Feel sorry for all those who have bought Brawn t-shirts

[Ian]

Re: Feel sorry for all those who have bought Brawn t-shirts

We all know that Button is kinder to his car and his tyres than Lewis but didn't the Bridgestone guy say that they'd have to improve the tyres anyway to handle the additional punishment of full fuel load for the entire race?

I suspect that Jenson's careful use of the tyres won't be a deciding factor here.

We also know, based on 2009, that Jenson needs the car to be tuned to his advantages in order to win. When the bulk of McLaren's technical expertise will be working on improving the car for Lewis, there won't be a lot of scope for Button's requirements.

In short, signing a three-year deal (as has been reported) was probably a good thing for Button because I doubt he'll have much chance of shining in 2010.

Still, scenes from the garage should be good. While Button's father is cheering and shouting encouragement at every minor overtaking move by Jense, Anthony Hamilton will be doing his usual "scowl at the monitor for two hours" bit. The contrast should make for some amusing commentary.

Of course next year's tyres will be modified for the new fuel-heavy cars, but that doesn't mean preserving tyres in the race won't be an asset. It's always been an asset.

Also, the front tyres will be narrowed, so the cars will naturally have a tendency to understeer more, and that's better for Jenson than for Lewis.

Ian

[JSR]

Re: Feel sorry for all those who have bought Brawn t-shirts

This official reason from Jenson is that he wanted a new challenge: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/8369244.stm

The unofficial reason from EJ is that Mercedes told him to get lost: http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,189...703644,00.html

I can't honestly understand that Jense would go to McLaren because he wants the challenge of competing with Lewis. Surely that's done on the racetrack, not in the garage? Jense as number 1 in Brawn/MercedesGP vs Lewis as number 1 in McLaren makes some kind of sense. But Jense as number 2 to Lewis number 1 in the same team doesn't. McLaren want Lewis to win the WDC and, if Jense gets in the way, they'll treat him like they treated Alonso.

Seems to me it's more likely that Mercedes wouldn't give Jense a multi-year contract, so Jense went to someone who would. Wouldn't surprise me if, in a year, we see MercedesGP vying for Vettel in their number 1 car and, even if they kept Jenson on, he'd be out by 2011 regardless.

Of course, we're all forgetting the biggest challenge Button will have to face in 2010. Every weekend of the season, he'll be forced to sandpaper down his chin and get rid of that wiry stubble so that he'll look as teflon non-stick and as shiny as McLaren's other ambassador.

[Ian]

Re: Feel sorry for all those who have bought Brawn t-shirts

In his latest interview Jenson does admit he turned down more money from Brawn/Mercedes, which is quite interesting and surprising. I can now understand the perplexity of the comments from Brawn and Fry.

So if it's really not down to the money, and Jenson really is seeking a new challenge with McLaren, this could either turn out to be a remarkable new chapter in Jenson's career, or a huge mistake. But I can see that as he has now achieved his life long ambition of winning the championship, a fresh challenge could be very inspirational. Jenson is already a multi-millionaire, so money must be less of a motivator than it used to be.

Ian

[JSR]

Re: Feel sorry for all those who have bought Brawn t-shirts

Am I the only one who's rapidly losing any respect I had for Ross Brawn and Nick Fry?

Apparently, Fry has now said that they won't be releasing Button early to his new team and he'll have to work out his next six weeks. If he does anything for McLaren in the meantime, it'll be seen in a "dim light". Re: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80229

What exactly is Button going to do for them over the Christmas period? Cook their turkey for them?

Smacks of sour grapes to me. Fry rants on about lack of loyalty on Button's part, but it's not him that was dragging out the negotiations.

Button took a massive hit in the wallet at the beginning of the year so that he could bring home the WDC for Brawn GP and, when they lose him, they get all petty about it - citing "lack of loyalty". McLaren were instrumental in ensuring Brawn GP got the Mercedes engine at the eleventh hour at the start of the season, but BrawnGP won't let them have their new driver five weeks early?

BrawnGP might have grown from the ashes of Honda and had a fairy tale year, but they're ending their life by putting a sour taste in everyone's mouths.

It strikes me that it's all about the money for Brawn. He bought the team for $1 and sold it for, what, $200m. He got Button on the cheap and wanted to keep the World Champ for peanuts. Now his greed has lost him the World Champ, he won't let Button go to McLaren early, presumably in some misguided view that he'll lose Christmas merchandising sales when Button starts turning up on the shelves in McLaren colours.

My respect for someone who thinks solely of money to the absence of integrity is right down there somewhere beneath the gutter.

Nick Fry needs to stop making petty jabs at the man they've lost before he brings the whole team down with him. His and Brawn's actions in losing the WDC have made Mercedes deal of buying Brawn GP look foolish - given that they could have held onto their 40% share in a team that now has two World Champs. They don't need any more bad rep from the managers.

If this kind of arrogance is what they've kept behind closed doors for the last year, then I'm starting to think that it's a good thing that Button and Rubens have found drives elsewhere.