Considering that the 'Massa Question' thread was based over his 2010 and 2011 performances, I stand by my previous comment that comparisons based over 3 races between the two drivers (or indeed any drivers) are premature. If it comes to the end of the season and Button's performances continue to be poor then I believe the comparison would be justified but until then, I'm going to refrain from jumping to conclusions.
I agree that Button is now in the 'Massa league' of badness, but he's still a few races off matching Massa's stretch at being ... bad.
I have offered an explanation (my opinion) of Button's recent drop in form elsewhere. I also think it is completely wrong to compare him with Massa, whose dour performances have been going on for an awful long time, with only the briefest moments of sparkle –and even on those few occasions, he has still been largely unable to match his team mate. Unlike Massa, in my opinion, Button is very much worthy of his place within his team. I believe he will be far more competitive at the more technical circuits, where 'flow' counts for more than very heavy braking from high speed on tyres that suffer badly when abused.
How is Massa supposed to match his teammate, when his teammate is the best driver of this generation?
Remember Jenson is needed up there to help Lewis increase the gap as both Seb and Alonso will be slugging it out with him the whole way. As long as he has Jenson under control at a distance he's his best friend... until he starts getting in the way of course which would play into his rivals hands.
Before the last Grand Prix, the Button-Hamilton head-to-head during their time as teammates was: Button 529 points, 6 wins, 21 podiums Hamilton 530 points, 6 wins, 18 podiums Hamilton has had a couple of bad patches over the last two and a bit years too, but the objective among us never doubted that he was still a potential race-winner. Jenson has kept pace with Lewis over a sustained period of time, and for that reason deserves a similar amount of benefit of the doubt.
I've doubted Button in the past many times in the past, but I'm very very! sure he will be back soon. He might even do an Alonso 2010 on us and actually turn out to be the main threat for all we know when it comes to the end. Considering how 2012 is going it's possible to catch up if your higher up more than others.
Thanks, NNW; I was not aware of those statistics (although I should add that statistics do not hold great interest for me). That is not what I was responding to. My reply was to the suggestion that Button's and Massa's relative values to their respective teams is comparable –which, as I have made clear above, I disagree with. Besides, your assertion about Alonso is continually thrown into doubt by Alonso himself, who fears Hamilton more than anyone else on the grid. He sometimes appears virtually obsessed by the only driver who's beaten him over an F1 season. I do not intend to repeat myself in this thread. If you want to discuss the relative merits of Hamilton and Alonso, it deserves another thread but is not really relevant to the question asked about Button here.
Well, I see that this debate has done what most do, and people start to try to make silly comments to wind people up and tried to make this a Massa Vs button thread. Meanwhile, back at the ranch.... The team have come out with a statement saying that they tried a new suspension set-up to help Jenson but they had little time to test this in practice due to his gear box failure, which seems to have been a bad idea. This does sound like the sort of comment that a team comes out with when they want to back a driver up and deflect criticism onto the team though, and while this is true and it probably explains the extreme drop off in performance in Canada, it doesn't explain why they have the need to try new things out in the first place, which is because he has been struggling to get the car to work in the last few races. One other factor that isn't helping him is the closeness of the field this season. In the past, if a driver in a top team had been stuggling a little, they would still have been finishing in the top 6 or 8 quite easily. Now though, they find themselves finishing outside the points entirely, which can't be good for their confidence.
Here is the thread where Mclaren (Icluding Ron - Very unexpected!) have firmly laid the blame at their door and not Buttons's! Ron also implies that Buttons car was not identical or their was a problem with Jenson's car compared with the one Lewis was driving! Not sure how true the statements are but it all points to a fundemtal problem with the car/setup/suspension that must have beed developed differently from the first few races! In Oz he was awesome and he had excellent pace in Sepang prior to him rfearing the HRT! http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12479/7807723/McLaren-rally-round-Button
it works as an excuse for Canada, but what about the last few races? they can't use that excuse. I think part of the problem is one of confidence that Button has had for years, he's scared of binning an uncomfortable car and stops him pushing his car past that point becaus ehe lacks a bit of faith in it. Take last years Canadian GP, when it was actually wet and there was little grip Button was far slower than Lewis, because driving in the wet with zero grip is a matter of faith as well as skill, you can keep grip tip-toeing around the corner or you can put it in knowing the grip is gonna disappear but have faith it'll line up on the way out, sometimes it goes wrong and you end up off the track, but I think it shows the mentality of a driver, those who are willing to drive on their faith and those that aren't.
I wouldnt say its panic stations for Button, he will bounce back very soon, McLaren just need to keep bringing upgrades to the car like the rest of the front runners.
I have to agree Miggins that confidence seems to be compounding whatever fundemental issue sits within the car's development. He reminds me of Colt Trickle ! When is he going to get "through it Harry"?
What are McLaren doing to help Button this year? I think this pretty much prooves the car was not built round him for this season
Perhaps Jenson, had better hot foot his McLaren down to Kwik Fit get a set of new discs and pads, and whils't he's there, put on a set of Goodyears.
