The Dirty Math of F1 is Screwing Jenson Button

"Jesse Shaffer" (7esse)
10/19/2014 at 00:52 • Filed to: McLaren, Jenson Button

I’m wondering if the air in Woking this Fall is feeling foreignly thick or simply faintly familiar and not missed. I wonder how the followers and leaders in the house of the flying kiwi are coping with this kind of unseasonable heat as the McLaren kingdom delves deeper in to one of Ron Dennis’ inner-most circles of hell: disorder. I’d guess it probably depends on how long you’ve been worshiping here.

Patrick Head and Sir. Frank led the revolution against McLaren’s last ruling dynasty. Since then, the white and day-glow cars have gotten a little darker, then a little brighter, but, are now just sort of... gray. No one really knows what is going on with the team or why they’re failing to, at least occasionally, out-pace the competition. I mean, it’s McLaren .

It’s just a name. Success in sports usually takes teams of people . At the risk of sounding condescending or stupid - depending on your attitude: People aren’t names, people are people. You can call anything any word that you like, but that doesn’t make any thing any word that has been said... or at least it shouldn’t. So if McLaren is just a name, then who are these people?

In the past, companies and their owners had a much closer personal relationship with individual people. As the industrial and subsequent technological revolutions occurred, the largest companies stopped building individual relationships and started building universal brands, instead. In the middle of this era, McLaren was just a racing driver building racing cars. Bruce’s name is still on the buildings, but I think we all know that the ghosts of Project Four are a much larger part of what’s inside.

Human beings feel the need to organize things, it’s in our DNA. So, we’ve reacted slowly over time by re-organizing our relationship with our economies based off of what we were told a company was through its branding. Eventually, this became commonplace. The modern world is full of so much information that most people can’t be bothered to take something as trivial as a corporation’s mission statement, operational practices, or origins in to perspective unless maybe the media is warning you about how terrible one of them is.

Even if we’re well-read, how transparent are the documents and public opinions that leave back-offices and upper floors? In our modern-era of potentially instantaneously viral social media and squeaky-clean political correctness, not many other entities wish to hold on to their dirty secrets as deeply as an organization with shareholders. Capitalism and the economy are a murky swamp of shit that most “normal” people don’t want to take the time to dive in to in order to gain some real-world understanding. Auto-racing is just another part of the pond.

F1 is a fickle bitch that we love like a puppy. That’s part of entertainment-based industry. One reason this occurs in F1 is because of the ever-increasing amount of electronically farmed statistics to put in front of your face and scrutinize. With so much data, it then becomes that much harder to find people that are visibly faultless... go figure. You would think the process of elimination for a driver would be a mathematical analysis of these numbers over hundreds or thousands of laps. A clean and pure approach that ensures the top-tier drivers that are lucky enough to pilot some of the quickest and most technologically advanced cars on earth are the evolutionary cream of the crop of civilization in terms of will, desire, drive, and talent.

F1 isn’t quite so foreign. This sport is driven by cold, hard cash. The numbers game from the in-car sensors has got nothing on the importance and capabilities of the accountants and their owners’ modernized awareness of the money that the cars are making.

If Crashtor Maldonado has taught us anything (I refuse to call him by any other name, as it’s against my religion personal constitution,) it’s that cash is all it really takes to strap your way in to an F1 seat for a few rides around Curcuit de Monaco with the big boys. These seats of glory for Sunday warriors that supposedly cherish them as holy have become rental cars for rich dare-devils with low self-esteem. The one true math of modern F1 is the financial bottom line.

There are certainly deserving drivers on the grid. I’m not saying these guys don’t like their paychecks or that their agents don’t work hard to shoot these numbers to the moon. I don’t think anybody could say with any validity that Lewis Hamilton didn’t labor for a long time to get where he is, now. I also equally feel that Kimi Raikkonen didn’t really work that hard for his chance, but he didn’t need to because both of these drivers were selected for a shot based off of their contributions of talent, not finance. For Kimi, it seems like when you put him in something intuitively fast, if he gives a shit and can focus on that, it’ll go faster.

There are also certainly people outside of the cars that are dedicated to their passion and would be at their post regardless of their paychecks. These heroes don’t change what the overall machine of auto-racing has become.

