The F1 Thread

[Law's Bus]

That's great news about Bianchi - he must have improved quite a bit for the plane trip from Japan to France to be viable for him.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Excellent news, and it is a small but important step for him.

 

[Kenny]

**BREAKING NEWS** Ferrari confirm Alonso is leaving them at the end of the season.

Didn't see that one coming......

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Vettel confirmed at Ferrari

I am STUNNED at this news

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Will Jensen Button have a drive next season?

 

[Kenny]

Will Jensen Button have a drive next season?

McLaren not announcing their line up until December but rumours are Ron Dennis will drop Button.


Alonso gets asks "do you want Button with you next season".....http://wtf1.co.uk/button-alonso-abu-dhabi-press-conference/

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Unfortunately Jenson has no improvement left in him and even if you gave him the best car he'd only ever do a Webber-style job of supporting the main driver at his age. What he does bring is a great knowledge of the sport and he is widely considered to be about the best around in terms of providing feedback on the car throughout the season and suggesting improvements - but he's very expensive just for that. Magnussen is reportedly less than half the price in wages and clearly has raw pace, so in the long term it really doesn't make much sense to get rid of one promising up and coming driver for a much more expensive driver in his mid 30s.

Of course, in the natural order of things, it's highly annoying that dross like Maldonado keep getting a drive because of his petrodollars and better drivers are left on the outside looking in, but Jenson isn't the only one to suffer that way.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Button may well end up trackside along with Coulthard and Hill.

 

[Kenny]

Button may well end up trackside along with Coulthard and Hill.

Nah, he will head off to endurance racing. If he F1 days are numbered he will still be driving for a living next year

 

[Nando]

I'd be looking to keep Jenson if I was Honda and promise to promote Magnussen again in 2016 whilst keeping him as a Friday driver. Alonso and Button would be tremendous to provide feedback on what is going to be a completely new, and from it what sounds radically designed car.

Having Alonso as a team mate, in a completely new car when you're lacking experience could be a bit of a morale crusher.

 

[Law's Bus]

Unfortunately Jenson has no improvement left in him and even if you gave him the best car he'd only ever do a Webber-style job of supporting the main driver at his age.

Jenson is probably still the fittest driver out there competing in triathlons. He's also 34, which is younger than the likes of Schumacher, Damon (and Graham) Hill, Nigel Mansell, Mario Andretti, Alain Prost and Niki Lauda were when they won a world championship. Whilst he clearly can't go on forever, his age is a bit of a red herring.

He's also outscored every one of his McLaren team-mates over their time in the team together - even Hamilton. You could put pretty much anyone in the last couple of McLarens and they wouldn't have done much better with it. You'd have to say that if he does lose out to Magnussen (or Stoffel Vandoorne...), there's not much more he could have done.

 

[Nando]

:icon_lol:

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Hamilton was quickest in both of todays practice sessions.

 

[Kenny]

Hamilton was quickest in both of todays practice sessions.

Not much between him and Nico but a large gap back to the rest.

As long as his car doesn't let him down he should be ok. No need to get into a battle with Nico. If he is ahead of him and Rosberg is putting the pressure on, just let him go by.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Not much between him and Nico but a large gap back to the rest.

As long as his car doesn't let him down he should be ok. No need to get into a battle with Nico. If he is ahead of him and Rosberg is putting the pressure on, just let him go by.

Agreed. Though Hamilton was half a second quicker than Rosberg, so it looks like he might have the better set up, at least for the practice. But as you say, Hamilton can just cruise home in second place, but the racing driver in him may think differently.

 

[Kenny]

the racing driver in him may think differently.

Indeed. He will start the race with the intention on winning it. Whatever happens, whether Lewis or Nico win the title i hope it isn't decided by the moronic double points

 

[Carrotdude]

Yeah that's my big worry. Say Lewis loses a front wing or gets a puncture or something and ends up 3rd/4th it will just make a mockery of the whole season

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He won't. If Nico tries that, then I expect Lewis to go all Senna and make sure neither of them finish.

 

[Nando]

Cracking interview with Jenson. I hope they keep him. He's a top bloke.

 

[The Bear]

I expect Lewis to go all out for Pole but if not he'll happily sit behind Rosberg all race and then try and pass him at the stops.