The Championship

[Koz]

As it stands now, there are 16 points between the top three.

So who's going to take it?

Kimi did it two years ago. And we are in the exact same position again.

Who do the last two tracks favor?

Even if SV wins the next two races, does he still have a shot?

Vettel and Rubens are on equal footing, Vettel with a superior car. So it's all Button's championship to lose. As it has been since day one.

Any thoughts?

[Robinho]

Button needs just 4 points to see off Vettel, even if he wons both races, and assuming Vettel does just that, those 4 points will be enough to see off Rubens as well - the odds are stacked in Jensons favour.

if Vettel wins and Button picks up at lease a couple of points then Rubens will likely be helping Jenson in Abu Dhabi as he'll be out of it.

plus Toyota are in forma dn i can see Hamilton winning one of the last 2 races. Factor in Vettel has no engines left so is recycling old ones puts him at a disavantage.

its Buttons to lose - a couple of 5th places will see him home comfortabley, but stranger things have happened (for the last 2 years!!) so it could yet go to any of the 3, although i'm inclined to think Vettel or Jenson, i don't think the Brawn is good anough at the moment for Rubens to make up 14 points cos he's need to win a race really

[ShiftingGears]

Abu Dhabi has a lot of dull mickey mouse corners like Singapore so that should favour Red Bull.

Although the long straights at Interlagos will favour the Mercedes engines.

[Robinho]

Abu Dhabi has a lot of dull mickey mouse corners like Singapore so that should favour Red Bull.

Although the long straights at Interlagos will favour the Mercedes engines.
i think its the other way round - the fast track of Interlagos favouring Red Bull (although its slow enough that McLaren will be all over it, expecially with Kers for the drag up form the last corner

Abu Dhabi slow/medium corners is good for Brawn, plus hot which helps them/hinders Red Bull too

[ShiftingGears]

i think its the other way round - the fast track of Interlagos favouring Red Bull (although its slow enough that McLaren will be all over it, expecially with Kers for the drag up form the last corner

I think that the high altitude and long uphill straights will be more of a disadvantage to Red Bull than the fast nature of the circuit will be an advantage.

[F1boat]

I expect Lewis Hamilton to win the remaining two races and to make Vettel's championship impossible. Also I expect Jenson to score few points in Brazil and few in Abu Dhabi. Same about Rubens.

[harsha]

4 points should really be enough for Button to get this over and done with

[Hawkmoon]

Button hasn't lead a lap since round 11 (apparently) and hasn't won for 8 straight races. He's scored 1 podium in those 8 races. Not exactly a memorable run to the flag is it? It's still his title to lose and I can't see Barrichello or Vettel taking the title without a huge amount of luck.

[AndyL]

Vettel arguably has a better chance than Barrichello now. Vettel needs a win and a 2nd, Barrichello needs a win and a 4th or two 2nds. Both assuming Button fails to score. On current form I can see Vettel achieving that more than Barrichello. And if the Brawn is good enough for Barrichello to get those results then Button will probably be able to cover him off.

But Button should be able to do enough, and as people have said there are other drivers who will be taking points off Vettel and Barrichello.

[woody2goody]

Button hasn't lead a lap since round 11 (apparently) and hasn't won for 8 straight races. He's scored 1 podium in those 8 races. Not exactly a memorable run to the flag is it? It's still his title to lose and I can't see Barrichello or Vettel taking the title without a huge amount of luck.

But nobody else has been good enough to get anywhere near him.

They've all wasted their chances, like Vettel making too many mistakes for example.

[Wasted Talent]

Button hasn't lead a lap since round 11 (apparently) and hasn't won for 8 straight races. He's scored 1 podium in those 8 races. Not exactly a memorable run to the flag is it? It's still his title to lose and I can't see Barrichello or Vettel taking the title without a huge amount of luck.

If the season were the other way round people would be praising Jenson for winning 6 of the last 7 races .............how quickly we forget

WT

[ioan]

Vettel doesn't have enough engines available to win the 2 remaining races, sadly still he is doing great so kudos to him.

