to be exactly that scenario so it's easy to see how one could draw the conclusion that Vettel isn't great at dealing with a below par set of circumstances. However, just like how one race doesn't make a WDC, one outburst of emotion does encompass the total of a man's personality. I'm sure Vettel probably regrets labelling Kartikeyan an 'idiot' to the world's press, such things are best dealt with privately otherwise it smacks of lack of respect. Every driver makes a mistake (or several) that impacts on another driver's race result (Vettel taking out Button in Spa 2010 springs to mind). The best thing to do is to take it on the chin, accept that with open wheeled close racing, things like this are occasionally going to happen, and move on.
There is mountains of proof. A few examples. - Webber getting taken out by Kovalainen at Valencia: Did not call him an idiot. - Button getting taken out by Vettel at Spa: Did not call him an idiot. - Petrov getting taken out by Schumacher in successive race: Did not call him an idiot. - Massa getting forced on the wet part of the track and crashing by Karthikeyan in Canada: Did not call him an idiot. - Alguersuari getting taken out by Senna at Spa: Did not call him an idiot. Seriously I could go on all day...
I think it is because they are set up to streak ahead and have people catch them whilst fuel saving. As they were not streaks ahead, they looked/were slow.
forgive me if already covered - ( I'm not going to read lots of pages of discussion this morning) - but why did Button struggle on first set of inters - then appear to be much better on the next set? Did the pitstop include some tweaks? Can one set be THAT much different to another?
Button is notoriously sensitive to his car and it's problems. For him to shine he needs a perfect car. When he does though, he is "Mighty", as seen early 09 and in Oz.
I think he lost temperature in them (which is also why he hit Karthikeyan) and could not really get them back up to temperature properly.
Essentially correct. In my view, tyre temperature management was the most likely cause: once lost, it can be very difficult to regain because a cool tyre does not provide sufficient grip to help generate the necessary temperatures to get the better grip which generates the heat to get more grip to generate more heat⦠Oops. At the risk of repeating myself, I'll get me coatâ¦
That'll generate some more heat Button lost tyre temperature, essentially. But I suspect hitting Karthikeyan was what really killed his race, because as we know he is supreme on a drying track.
That idea is so stupid. Why do people keep repeating it as if it is true? Button is probably about as sensitive to his car as all the other drivers. This is a case of someone hearing something on the tv and repeating it like a good little sheep. Trouble is there are far too many sheep.
Well over the coming weeks we're coming up to a: -An ugly Tilke track that produces good racing (Shanghai). -An old-fashioned track that produces bad racing (Barcelona). -An ugly, terrible Tilke track that produces bad racing (Bore-ain). And many F1 fans went into hibernation.
Oh I said it more in frustration rather than asking a question, but that was still a nice read, thanks
Ah Bernie, you've done it again! Sprinkers are so old hat. Bring in the rapid fire machine guns and explosives!!!
"Overall we did not have the pace, but we were not dramatically slow either," he said. "The real [title] contenders did not score too many points either, and I have told Lewis that it is days like this, where you have damage limitation and score some valuable points, where you win world championships. I think he will reflect on that at some point and realise that is the right thing." http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98409 Well he is ahead of Vettel and Button And that is also what Singapore 2008 proved to be for him, a damage limitation race where he scored valuble points and the other title rivals did not. And without the way that race panned out he would not have won the championship. Maybe its a good omen for him that Alonso won both races.
I think for Hammilton it isn't only about trying to win the WDC, it is about beating Button. There was a significant change in his body language on the podium at the weekend after getting the same result in Oz where he looked like he had just walked in on Brundle and Nicole in an uncompromising position! I actually think he drove a better race in Oz and was simply undone be the saftey car, yet his smile in Sepang was broader than we have seen for a long time! I think Lewis is right that regular podiums will put him in a great position to challenge for the WDC, but going into the break ahead of Button and not driving that quick must be a huge weight of his sholders!
Been a few hours since I posted some pictures, purely to annoy those with slow internet please log in to view this image The pair are so similar, they just have to be team mates please log in to view this image Seems Hamilton's getting in there to warn Perez off Alonso, we all know Hamilton and Alonso are secret lovers please log in to view this image