McLaren has a former world champion and one hell of a driver in Jenson Button. He’s one of the most dazzling guys on the screen, in or out of the car. When he’s on in a car he likes - he’s one tough driver to beat. His epic run-down of Vettel at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix shows how cool he can be under pressure whilst enduring poor conditions.

Yet, all signs are pointing to the Brit’s remaining countrymen in Woking giving him the boot at the end of this season. Despite the fact that he’s matched a 22 year old for one-ups in resulting positions this year and appears to be, honestly, not all that different from any other year that I’ve watched him race apart from the fact that his car is just really ugly, now.

The tough fact is: McLaren Formula One cars aren’t that good these days. No matter how much anyone wants this to change, no one really knows if or when it will. As McLaren hasn’t been bringing home the big purses from the racetracks these last few seasons, they need to be extra certain that whatever business decisions they make are air-tight and extra-savvy in order to protect the castle from beginning to crumble. Their last Prince has left them to fight under a new flag. The Williams crew is, again, regularly outrunning them (though, this time on the same power-plant and without magic struts.) To add to this mayhem they’re getting a completely untested engine platform from a brand new manufacturer for this set of rules, next season.

So, as much as we all may like JB, he just isn’t adding up to McLaren or apparently Dennis as a safe enough bet. With McLaren’s other big money gambles already sitting on some pretty long odds, their lack of a primary sponsor has them reeling for a driver who’s name may drum-up fresh interest. It seems that Jenson Button isn’t a name that invokes all that much prestige at the round table, lately. Is it the knight or the sword? It doesn’t look like we’ll get to find out. I would imagine that he isn’t the type of Champion that would in-dignify himself by purchasing a seat in any car with less prestige or shared perspective on the probability of success. I don’t see that team anywhere on the grid. I don’t think Jenson does, either. We’re gonna’ miss you, buddy.

photo credit: Jenson Button’s Facebook, mclaren.com

xmarkedspot is Jesse Alan Shaffer, former Director of Information Technology and Network Analyst for Pittsburgh Technology Management @xmarkedspot

DISCUSSION (68)

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 09:01

can you explain your name? I don't see a website at that address.

Jesse Shaffer > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
10/19/2014 at 14:01

... as in line with the blog when it's up (absolute and unwavering transparency.)

I own the domain, but I can't afford to really maintain a site until I get a better day job in NYC. I know it's only $12 a month, but yes I'm that broke at this point. I'm using this as motivation because I need to have it running before the Jalopnik film festival, which I'm attending. I'm going to build the code for the site within the next two weeks, which I will then link in my articles if that's acceptable within Kinja...

... at least that's my plan at the moment.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 14:11

Cool. If you want to write your stuff for Formula Freak, you're welcome. I can add you as an author if you'd like.

$12/month? Where are you hosting?

I only pay like $10 bucks a year for a domain, and the place I'm looking at is only like $4/month for hosting.

Jesse Shaffer > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
10/19/2014 at 14:19

godaddy right now. I'm an ex-I.T. guy so you'd think I'd have this stuff figured out - I've just got a lot going on in my head, haha - $4 sounds good. Since it's your blog - is it cool if I e-mail you articles before I just run whatever over there? Or however you want to do it. e-mail is jesse.a.shaffer@gmail.com

I would love to be added as an author! Thank you for noticing the two F1 articles I wrote and taking the time to read them. I'm glad they're seeming to be entertaining to others.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 14:35

Oh no, its cool just post whatever (if you're unsure, just check the rules ). It's an F1 blog, so obviously keep it relevant.

If you're an ex-IT guy then you probably know more than me so I don't know if the following helps but: I use Namecheap. From my experience, GoDaddy ups their prices and use unfair (to the consumer) business practices (like buying a domain and charging more for it after you search to see if anyone owns it). I have my own website and am very interesting in web design, html/css coding if you want any help at all ( Fractalfootwork.com ).

You've been added as an author, by the way.

Good luck, your stuff looks great so far.

Jesse Shaffer > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
10/19/2014 at 14:47

Thanks for the feedback. This got front-paged to Jalopnik... so, I can't thank you enough.

djmt1 > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 14:57

I remember a while back Jeremy Clarkson blamed Ferrari's lack of form on them giving priority to their road cars. I wonder if this is the same since McLaren are pumping out cars at a ferocious rate right now.

desertdog5051 > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 15:07

Good writing. Best of luck to you. If you go on Formula Freak, I think you and Fractal will have a real hit.