[ioan]

If ...

Doesn't count as fact.

[Wasted Talent]

Doesn't count as fact.

Of course not, but when jenson wins the Championship whether he won lots of races at the start or end of the season does not matter one bit.....

WT

[F1boat]

First he has to win it. I keep my fingers crossed for him and Brawn GP, but I have to admit that I am very disappointed in the way they are fighting for WDC and WCC... it is an exciting and thrilling championship, but IMO whoever wins will be the weakest champion in recent years.

[UltimateDanGTR]

First he has to win it. I keep my fingers crossed for him and Brawn GP, but I have to admit that I am very disappointed in the way they are fighting for WDC and WCC... it is an exciting and thrilling championship, but IMO whoever wins will be the weakest champion in recent years.

here's how i see it: If Bunsen or Barry wins it, there hasnt been such a limp-over-the-line champion since probably, 96. Hamilton ran it close last year, but he won the penultimate race so kudos to him.

If Vettel wins it, toghether with raikkonen's 07 world champions then there hasnt been such a storming fight from so far behind to become a world champion for ages..............

[Sonic]

First he has to win it. I keep my fingers crossed for him and Brawn GP, but I have to admit that I am very disappointed in the way they are fighting for WDC and WCC... it is an exciting and thrilling championship, but IMO whoever wins will be the weakest champion in recent years.

I'm with you on this. He's 99% likely to be champion but history will not remember him kindly (if it turns out to be his only title). He has no fire to drag the best out of a car which is no longer the best, all he does is complain. At least Damon Hill fought like a lion at suzuka in '96 (remember how close that Benetton got to him at the last chicane?), but I've yet to see any of the same from Jenson. He seems trapped in his own head, unable to relax and get on with the job. There are some glimpses of what we know he can do - those laps at singapore and that excellent dummy pass today but they are too few and far between for him to become a "great" champion.

[F1boat]

I'm with you on this. He's 99% likely to be champion but history will not remember him kindly (if it turns out to be his only title). He has no fire to drag the best out of a car which is no longer the best, all he does is complain. At least Damon Hill fought like a lion at suzuka in '96 (remember how close that Benetton got to him at the last chicane?), but I've yet to see any of the same from Jenson. He seems trapped in his own head, unable to relax and get on with the job. There are some glimpses of what we know he can do - those laps at singapore and that excellent dummy pass today but they are too few and far between for him to become a "great" champion.

No matter who wins... Crashaholic Vettel and whing Rubens were not better... they, like Jenson, are undoubtedly good drivers, but compare them with last year's battle of lions... Or the cars? Imagine for a WCC leading team to fight FOR 8th?!

[Saint Devote]

If the season were the other way round people would be praising Jenson for winning 6 of the last 7 races .............how quickly we forget

WT

Your comment says it all really.

Its best to ignore most of the media and any other variety of idiots with attention spans equal to gnats!

As I was raised on Denis Jenkinson and Pete Lyons I will naturally always be at odds with the current "Twitter mentality".

It has to be remembered that Button is not a popular driver in much the same way of Nigel Mansell. Jenson is defying the words of many commentators and this not something that is well accepted.

This is why Jenson is not praised but cricitized and Hamilton is praised not criticized.

Take a gander at the 2003 season where Schumi won FIVE - but THREE at the beginning - races on his way to the title. He had a run of races where Barrichello beat him and his results cratered. Did we here criticism? Of course not.

Then at the end of the season, with three races to go he won TWO in a row.

Jenson's season is indeed reminiscient of 2003.

And doing what he did at the start of 2009 matches anyone in the sport. Jenson will be champion and most deserving one at that. It will however come at the price of his detractors in the same way that Mansell's did.

Nigel was NOT supposed to win a championship and yet he was so marvellously dominant and what was heard?! It was only because of the car and so... The haters remain the haters - but that is their problem.

