So, Jenson Button has signed a multi-year deal with McLaren - something that merely a week ago seemed utterly unfeasible. But things change fast in F1.
All this talk of Brawn not being willing to meet Button's pay demands has been categorically denied by the team, who claim they/Mercedes offered Jenson far more than was being reported, and a couple of million more than McLaren agreed with Button and manager Richard Goddard.
So, it's not about the money then.
The consensus out there - among fans and insiders - seems to be that Button has bitten off a lot more than he can chew, and that Lewis Hamilton will destroy him. So, why did this deal happen.
It's likely Button relishes a new challenge, believes he can beat Lewis (even though no one else believes that) and rather likes the idea of adding his name to the roster of McLaren's famous drivers. If he feels he wasn't valued by Brawn, it's one in the eye for them. Also, when Jenson finished his first season in F1, with Williams, Ron Dennis came and had a chat. Apparently, according to Jenson's autobiography,Ron talked to the then 20 year-old like he was a child - and Jenson resented that. So, it's one in the eye for Ron too, although surely Ron still has the casting vote in Woking.
For McLaren, having the first pairing of champion Brits since Lotus in 1968 (Graham Hill and Jim Clark were, in many ways, the Button and Hamilton of their day) is a PR coup for them.
BUT...
They will take points off each other, and that could play right into the hands of the opposition. Red Bull Racing, who managed their drivers very well this season, will be laughing their heads off. Ferrari may face their own internal battle too, but I'm sure they will control it better.
Button and Hamilton will fall out. Personality-wise, these two are chalk and cheese. John Button will probably end up punching Anthony Hamilton... Oh dear, this will end in tears. Lewis won't want to share info, and Jenson has always been a bit jealous of the attention Lewis receives. Jenson will not like the way Lewis commands the garage, and that will happen because Lewis is the prodigy and has his feet under the table. Having world champs as team mates never works and of all teams, McLaren should know this by now. Will they ever learn?
Still, it's going to be exciting isn't it? Come and see McLaren implode! Come and see two Englishmen kick the sh*t out of each other, and then get p***ed on by a Spaniard in a Ferrari!
Button and Hamilton will fall out. Personality-wise, these two are chalk and cheese. John Button will probably end up punching Anthony Hamilton... Oh dear, this will end in tears. Lewis won't want to share info, and Jenson has always been a bit jealous of the attention Lewis receives. Jenson will not like the way Lewis commands the garage, and that will happen because Lewis is the prodigy and has his feet under the table. Having world champs as team mates never works and of all teams, McLaren should know this by now. Will they ever learn?
Still, it's going to be exciting isn't it? Come and see McLaren implode! Come and see two Englishmen kick the sh*t out of each other, and then get p***ed on by a Spaniard in a Ferrari!
Remember when Jenson wanted to leave BAR/Honda for Williams, but it was disallowed, and then despite signing for Williams he then wanted to stay at BAR/Honda and that cost him a couple of years salary... And then Honda were shit... If you offer Jenson a choice, he will likely as not make the wrong one, and I fear he has done so again here.
Nick Fry (£29 million richer this week, I understand) was uncharacteristically candid when he said "We don't understand the logic of the decision and I think Jenson is going to have to up his game if he's to beat Lewis on home territory."
McLaren will, I'm sure, have a car that can challenge for the championship next year. But so should Brawn/Mercedes. As Mercedes digs in there things will only get better for the Brackley team. And Jenson would have dominated Rosberg.
I mean, I hope I'm wrong, but...
I disagree with most of your points, despite them being the same as most I'm reading around the interwebs.
However I think you're missing what to my mind is the biggest worry.
Neither Lewis nor Jensen is particularly known for being able to give decnt feedback for setting up a car. Jensen relied on Rubens set-ups, and Lewis always did better when he cribbed Alonso's..
I hope I'm wrong and they flourish competing with each other at the front, but I'm worried we have a season of watching the McLaren go up blind alley after blind alley ahead of us!
I think Rosberg would have dominated Button IMHO......
Lewis is more than capable of setting up a car. The last two years has proved this. Alonso had to make up excuses for Lewis being so good.
Thank goodness this myth has been busted. To be able to get pole on so few runs is proof his setup skills are indeed very good.
Going on Button's history it's obvious why he chose Mclaren; job security for 3 years @£21m or 1 year max @£8-12m before it gets booted out by Mercedes for Vettel. The drivers market is full of cheap youngsters to choose from.
Jenson's main worry is his confidence in passing good drivers of which Lewis has no fear.
Jenson will have to pass the likes of Vettel, Massa and Alonso before he can get to Lewis!
My God! This is going to be brilliant! That will only Ross Brawn look even more better then he is! To make some boy a champion not even the racer, genius! How about we see 2010 jensen far behind from Lewis? I think that's what is going to happened! jensen in UK is sooooooo over rated, and thanks to powerful press... they raced him and they going to kill him too.... ohhhhh.... poor kid! I think he will have migrate to Honshu, or maybe not even there! He will have to hide in Afghanistan after all the shame he will get! let's hope the champ doesn't commit suicide. jens +0,158 a lap behind lewis! brilliant!
And yeah, the answer on you question is - Very, very stupid!
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