LongbowMk2 > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 15:11

I could see him in a mid level team such as lotus or force india. The WEC makes the most sense as he would find a championship level seat and he may be itching for a change. He's been in F1 a while now.

Scweenname > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 15:12

Or perhaps he's not getting enough cake?

Viggen > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 15:12

Word is he's been in talks with Porsche.

cbckly962 > djmt1
10/19/2014 at 15:20

McLaren in 2013 just made too many changes to the car in comparison to what they had designed in the past. This year Merc's power unit was changed right before the start of the season, and the main change was the exhaust manifold and the way it is packaged inside the sidepod. Because McLaren has those suspension fairings at the back they can't just change the side pods to compensate, while the other Merc teams could rework the packaging of the sidepods and all of the aero structures those affect. The end result is that McLaren is short on downforce and high on drag.

OdinThe1337 > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 15:28

Like I wrote as a reply to another article. Vettel moving to Ferrari pushes Button out. Honda seems to want Alonso in. Alternative, Hamilton goes back and Alonso goes to Mercedes. Given the Hamilton vs the Germans in the Mercedes team it coud happen. Only option for Button, Massa gets kicked out by Williams. That would give Jenson a good car in F1. If not, join Webber in the Porsche team or get another good Le Mans seat. Adding a Le Mans title to his F1 title would put him in an elite group of drivers.

QQXQXL123 > Viggen
10/19/2014 at 15:44

He's good friends with Webber, so it would make sense.

Nick-Speed > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:01

There's no dirty math. He's had his run, he's done.

Steve Hopkinson > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:01

Good article x, and it's great to see in-depth F1 writing on Oppo. Having said that, a few of the details seem a bit off to me, so forgive me if I mention some things I took issue with:

1) There's not much of the flying kiwi at McLaren. They're not a New Zealand team now, and they haven't been since the mid 1980s. Neither does their branding or logo have anything to do with kiwis (the idea that the McLaren tick is a stylised kiwi is nonsense - it's actually a smoothed-off Marlboro chevron).

2) Williams leading the revolution? Perhaps, but I'm not convinced. Mercedes are the team that led the (quite literal) revolution when they parted ways with McLaren four years ago and set up their own team, and are now romping into the distance with a team principal and lead driver both taken from the Woking squad.

3) No-one really knows why? I don't buy that. It's fairly obvious that, like a few teams, they went in the wrong direction under new regulations, like they did in 2009. And a lot of that is to do with McLaren's 'matrix' management structure, which simply doesn't work in contemporary F1 (and arguably never did). Mercedes have a much more effective management structure in place thanks to Ross Brawn, as (it seems) do Williams.

4) It's not just a name. Yes, people are just people, but teams are structures of people, and it's the nature of those structures that ultimately decides whether they win or lose. McLaren has had an odd, non-hierarchical structure for a while now that ultimately hasn't been working for them, and needs to be replaced.

5) Jenson's out because of the 'increasing amount of electronically farmed statistics'? Again, I'm not convinced. Jenson's out because there's a better driver (Alonso) on the market, and given the choice between running two drivers in their 30s or an experienced hand and a young gun, they sensibly chose the latter. There's no room for sentiment in F1.

6) Maldonado's just in there for money? Yes, he's a wild driver and incredibly inconsistent, but he's a grand prix winner. And in the right machinery, he's one of the quickest drivers out there (some of his performances in 2011 were jaw dropping). If you want to poke fingers at a truly terrible pay driver, look to Chilton. Absolutely useless.

7) Kimi is actually a fairly sensitive driver (see: 2009, 2014). If the car isn't giving him what he wants, he's suddenly half a second off the pace, and he's not great at communicating what he needs to the team.

8) Canada 2011 was a Russian roulette race. Yes, Jenson had a great run, but in the end he was the driver lucky enough to be on the right tyres at the right time (he also managed to take two world champions, Alonso and Hamilton, out of the race with some poorly judged manoeuvres). Spa 2012 was a much greater victory, for example.

9) McLaren F1 cars aren't that good these days? They've consistently been the fastest or second fastest team for the last few seasons (2009, 2013 and 2014 aside). They clearly had the fastest car in 2012, but squandered its potential with operational issues. 2013 was a blip in a shift to new management, and 2014 was a new formula.