:D Go Jenson!!!

[Roamy]

Button hasn't lead a lap since round 11 (apparently) and hasn't won for 8 straight races. He's scored 1 podium in those 8 races. Not exactly a memorable run to the flag is it? It's still his title to lose and I can't see Barrichello or Vettel taking the title without a huge amount of luck.

This is a very good point. As much as he will probably win the title he continues to disappoint as a top racer. Brawn I am as sure notices this as well. I think he should at least step it up and get 4 points in brazil and then try to win the last race in hopes brawn will keep him around. But it could be a bit late

[Saint Devote]

No matter who wins... Crashaholic Vettel and whing Rubens were not better... they, like Jenson, are undoubtedly good drivers, but compare them with last year's battle of lions... Or the cars? Imagine for a WCC leading team to fight FOR 8th?!

I have 35 grand prix seasons behind me and I have heard all this before. The past always tends to look rosier because we all color it with our own palette.

But this is a season every inch as good as before and maybe one day to will recognize that.

You think that being Jenson has been an easy job? You talk aboout "lions" - how can you not recognize what Hamilton and Raikkonen have managed this year. You think it was easy? Get the picture?

For me, aside from enjoying this season much more than I have for many years because I am a mamber Jenson's Barmy Army, it is a classic grand prix season and is a wonderful example of f1. I love it!!!

[ioan]

First he has to win it. I keep my fingers crossed for him and Brawn GP, but I have to admit that I am very disappointed in the way they are fighting for WDC and WCC... it is an exciting and thrilling championship, but IMO whoever wins will be the weakest champion in recent years.

We agree on this one.
I want Brawn to win the WCC but they aren't doing it in style but rather like a bunch of amateurs.

With what they had in their hands they could only show that the drivers aren't really up to the level of their car.
Just look at Vettel who with lots of engine failures and only 2nd hand engines left is beating them by a mile. Not what I was expecting, not from Jenson and especially not from Rubens.

[Hawkmoon]

Take a gander at the 2003 season where Schumi won FIVE - but THREE at the beginning - races on his way to the title. He had a run of races where Barrichello beat him and his results cratered. Did we here criticism? Of course not.

Then at the end of the season, with three races to go he won TWO in a row.

Jenson's season is indeed reminiscient of 2003.

A little correction if I may. Schumacher won 6 races that year, not 5. No other driver won more than 2. Schumacher's first win didn't come until round 4 and he came from behind to take a championship lead that he never relinquished. That's a little different from Button who won 6 from 7 at the start and hasn't looked like winning since.

Since Button's last win in Turkey he has amassed 25 points. Over that period Vettel has scored 40, Raikkonen 36, Barrichello 36 and Hamilton 34. They've all won races and scored at least 3 podiums. Button has 0 wins and 1 podium over the period.

Button has won more races than anybody else. He will be a deserving champion. He took advantage of his rivals errors and misfortune at the beginning of the season to build an unassailable championship lead. I just don't think this will be a particulalry great championship win.

[Saint Devote]

A little correction if I may. Schumacher won 6 races that year, not 5. No other driver won more than 2. Schumacher's first win didn't come until round 4 and he came from behind to take a championship lead that he never relinquished. That's a little different from Button who won 6 from 7 at the start and hasn't looked like winning since.

Since Button's last win in Turkey he has amassed 25 points. Over that period Vettel has scored 40, Raikkonen 36, Barrichello 36 and Hamilton 34. They've all won races and scored at least 3 podiums. Button has 0 wins and 1 podium over the period.

Button has won more races than anybody else. He will be a deserving champion. He took advantage of his rivals errors and misfortune at the beginning of the season to build an unassailable championship lead. I just don't think this will be a particulalry great championship win.

I don't understand your reasoning, I disagree with your conclusion but you are entitled to your view. Either way, Jenson as world champion for Jenson's Barmy Army is the greatest championship win.

