I agree with you there allsaintschris... I thought I would hear more people commenting on that statement...maybe the members here are not curious enough... But I think these questions deserve answers and corrections made or people will go away with the wring impression.
Whenever someone says they have the ****s you just know it's a skive, but I can't see Kimi doing that, as he so loves the media
Is Jenson trying to make a play for Ferrari too? He was so critical of lewis when he announced he was leaving Mclaren. Now if you read between the lines here he is hinting that he is eyeing Ferrari for 2014. http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/461363/Button_has_no_2014_contract/ Button has no 2014 contract ESPN Staff August 22, 2013 Jenson Button has revealed he doesn't have a contract for 2014 signed but would like to stay at McLaren. Having been with the team since 2010, Button is now its only world champion driver after Lewis Hamilton was replaced by Sergio Perez. However, with a vacancy at Red Bull and a potential seat at Ferrari, Button was asked about his own future and admitted he didn't have a deal signed with McLaren yet. "I think I have a contract for next year but I don't think it has a signature on it yet!" Button said. "I really want to be here next year. You might think 'Wow, that's strange after this season', but I think this season has been good for us in a way. I think this will be a much stronger team next year so I want to be here next year. But - as you say - you haven't heard the confirmation of that yet from the team. I think you have to wait for that." Asked about the seats that could be available, Button said Ferrari was the main opportunity for drivers. "I think Red Bull is done. I think the Ferrari seat is a great opportunity for any driver in F1. To get the opportunity to race for a team like Ferrari is very exciting; what they've achieved, the passion within the team, the culture is very interesting, so I think it's a great opportunity and hopefully somebody who deserves it will get the drive." Focusing on the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Button added that he was still optimistic that McLaren could fight for a top three finish at Spa. "I think we have to be optimistic, and I am. I don't know where we are going to end up but I feel we should be aiming to fight for a podium. If we finish fifth and five seconds behind third I think I would be reasonably happy, but I don't want to be fifth or sixth and 30 seconds behind third. That's something that we would say we haven't made an improvement. "So I think we should aim to fight for a podium, yes. I don't see any reason why not. I think we should put pressure on ourselves; we need it I think and I think we work well under it so I have no issue in saying that."
I really thought Jenson so already settled at Mclaren and is team leader and leading them in positive direction...and now he doesn't have a signed contract for 2014? Strange thing that.
Yesh, Bhaj; bet henjoyed lashed night (hic)… Yesh, dhel; bet henjoyed lashed night's options too. I think he's keeping them open. (hic, hic)…
Button has spoken very consistently of his distain for team orders and how he'd rather leave the sport than be a no.2. Signing for Ferrari, doubly with Alonso there, would make no sense at all. It's not a shock that he lacks a McLaren deal, almost certainly his current one had performance clauses (on both ends) that wouldn't have been met this season. I still hope and expect that he'll stay there. It would only be worth leaving for a Red Bull drive IMO, and he looks unlikely to be dropped.
As I attempted to hint (above), I believe he has the option. The ball's in his court, as it were, so he'd be a fool to commit too early.
If Jenson goes to Ferrari he wouldn't be pairing with Alonso. I think he will be pairing with Massa. The only way he could get in there is if Kimi stays at lotus, Alonso goes Red Bull and Ferrari keeps Massa. That's what I think. If Alonso leaves Ferrari they would at least want a world champion in their line up so maybe Jenson will get a chance, but why as leader of Mclaren, would he even consider leaving. Remember he said he thinks he would be a good leader for the team and he could give the team good direction for the car and also for set-up and so on... Is he admitting that he is not as equipped as he thought? He sounds a little defeated there, I think he would get more respect if he could help lead mclaren out of this mess they are in right now.
While I agree with you there, if he goes to Ferrari and Alonso is still there he will have to endure a lot of "Jenson, Alonso is faster than you, so you understand?" Lol. He better stay where he is. In my opinion. His best. Move would be to try to jump on the lotus train if Kimi moves or if they move Grosjean. his style of driving will suit that car.
Oh Cosicave I was hoping to hear you comment on the Renault engine being tested at spa "as we speak". I posted the article here...check a few posts above.
Have fun. When you come back, read through some of the posts, and note the accuracy of Forza's predictions: [NSFW] [/NSFW]
Ah. Apologies, dhel. Having now recovered from 'lashed night', and a quick read of your post, I'll attempt a reasonable response, in which I'm presuming that you are asking whether real-life testing was being conducted at the real-life circuit. Engines can most certainly be tested through simulation. In terms of simulating stresses to an engine when negotiating certain parts of the track (any track), all that is required is appropriate adjustment to transmission resistance which feeds back to crankshaft via the gearbox. With accurate computing modelling, this is relatively simple. Indeed, it can even be roughly-approximated with some of the better software available for home-consoles such as Playstation etc., despite not having a real engine screaming to the neighbours! Therefore, although the upcoming circuit is a very real challenge to engines, Eau Rouge and Radillon present no more difficulty for accurate simulation than anywhere else. Rest assured that Renault's testing "at Spa" was not being conducted in an F1 car whizzing around the real circuit!* (*Perhaps they fitted it to an old Van Diemen… )
Do you think Ferrari or Alonso would be afraid of having an Alonso-Button line-up? I don't think they would have anything to worry about. They've tried to sign him before, but he was contracted to McLaren. That's one way of putting it. I would have said nostalgic.
What I meant was Jenson wouldn't want to be paired with Alonso because he wouldn't win any races unless something serious when wrong with Alonso's car. And I don't think the Ferrari wouldn't suit him , the lotus would more suit Jenson. In any case he said he was going to lead Mclaren so I think he should stay there and let's see what he can do.
Quite a bold claim! Similar to what many said when he first joined McLaren. I do think Alonso is the better driver, but i wouldn't predict a walkover. I think Alonso still wants wants Massa to be retained. "Afraid" would definitely be the wrong word, but building a team around him with a compliant team mate is the way he operates. Raikkonen is obviously no better in that regard (probably why the mind games started today), but then with recent comments I've started to question if Fernando's influence at Ferrari is on the decline. From Button's angle i don't see how he fits within Ferrari's ethos. His stance on team orders and become a number two is pretty blunt and it's hard to perceive a scenario where he drives for Ferrari and is never asked to move over with a teammate as strong as Alonso. If Alonso left i could see it a little more. He's a snug fit at McLaren and should stay there.