As I say, I like your piece, but it could do with some tightening up. If you tweak a couple of areas, it could be really great.

sporkaborkablammo > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:04

so, while we would love it if all the drivers in F1 (or any other top level motorsport) were there purely on talent, the truth is even the worst pay driver (including Pastor, Perez, Petrov, Guttierez, B. Senna, Karthikeyan, Chilton) is enormously talented and way better than you will ever be, but just not quite good enough to make it into F1 on talent alone. most of these guys were champions or close to it in the lower formula. having a good relationship with a deep pocketed sponsor gets them in the door.

hell most top line "talent" drivers bring money with them. even Alonso could be considered a pay driver as he drags $20M+ of Santander sponsorship with him wherever he goes. Vettel was initially a "pay" driver, bringing Red Bull money to Sauber before moving to Toro Rosso (allowing RedBull to keep that money in house). Bianchi is only driving for Marussia because Ferrari paid for his ride in engines (I hope he gets to drive again).

teams at the bottom of the order need sponsors to cough up egregious quantities of money for the privilege of being closely associated with a laughingstock loser team. if one driver offers you $20M of sponsorship money and the other wants $5M to drive and brings no money, the "talent" driver better be damn near Schumacher Incarnate.

look at Nascar, where marketability is at least as important as talent. did you watch the Rousch Driver X show? the winner each year was not the best driver, it was the driver who brought the best mix of talent and marketability. one year, the clearly best driver by a huge margin didn't even make the final 2 because he was a big fat redneck and they wanted somebody they could sell to madison avenue.

Look at Danica Patrick, who _is_ a hugely talented driver, but clearly not even top of nationwide level or top of F3 level. yet she has had a long career at the top level of american motorsports because she is good enough and highly marketable.

RelentlessSlacker > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:21

I started watching F1 in 2007 but really didn't start following it hardcore until 2009, by which time McLaren was not such a Ron Dennis team and it had Whitmarsh's kind face on it (an incredibly nice and bright guy; probably too nice for Formula 1). The 2009 Button season at Brawn was amazing to watch, not only was it such a wonderful fairy tale seeing the struggling Honda team rise from the ashes with a dominant car, but Jenson was in such a groove for so much of the year, and he had so much camera time, it was just mesmerizing watching him handle the steering wheel so delicately and minimally and make poles and wins just happen. You knew it wasn't effortless, but it looked so effortless. That's true for any F1 driver (relative to the driving skill of most any other human being), but Jenson epitomized it in 2009.

It's unfortunate, I think, that he had that dominant car in 2009. It seems to make people look at him as a guy who lucked into a strong situation. That ignores how strong he was in 2010-12, when McLaren was still building race-winning cars. And in 2013 and 2014, he's performing at least on par with his machinery. IMO, when you average qualifying times and see the McLaren is consistently the 4th or 5th fastest car most weekends, and then see Jenson getting at least 8th or 9th, usually 4th-7th, and it's like...this guy is out-racing his machinery, period. And he's doing it a lot. OK he's only brilliant when he's in his narrow operating window, but damned if he isn't consistently good outside of that operating window. Add on top of that what a nice guy he is, how technically competent he appears to be, you'd have to imagine that getting 90% of, say Alonso's pace, but with the benefit of an experienced head you can really build a team and a development program around without all the politics, you have to look at that guy as one of the best drivers on the grid, period.

McLaren is a mess. I started watching F1 as a big fan of them but over time I've come to see them for what they really are. Overly analytical, lacking vision, lacking accountability, they create things that are less than the sum of their parts, which is not how you win races and championships in F1. You can only succeed if you pull it all together, and McLaren is full of silos. Eric Boullier gives me some optimism that McLaren can rebuild, and it would appear that the funding and technical integration with Honda is there for 2015 and 2016. Ron Dennis seems like a problem. The Ron speak is ridiculous, the man expresses his vision in riddles and must be a terrifying boss to hold yourself accountable under. My concern is that Ron is what feeds the negative culture at McLaren that holds them back from their true potential; my hope is that underneath the riddles and weirdness, he's actually pulling together a tight ship. Time and performance will tell.

Button is nearing the end of his career but really deserves to keep going as long as he keeps performing, and he is definitely still performing. He is the best choice for the McLaren-Honda tie-up and the technical development that will ensue. If he gets the boot, it will come from some misdirected notion inside the McLaren management that "we have to rearrange the deck chairs on the titanic or else we're all sunk!"