And looking back it will be, based on the last few championships be the most emphatic win since Alonso whipped Schumachers ass in 2006 :D

[airshifter]

We agree on this one.
I want Brawn to win the WCC but they aren't doing it in style but rather like a bunch of amateurs.

With what they had in their hands they could only show that the drivers aren't really up to the level of their car.
Just look at Vettel who with lots of engine failures and only 2nd hand engines left is beating them by a mile. Not what I was expecting, not from Jenson and especially not from Rubens.

I wouldn't go so far as to say Brawn is looking like amateurs, but they have lost much of their early season advantage. At season start they were so dominant it almost looked to be a boring season until the other teams got their DD diffusers ready and did some catching up.

Vettel has been strong all season, but until recently Webber was keeping up with him for the most part. Similar to Jenson/Rubens it seems that Vettel kept the upper hand as Webber faded. Rubens has been good at times but Jenson is still fighting him.



I think Vettel and Lewis will do great at Interlagos, with Brawn making it into the points most likely. Abu Dhabi will be a better track for the Brawn cars to do well.


At this point it's Jensons championship to win.... or lose.

[Hawkmoon]

I don't understand your reasoning, I disagree with your conclusion but you are entitled to your view. Either way, Jenson as world champion for Jenson's Barmy Army is the greatest championship win.

And looking back it will be, based on the last few championships be the most emphatic win since Alonso whipped Schumachers ass in 2006 :D

My point is that Button could very well become champion without winning a race for 10 races and the best part of 5 months. He could become champion by scoring only 1 podium in those 5 months. A deserving championship? Definitely. An emphatic championship? Not by a long shot.

[Mark]

Yes, traditionally the engines are down on power at Interlagos due to the altitude. KERS of course being electrically driven isn't affected by this so I would expect McLaren and Ferrari to put in a good showing here.

[Sonic]

My point is that Button could very well become champion without winning a race for 10 races and the best part of 5 months. He could become champion by scoring only 1 podium in those 5 months. A deserving championship? Definitely. An emphatic championship? Not by a long shot.

Nail. Hit. Head.

Don't get me wrong St.D, Jenson would deserve the title if/when he wins it because none of his rivals have done enough to beat him, but I am very disapointed by the way he is limping to the WDC.

[ShiftingGears]

Nigel was NOT supposed to win a championship and yet he was so marvellously dominant and what was heard?! It was only because of the car and so... The haters remain the haters - but that is their problem.

:D Go Jenson!!!

Are you seriously denying that the Williams was the dominant car by a significant margin in 1992?

[Sonic]

See now this is what really bugs me about Jenson;


Jenson Button says his main target for the Brazilian Grand Prix is to avoid errors and hope for the best possible result in order to get closer to the title.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79277

GRRRRRR!

He's basically setting himself up to let it go to the last race, where even with a 9 point lead or whatever it only takes a puncture or a fluffed pitstop and its over.

Just grow a pair and kill off the championship at the next round! :p

[F1boat]

We agree on this one.
I want Brawn to win the WCC but they aren't doing it in style but rather like a bunch of amateurs.

With what they had in their hands they could only show that the drivers aren't really up to the level of their car.
Just look at Vettel who with lots of engine failures and only 2nd hand engines left is beating them by a mile. Not what I was expecting, not from Jenson and especially not from Rubens.

Ioan, Sebastian IMO is overrated too. He is prone to make many mistakes, he is not very good and overtaking, actually he reminds me of Damon Hill - good, fast driver with a good car, but not too good at overtaking and tends to make mistakes. No doubt he is a very good driver, as well as Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button, no doubt any of them will be a worthy champion, but still they are worse drivers -JMO - compared to Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa. Check how hard is for them to win races even when the car is good - except for Jenson, who wins when the car is perfect, but if it is not, suffer. Same for Vettel - his three wins came in a day in which the Red Bull was by far the best car.
Compare this to Lewis or Kimi, who are like vipers - when an opportunity comes, they strike lightning fast. They are prone to mistakes too, but note that Lewis has as many wins as Rubens and one less than Vettel... in a season in which his car was, at the beginning, two seconds off the pace...

[F1boat]

But this is a season every inch as good as before and maybe one day to will recognize

The season is great and very enjoyable, but it is BECAUSE the leading teams and drivers are relatively slow, when compared with previous years. This allows variety of winners and unpredictable championship. I still can't count Vettel out, with the way Brawn are performing, I think that he can still do it, although I think that Red Bull will screw him as well.

[Psycho!]

Yes, traditionally the engines are down on power at Interlagos due to the altitude. KERS of course being electrically driven isn't affected by this so I would expect McLaren and Ferrari to put in a good showing here.
Do you know the exact altitude in numbers??It's so high to affect the engines??And what about the chances of a rainy weather which could make things a mess?? ;)

[AndyL]

I am a bit mystified by this whole argument. Why do people seem to think a championship is somehow better if you come from behind, than if you score early and hang on? As far as I can see, a race won in March is worth exactly the same 10 points as a win in October. Surely the guy who gets the most points will be the deserving champion, regardless of when he scored them.

Here's another question: who would you prefer to win - a driver who qualifies well and then holds everyone else up with poor race pace, or one who qualifies poorly and then passes people to improve his position in the race? Button is the latter right now. I don't think criticism of his perfomances is at all justified - at least his Sunday performances. His qualifying has been weak, and that's is the only thing I feel he can really be criticised for. On race day he could hardly have done better recently. Look at Singapore where he passed Rubens, or Suzuka where he moved up into the points despite a dodgy start and being at a strategic disadvantage to the cars around him on the grid.
(I'm going to have to qualify that by saying I missed Valencia, which based on the results does look like a poor race-day performance by Button.)

[Hondo]

At the start of the season, I really hoped Webber would win the Championship. Now that all of that is out of the way, I follow F1 for my own enjoyment and what follows is based on my thoughts on what I see and how I choose to interpret what I see, hear or read. I could give a rat's ass about previous seasons, stats, excuses, "if onlys", or woulda-coulda-shouldas.

Button - I think will win the championship. Although he has an impressive number of wins, nobody else did a solid, consistant job of scoring major points once Button's pace fell off. His "Tortise -vs- the Hare" attitude annoys me and I think as far as he is concerned, he has already won the championship. He has also learned to not be brash enough to admit this to the media yet.

Vettel - I'd like to see him win the championship only because the guy talks and continues to drive like he still can and wants to win the championship. In addition, he'll have whatever support Webber can give him to assist his efforts.

Rubens - If Rubens qualifies in the first 2 rows with neither Button or Vettel in front of him, he might win the championship. I think he's hoping for at least one more pole start and at least one more no or low point finishes from Vettel and Button. Rubens needs the championship to fall into his lap by default. He can't win it on his own, never could. If the last race becomes a contest between only Button and Vettel, I don't think Rubens will support Button. In fact, it wouldn't suprise me to see him hinder Button. The old "I may not be champ but neither will you..." may kick in. The last thing Rubens wants or needs is another Champion teammate.

[CNR]

http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=120978



Jenson Button is still at stalemate with his boss Ross Brawn, who has hinted the Englishman might have to leave the team as world champion.


29-year-old Button could wrap up the title at Suzuka on Sunday, but is locked in stalling negotiations to increase his retainer for 2010 from a cut-price $5m.
He agreed to slash his contracted pay for 2009 in order to aid the management buyout, and has also been paying his own way in terms of hotel and travel expenses.
But Button's manager Richard Goddard told the Daily Star Sunday that he is "shocked" Brawn is refusing to offer anything more than a slight pay rise.
"We aren't being greedy," he said. "When we signed the deal last year, we did so in the knowledge that if all went well for the team, things would also go well for Jenson."
Team owner and boss Brawn hinted that the impasse could lead to Button leaving the team after November's Abu Dhabi GP.