Jesse Shaffer > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:34

Just as a test - I'm going to show you something that I think is on the line of relevant and not relevant that I wouldn't cross for that specific blog: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/replacement-fo…

If it needs to be a block or two closer to F1 oriented material I.E. not talking about how they relate to passenger cars, than I will save this stuff for oppo. Sorry for seeming so pedantic, I just really want to make sure I'm in-line with your intentions for the blog.

ReaperChief > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:46

I don't get why so many people think Button is such a good driver.. He managed to win with Brawn because he had a rocket of a car. All his other years were very poor. Hamilton or even Alonso, as much as I hate him, are far better drivers.. The same can be said about Raikkonen.. pure luck and he got a championship instead of Hamilton.

Jesse Shaffer > Steve Hopkinson
10/19/2014 at 16:46

This is very interesting. While I appreciate the constructive criticism, the reality is that we just have different styles. If I were a racing driver, I'd want a car that was fast and loose. I'd like to hear what you think of that.

LazarusMcpennys > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 16:50

Is Jenson really that good. I mean I know he's good. But remember the championship he won in a brawn which for the first half of the season was in a league of its own . Crashtor could've managed that. He has had some dazzling wet weather drives and beyond that is.... Pretty good. He seems like one of the few f1 drivers who isn't a whiny spoiled bitch and who I feel like I could have a beer with. I'll miss that. But I never considered him an elite driver like alot of people. Just my opinion keep in mind.

kinjasignedmeout > ReaperChief
10/19/2014 at 16:58

So you didn't watch 2011 I guess? Also, he outscored, Hamilton over their years as teammates, although Hamilton had worse reliability.

titsinmymitts > djmt1
10/19/2014 at 17:02

They need to slow the fuck down too.

The 650S was a blunder and really ruined the flagship prestige of the P1.

That front end on the P1 should have been kept to that vehicle only.

Eike > Viggen
10/19/2014 at 17:12

Would probably start following Le Mans more closely if this was the case.

RevCrowley > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
10/19/2014 at 17:23

Fractal - where are you hosting? TIA.

DCrants > OdinThe1337
10/19/2014 at 18:27

Both Williams drivers have had their contracts in place for a month or two now so that option isn't happening. Vettel leaving didn't push Button out since Alonso was already leaving for Honda's offering. Unless there is an epic collapse with Alonso's Honda deal before it is made official, Button's future has been decided for some time. Shame as I think he would make a good choice to partner with Rossi in the Haas F1 team in 2016.

JForce > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 19:34

Is English your first language? I like the theme of theme of the article, but it could have benefited from having someone proof-read it. Keep up the writing though, you'll improve with practice (like anything) and what you have to say is interesting :)

Jesse Shaffer > JForce
10/19/2014 at 19:47

Stupid was my first language. English - I'm still trying to master. Thanks for reading!

Jesse Shaffer > OdinThe1337
10/19/2014 at 20:09

The only thing that makes me feel certain that Ham won't be playing in this round of musical chairs, that if I were him, I wouldn't want anyone else, much less Fernando Alonso, in my current seat.

996C2 > Viggen
10/19/2014 at 20:34

Debunked. That reported started on one of these F1 fan sites that some guy in a basement runs. Joe Saward calls these guys internet F1 monkeys.

996C2 > Steve Hopkinson
10/19/2014 at 20:37

"5) Jenson's out because of the 'increasing amount of electronically farmed statistics'? Again, I'm not convinced. Jenson's out because there's a better driver (Alonso) on the market, and given the choice between running two drivers in their 30s or an experienced hand and a young gun, they sensibly chose the latter. There's no room for sentiment in F1."

And there is the clear and concise answer to the 'why' JB is out. +1

McTurtle > kinjasignedmeout
10/19/2014 at 20:42

Obciously you didnt watch 2011 closely enough. Hamilton was clearly faster for most of the year but it was a year of maturing for him with numerous collisions and accidents which resulted in his lower points total than Button. Dont confuse Buttons points total for being a better driver. Mclaren wouldve been very well aware of this and are now feeling hamiltons loss. Alonso like hamilton can wrestle a car around a track and make it do things most of the others cant and thats why mclaren want alonso.