[I am evil Homer]

Brawn won't suddenly have a lot of money to splash on drivers just because Mercedes has involvement and they have a new title sponsor (whoever thatends up being). Now the travel expenses thing is perhaps odd but regardless he should be happy the team kept him on at all given his performances over the last few years - and now they give him the car to win the championship despite his best efforts to mess it up!

You think any team would fall over themselves to sign Jenson? Ferrari are sorted, McLaren will probably get Kimi, RBR also has its driver. So unless he fancies partnering Kubica at Renault he'd be better of realising he's lucky to earn $5m a year doing what he loves and living in Monaco. I guess Merc might even give him a free car if he asks nicely ;)

[Mark]

Do you know the exact altitude in numbers??It's so high to affect the engines??And what about the chances of a rainy weather which could make things a mess?? ;)

It is around 800 metres above sea level and is high enough that engines lose around 7% of the power output they would have at sea level.

Of course KERS will still be pushing out 80bhp so will form a greater proportion of the engines output than it would at a sea level circuit.

[Sonic]

I believe its also right to say that the thin air, as well as strangling the BHP figures, also offers less downforce. If that's the case, cars that produce efficient downforce will do well at Interlagos - I'm guessing that means Force India and Toyota will have a good weekend.

[jens]

I have 35 grand prix seasons behind me and I have heard all this before.

Considering your vast experience you sure still seem rather emotional, passionate and sensitive about the matters of F1 like a kid. :p : So good on you that you have managed to preserve your freshness throughout all those years and you're still not past your prime!

[jens]

Ioan, Sebastian IMO is overrated too. He is prone to make many mistakes, he is not very good and overtaking, actually he reminds me of Damon Hill - good, fast driver with a good car, but not too good at overtaking and tends to make mistakes. No doubt he is a very good driver, as well as Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button, no doubt any of them will be a worthy champion, but still they are worse drivers -JMO - compared to Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa. Check how hard is for them to win races even when the car is good - except for Jenson, who wins when the car is perfect, but if it is not, suffer. Same for Vettel - his three wins came in a day in which the Red Bull was by far the best car.
Compare this to Lewis or Kimi, who are like vipers - when an opportunity comes, they strike lightning fast. They are prone to mistakes too, but note that Lewis has as many wins as Rubens and one less than Vettel... in a season in which his car was, at the beginning, two seconds off the pace...

The jury is still out on Vettel. Alonso was a bit clumsy in his 3rd full season in F1 (2004). Hamilton has been making a lot of mistakes. Massa wasn't really rated highly during his first 4 seasons in F1. What is important, is that Vettel is fast and is fast on a consistent basis. Outqualifying Webber, who before this season was rated as one of the best qualifiers, basically all season tells a lot to me. Vettel hasn't really had a strange underperforming weekend with excuses like "the car doesn't suit his style" (Kimi got excused a lot with that last year :p :) , etc. Also if you are comparing to Button and Barrichello, the the former has been underperforming speed-wise for the whole second half of the season, while the latter did it in the first half.

Everyone has his lows, recall, how many mistakes was Räikkönen doing in 2008 as well as Alonso in the first half of the season. For instance I can't remember any mistakes by Vettel in the second half of 2008, when he was delivering good drives on a consistent basis. I see no reason, why this guy can't or shouldn't be a top drawer. Maybe he looks like a kid and drives for a non-legendary F1 team, which may be why people fail to take him seriously and consider him "softy". In terms of personality he reminds a bit of Häkkinen to me, so nice guys can be very good. :p :

----

In terms of championship I would have preferred Barrichello's or Vettel's title over Button's, but Jenson is going to win it (I don't expect any 2007-style repeat), so I'm ready to congratulate him. I just hope fanboys won't become too mad after the title, which is really the main negative aspect about his win ( :p :) as otherwise he seems like a good guy.