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > Steve Hopkinson
10/19/2014 at 20:46

Lucky me I read the conversation and somebody else pointed out that Crashtor is a Formula 1 winner and a fast driver. We laugh at him, mock him, but to be honest, he's more capable than many others. Look at the actual driver's list and tell me who won a race. He did. There are better drivers than him, sure. But wait till Lotus have the Mercedes Benz engine next year and hopefully a good chassis to watch him be fast and do his crashing stuff. But faster.

mierdv > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 20:54

I was introduced to F1 by my brother in 2010 and I took his enthusiasm to mean this was something I should try to understand. The first full season for me was 2011 and I had dreamed of the car the McLaren F1 so I decided to follow that team. I enjoyed the scraps and then that glorious day watching JB go from back to front again and again then passing Vettel is what showed me how racing is supposed to be.

I still wear my McLaren shirt I bought at my first F1 race in Austin and I'm going back this year to cheer them on again. This time I guess I will have to get Jenson to sign it and retire it, which will be sad.

everyonejustcalmdown > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 21:27

So wheres the math? Can we talk about the math? I clicked a title about dirty math...

Jesse Shaffer > everyonejustcalmdown
10/19/2014 at 21:31

We're not doing math, we're just talking about it. Calm down.

LazarusMcpennys > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 21:36

everyonejustcalmdown > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 21:37

I see math terms, such as "formula" but dont see any actual math or how fudging numbers are screwing Button.

kgcphoto.com > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 21:42

Thanks for posting this. I'm a big Button fan and am really disappointed in how McLaren are handling the situation. Also, that video is awesome. I curse my DVR that still had Canada 2011 on it and failed. I'd go watch that race again if I could.

(can I be ungreyed? I'm not a spam thing)

Jesse Shaffer > kgcphoto.com
10/19/2014 at 21:45

Thanks for reading! I agree that "Over-Time" should be a selectable option and coded inscription within modern digital programming.

nic > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 21:55

Interesting, I feel for your cash strappedness. Do you have an FIA licence? Do any of the commentators hold a super licence? It is not about money, the money comes after the years of work. F1 is the apex model of demand side capitalism, you and I however, are destined to supply.That said, .......

mindbender9 > Steve Hopkinson
10/19/2014 at 22:25

I tend to agree with nearly all of your observations except for the obvious one - #6 Maldonado.

I hate to state the obvious but there's probably no greater polarizing driver in F1 than Maldonado. He is not one of the quickest drivers out there (look at his qualifying times) and I'd like to suggest that any team that brings him on will be jinxed until he departs.

Yes, he won at Barcelona. I will give him that. But his lack of consistency does not represent a good driver - despite the equipment that he's given.

I'm curious to see what you think of Hulkenburg. A lot of my friends seem to think he's getting screwed despite his great efforts (yes, better than Pastor...). Cheers.

kgcphoto.com > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 22:31

When the DVR failed last Fall I was so bummed that I lost that race. Was an amazing drive.

Slo-Z > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
10/19/2014 at 22:33

Thanks for saying this, coz there's no such thing as a bad F1 driver. Maldonado is crash-prone, but then again so was Grosjean a couple of seasons ago, yet Grosjean is held in higher regard to his teammate. But yeah, he might be a little too 'crashy.'

Hope Button finds a good car, but I like the fact that he's open to whatever, even being dropped. Maca should keep him.

BBlades > Jesse Shaffer
10/19/2014 at 23:54

I like Jenson as a driver, disciplined, consistent, has managaged to stick around for nearly 15 years, but i am not about to wax poetic about the 21st century version of Ricardo Patrese, with the added bonus of backing his way into a championship. Mclaren Honda will be fine... They have been there before.

Brosenkranz > Steve Hopkinson
10/20/2014 at 00:52

Maldonado is good when he doesn't fuck up. The problem is he fucks up a lot. A LOT. His win basically amounted to him getting lucky and not fucking up. Even if he were in the best machinery he'd manage to fuck up somehow. He'd probably plow straight into the rear of the first lapped car he came across. He's terrible .

Oversquaretorque > Steve Hopkinson
10/20/2014 at 01:02

I'd like to touch on a couple of these points.

RE: Williams. They have reaped the benefit of a strong engine where other mfrs were struggling. If you're not sure that's key in maintaining their current momentum, watch the Singapore GP Team Principle press conference (Friday conference). Claire Williams was keen to KEEP ENGINES BUTTONED DOWN. While a more competitive engine further diversifies the field, I don't see Williams doing the R&D bits with fervor like Red Bull, Mercedes, or even McLaren (of late). I think the jury's still out.

RE: McLaren aren't any good of late. Well, it's a fair statement. What surprised me, was that Magnussen was quick at Melbourne. Sure, there were retirements. But McLaren develop cars better than they bring cracking cars to the first GP. 2009 was a good example; also 2011.

RE: Maldonado. Would you pay Maldonado to race for you, if he didn't have the financial backing? I wouldn't. Esteban Gutierrez was soup-to-nuts brilliant in qualifying during Singapore GP's qualifying. yeah, I mentioned Singapore 2x. It's fresh in mind. Sorry. But he's not been consistent this whole season. The same with Checo and Hulkenberg. Checo's done one hell of a job post-Spa, but you need a driver to be consistent. That's largely, in my opinion, the reason for the praise Alonso gets. That man could put a bathtub into Q2, if he simply had slicks. What I'm trying to say is, At this pinnacle of racing, you're either worth being paid or paying to be worth something. I wouldn't pay Pastor, or Esteban.

RE: Canada 2011. You have to remember that Hamilton retired, that the tires were VERY temperamental, and that Button is WELL known for stretching tires. See Melbourne 2010. It wasn't a surprise that Button was able to hold on, but also an alignment of stars, so to speak.

RE: Chilton. I wouldn't pay him to drive, but he almost always finishes races. Maybe F1 just isn't his series.

Biodegradable Wiring Harness > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 02:22

F1 regulations get harder and harder to follow every year, but I think they still have a minimum weight for the cars that doesn't include the driver. That really screws a tall guy like button. They should include the driver weight so it's more a contest of driver skill and fitness instead of driver diminutiveness and anorexia.

McLaren should ditch the silver paint job. Heck, it was starting to look old way back in 2001 when Mika Hakkinen's car was blowing up every other race. They don't seem to be able to let go of the past. Mealy mouthed old Ron Dennis back at the helm, and they're not the West team anymore or the Mercedes works team, so why are they still silver? Should be orange, or dare I say... British racing green?

puppyknuckles > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 02:39

I enjoyed this article and the commentary a lot. Yes, please, more in depth F1 discussion around here. I'm learning a lot from yous guys.

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10/20/2014 at 03:37

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OdinThe1337 > DCrants
10/20/2014 at 04:02

Now contracts and F1 are not the most secure thing in the world. To be honest, Massa just did not deliver this season getting outperformed by his rookie teammate and just not getting the car to the finish blaming others.
It is not likely to happen, but my point is, the only car worth staying in F1 for if not Ferrari, McLaren or Mercedes is Williams, that only happens if Massa is bumped. So that would require bringing in serious sponsorship deals.
If Button cannot get a seat at Williams, he is better off in a good Le Mans team.

The Alonso situation, still no official news. He needed his 2 year contract tossed by Luca. We know for sure Vettel is driving at Ferrari. Honda seem to want Alonso, but at 33 years old in desperate need for another title, he might want a out-of-the-box fast Mercedes and not a 3 year project McLaren-Honda.

@xmarkedspot.com:
Hamilton might move:
Read this article
He was god at McLaren, now he is not-a-German at Mercedes. He might not like Alonso in his current seat, but if he gets the title this year, he might want to have a certain nr1 driver spot at a team with high potential.

chaboud > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 04:38

Too many commas in strange, places? Check. Pointlessly long meandering love letter to JB? Check. One more author to avoid? Check.

Change the name, because that writing style will drive people away, soon.

Steve Hopkinson > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 05:06

In my fantasies I drive with my rear axle hanging out around every corner. In reality I like a car that corners on rails, because my natural feel for grip is bloody awful (to paraphrase Niki Lauda, I have a terrible ass).

In terms of writing style, I try to balance tail-happy flights of fancy with a good dose of tight factuality. My first Oppo piece about F1 (also about Jenson, funnily enough) was decently written but the facts were all over the place, which was probably a bit too fast and loose. I was pretty happy with Sebastien Loeb is kind of a Dick , though. I guess what I'm saying is that you can play fast and loose with style, but when it comes to facts, you want a strong rear. Ahem.