[Steve2009]

It's most likey that JB will have to have a DNF to lose the title.
The best chance for that is rain.
So those who wish him to lose it, you better start dancing, or praying! :p :

[F1boat]

But praying for ill fortunes sometimes hits back, look at Venom at Spiderman 3! :-)
jens, you are right of course, but I don't think that there are people who don't take Seb seriosly. On the contrary, there are people who really believe that he is the next MS. But in my opinion he is not and he will not be the one.

[stevie_gerrard]

Button should have it all wrapped up, but you just never know in f1. I'd love to see Vettel take it to the final race, but i do think the brazil circuit favours Brawn more than Red Bull. Rubens has a chance to win at home and keep the championship alive, but i feel if Rubens is good enough to win, Button is good enough to finish on the podium, which is all he needs to secure the title.

[Roamy]

I would like to see Button hAve to step up and drive and bit to win the title. Maybe a vettel RB one two and a Button DNF at the next race would do it.

[Steve2009]

I would like to see Button hAve to step up and drive and bit to win the title. Maybe a vettel RB one two and a Button DNF at the next race would do it. Or a Vettel Rubens one two with a Button DNF :eek: :p :

[Roamy]

It would make the last race a barnburner

[F1boat]

Stop wishing nightmares!

[jimakos]

I don't think Button worths 100% the title.
He made a good start when the other teams were sleeping and now just finish into the top 8 and get a little points!!
Is that a real champion??
Fortunately for him there isn't anyone to fight for the title otherwise Button wouldn't be so high ;)

[F1boat]

By the way, do Brawn have any developments for the final races? Because I know that Red Bull has. It will be very arrogant if Brawn GP doesn't as many teams now improve dramatically. This can be decisive for the championship.

[BillBald]

I think Jenson is right to be cautious.

In the last few years, the FIA have used lots of tricks to stop the championship being decided early.

Jenson has to be very careful not to give the FIA an excuse for penalising him.

In Suzuka, Jenson followed Rubens in ignoring the yellow flag. He had to do this because if he'd backed off, and only Rubens had got through to Q3, the FIA would have found a reason not to penalise Rubens, and Jenson would have been well ****ed.

As it was, the FIA gave a greater penalty to Jenson, even though he was immediately behind Rubens - I defy anyone to give a reasonable explanation, other than a clear attempt to help Rubens close the points gap.

I should make it clear that I don't think that there's a bias against Jenson, many other championship leaders have had the same treatment, Hammy last year of course, Schumi in the past, Alonso with the damper, the list is endless.

[ioan]

Stop wishing nightmares!

:down:

[ioan]

Jenson has to be very careful not to give the FIA an excuse for penalising him.

:down:


In Suzuka, Jenson followed Rubens in ignoring the yellow flag. He had to do this because if he'd backed off, and only Rubens had got through to Q3, the FIA would have found a reason not to penalise Rubens, and Jenson would have been well ****ed.


:down: :down:

[Steve2009]

I think Jenson is right to be cautious.

In the last few years, the FIA have used lots of tricks to stop the championship being decided early.

Jenson has to be very careful not to give the FIA an excuse for penalising him.

In Suzuka, Jenson followed Rubens in ignoring the yellow flag. He had to do this because if he'd backed off, and only Rubens had got through to Q3, the FIA would have found a reason not to penalise Rubens, and Jenson would have been well ****ed.

As it was, the FIA gave a greater penalty to Jenson, even though he was immediately behind Rubens - I defy anyone to give a reasonable explanation, other than a clear attempt to help Rubens close the points gap.

I should make it clear that I don't think that there's a bias against Jenson, many other championship leaders have had the same treatment, Hammy last year of course, Schumi in the past, Alonso with the damper, the list is endless.I have to say IMHO this post is spot on. :up:

I think Jenson is right to be cautious.
I agree that is why I think rain could really throw a monkey wrench into his drive. some youngster could lose it and punt JB into tomorrow. Plus I think SB, and RB are better in the rain!

[christophulus]

Vettel looks to be back on form but I reckon Button is going to do enough. He's still managed to make the lower end of the points in the last few GPs and he just needs to do it twice more to be champion. In fact, he's been in the points in every race that he's finished, so it's my belief that he'll have this wrapped up in Brazil.

[Knock-on]

This is a classic case of opinions and preferences carrying more weight for some people than facts :?:

Jenson had a great start to the year and dominated proceedings with at times the best car and at others not. Then the Brawn has been comprehensivly overtaken to the point where it's argueably the 3rd or 4th best car on the grid, although this changes dramatically with the type of circuit.

He has not driven flat out for the past few races but has come back from adversity on numerous occassions to get the necessary result. Lets not forget the F1 mantra that Lewis did in '07; to finish first, first you must finish.

He will likely wrap it up at the next meeting and in the process score more points and wins with a race to go than any other driver out there.

Rather than slagging him, I think objective people might appreciate the pace, drive and intelligence that Jenson has brought to this years campaign.

[Saint Devote]

This is a classic case of opinions and preferences carrying more weight for some people than facts :?:

Jenson had a great start to the year and dominated proceedings with at times the best car and at others not. Then the Brawn has been comprehensivly overtaken to the point where it's argueably the 3rd or 4th best car on the grid, although this changes dramatically with the type of circuit.

He has not driven flat out for the past few races but has come back from adversity on numerous occassions to get the necessary result. Lets not forget the F1 mantra that Lewis did in '07; to finish first, first you must finish.

He will likely wrap it up at the next meeting and in the process score more points and wins with a race to go than any other driver out there.

Rather than slagging him, I think objective people might appreciate the pace, drive and intelligence that Jenson has brought to this years campaign.

:D EXTREMELY well said! [applause]

Your last paragraph emcompasses completely the kind of driver that Jenson is and often has not been appreciated as. Jenson's approach reminds me a great deal of Emerson Fittipaldi.

[Garry Walker]

Nigel was NOT supposed to win a championship and yet he was so marvellously dominant and what was heard?! It was only because of the car and so... The haters remain the haters - but that is their problem.



Any idiot could have won in the 1992 Williams, it was that good.
It is a shame on Mansell that he didnt win in 1991, when he also had by a clear margin the best car, but Senna was the superior driver by a clear margin.

We could also mention 1986 and 1987...



We agree on this one.
I want Brawn to win the WCC but they aren't doing it in style but rather like a bunch of amateurs.

With what they had in their hands they could only show that the drivers aren't really up to the level of their car.
Just look at Vettel who with lots of engine failures and only 2nd hand engines left is beating them by a mile. Not what I was expecting, not from Jenson and especially not from Rubens.
Red Bull is a better car by far at the moment. Has been since Silverstone (with the exception of Monza) and was even in some races before that.

[jimakos]

The person who deserves the championship, is the one who has scored the most points by the end of the season, and Jenson may do that. If he does scrape the WDC, then he may not have done it in style, but he'll still have earnt it. If you look at the 2009 results table, his name is pretty dominant, so in a few years time will anyone really care? He'll have joined the elite list of world champions and nobody can discredit that... :)

Your thoughts are absolutely right!
Nobody can accuse him of something.
I just said that he could have some more pondiums and generally better races from the half and after...
Of course he'll belong to the list with the champions and that's beautiful for him!
Although,I believe if there was a strong driver this year Button would finished 2nd :)

[F1boat]

I believe if there was a strong driver this year Button would finished 2nd :)

He can still finish second and even third.

[Steve2009]

He can still finish second and even third.
And that’s why if he wins he's had to earn it.
I really hope that (if) he wins it goes down to the last race.
I hope he's up against it and does something heroic to close the deal.
Even though he's not my guy, I feel it will demonstrate his worthiness to a larger degree.
Especially if the reason he doesn't win at Interlagos is because
something happens outside of his control! ;)

[F1boat]

Well, I prefer a dull championship victory in the next GP, because I am not sure that he can win the WDC in the final round and I'd like to see him winning.

[jimakos]

He can still finish second and even third.

:p :