Steve Hopkinson > mindbender9
10/20/2014 at 05:11

Hulkenberg is fantastic driver, and it's a mystery why he hasn't been signed by a big team yet (I don't buy the 'too heavy' argument). I can only assume that there's something we don't know about: maybe he's a nightmare to work with behind the scenes, or he carries a lot of baggage, or he's unfortunate not to have come through a big team's driver development program, or he struggles to bring sponsorship money in a grid dominated by German drivers.

However you look at it, it's bizarre that drivers like Perez and Kvyat are getting shots in front-running cars but Nico keeps getting overlooked.

lph19873@soisz.com > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 05:54

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John D. Buhr > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 07:03

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Tommy861 > Steve Hopkinson
10/20/2014 at 09:28

Re #6, I'm sorry I just can't take anyone seriously who calls Maldonado one of the quickest drivers out there. While I do not agree that he is a perfect example of money over talent (there have been a TON of other drivers far more worthy of that), and in fact I can agree he has some natural talent, he also has one of the best records for a "pay driver" that i can recall. In the end he does not have the mental discipline to be a good F1 driver. ONE season he managed to put it all together and sucked it up for one race which yes he did manage to win, but he also managed the lowest championship points finish for a race winner in that season ever. He finished 19th in 2011, 15th in 2012, 18th in 2013, and he managed to earn the most penalties by a significant amount of any driver nearly every season. He may have some natural talent, but he does not deserve one bit of praise, because he is lucky his lapses of judgement, and inability to keep up with the mental game of being a top level single seat driver, haven't killed himself or someone else. Even just from doing something as stupid as speeding in the pits which he loves to do.

RX > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 09:41

I don't understand the continued Pastor hate. I guess it's the F1 hipster thing to do. Maldano hasn't had a single crash related retirement this season. Yet Massa has caused several collisions this year, but every time it's just bad luck.

Jeb_Hoge > RelentlessSlacker
10/20/2014 at 10:17

Yep, Jenson Button in 2009 made me a Formula 1 fan for sure. Before that, I'd occasionally caught a few races (typically Monaco and whatever else I might just happen to run across) but it wasn't a series that I tried to follow. Then I started seeing articles about this guy driving this white car with no sponsor stuff and how the team was kind of a Cinderella story (aka bought by Ross Brawn for peanuts and running on a shoestring), and we also had just gotten a DVR, so I started to record and watch the races. And this guy Jenson shows up on Top Gear, too, and my wife liked him as well. So that started that.

If McLaren lets Jenson go, it's going to change my view of what was my dream team (McLaren with Lewis & Jenson should have been an empire IMO). I think I'd just as soon see him take his star power telegenic side to a different racing series, or possibly even dual-role as racer for Porsche or someone and analyst for F1.

Equana > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 10:35

Nice article but it ignores Button's inconsistency. Even the year he won the championship, his performance early in the year eclipsed the latter season's middling results. We've seen brilliant drives from Jensen. We've also seen him out cruising in a car that he must feel is not worthy of risking his neck. Alonso, Vettel, Senna and Mansell brought their best to bear no matter what the conditions of car or track. They've carried a crap car on their backs for first or fourth or tenth place. Jenson has had a great career in F1, its time to move on.

Rhygin > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 11:07

You are not a racing driver so you don't know what you would like. To say you would want a fast car is a no brainer. Took you a lot of time on your Playstation to come up with your comments did it?

Jesse Shaffer > Rhygin
10/20/2014 at 11:15

Woah, bro, Playstation? What's a playstation? I developed my driving style in this.

Phlegminglib > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 12:15

God I feel bad for JB, who has been one of my favorite driver since he started on the F1 grid. I was sad for him when papa smurf passed away - if you ever see those two in the paddock together you'll see the father/son bond was really strong.

I'm also in love with Jessica Michibata but alas she's JB's woman.

fareastcorrespondant > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 13:14

you should try www.hostingking.com hosting your domain for just $6 a month

plainnottoasted > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 13:18

I once interviewed for a job in Woking for the WWF. (Panda's not Pro-wrestling) I'm pretty sure they thought my interest in Mclaren indicated a fundamental disconnect with their mission.

I didn't get the job, but I did see my first R34 in the wild that day though, so it wasn't a complete loss.

DangerCarlos > Rhygin
10/20/2014 at 14:30

How'd you get a hold of all his driving credentials? I just assume you have them because you don't come off as someone who comments out of your ass

BigGatorChris > Jesse Shaffer
10/20/2014 at 16:38

Mediocrity is screwing Button.

Nicely written article, though.