http://www.crash.net/news_view.asp?cid=1&id=150994 Jenson Button has sensationally announced he will leave Formula 1 should the performance of his Honda car not significantly improve within the next two years. The Briton made the revelation after lining up a dismal 18th in qualifying for his home grand prix at Silverstone last weekend the first time he has failed to make it beyond the Q1 cut all season. Though his fortunes would get somewhat better during the race with tenth position at the chequered flag, the damage particularly coming as it did in front of his ever-loyal supporters was already done. Two years ago I was second on the grid here, he told The Mail on Sunday, so it was quite disappointing and not just because it was my home race. Our race pace was better than in qualifying, but it needs to be a hell of a lot better still. Button has endured a torrid first half to the 2007 campaign, with little sign of any light at the end of the tunnel. Only once has he started inside the top ten on the grid, and only once has he finished in the points with eighth place in Magny-Cours. It is far less than he had hoped for going into his eighth season in the top flight. There will come a time when I get bored of finishing eighth, he stressed. I'm in this sport to win and I won't want to keep on finishing eighth at best, which is what I've achieved this season with Honda. To be honest, I'd find it too tough to handle. If this continues then maybe in a couple of years I'll just call it a day and go and find something else to do. Button's position is more than understandable, given the fact that in 2004 he finished third in the world drivers' championship and in the final six races of 2006 outscored every other driver in the field, Michael Schumacher and reigning double world champion Fernando Alonso included. He also took his maiden grand prix victory courtesy of a sublime performance in Hungary last year, only serving to accentuate Honda's dramatic fall from grace eleven months on. Though he has repeatedly pledged his faith and support to the struggling Japanese manufacturer now under yet another cloud following its implication in the Nigel Stepney spying row Button's latest admission will surely sting them into action. You've got to stick together when times are tough, he underlined, because we all have highs and lows. At the moment we're in a low but I still have high hopes. The best way to motivate the team is to drive my best and try and get a point or two, but also give plenty of feedback. Talking about giving up is very negative. The positive outlook is to say we can start winning races again next season and my confidence in my ability remains high. [Driving the best car on the grid] is something I still hope for in the future. I understand I'm in a bloody good job and that racing in F1 is my dream. I don't blame him.....
Nor do I. Button's career has been riddled with missed opportunities, contract clauses, poor timing, and rollercoaster performance. I really like him as a driver and a personality, and I wish him the best in the future of kicking his team's ass into gear, or finding a more capable team. Such a shame, as he is a very very skilled and capable driver.
Yeah right. SF and FA: match made in hell. Not unless he cleans up his act and stops whining about little ****. He's an arrogant prick, he should go back to Minardi (ya ya, Minardi is now STR).
Hahaha touché. Well considering the relationship FA has with another, ahem, accomplished prick who happens to be closely intertwined with all things SF in recent history, I don't see the "pricks" swinging together between those 2. MS has a much more sophisticated and cultured air of arrogance vs. FA's primadonna attitude. That being said, I enjoyed his and Kimi's romp at the British GP. It was good driving and a perfect display of how The modern-day Senna should have and could have been WDC those years at McL had they had their act half-together. Now FA is coming into his spot after the team found some reliability and Senna, err Kimi has moved on to bigger and better things.
He'd look better in a Williams or a BMW. Back to the good ole days. I actually enjoy seeing button in a Honda, as its a British outfit (the F1 team at least). Damn do I wish it were just as good as it were in the late BAR/Honda '06 days. Ideally I'd like for more than 2 teams to be winning in F1 again. McL, Ferrari, BMW, Honda should honestly all be at the same level SOON. I hope. I love Ferrari, and I'd love them more if they had a few more teams to compete against...
MS never had to whine, he never had a quick teammate and if he did, thier contract never let them show it.
Eddie Irvine almost won the title in '99 (who cares if MS broke his legs!). There was some discussion earlier about helmets. On a random note. I like Button's helmet. And Irvine's (when he was with SF). And Kimi's. Fin.
Not going to happen - Heidfeld's definitely again with BMW, Mario is foolish to let go of Kubica, Vettel is there in the background (also being loaned to STR). Rosberg is Sir Frank's prize but Wurz was far better as a test driver. After the incident of several years past, it would seem very doubtful that Frank would take Jenson back. Level racing = spec series - only difference is the person behind the wheel. It's already being pushed towards spec racing as it is . . . Carol
He's about as good or better than Massa. He deserves a better ride than what he has. If Brawn comes back to the team it could happen. Brawn is known to be a fan of Button's
Agreed, let just be clear that I never said JB would, could, or should be at any of those teams. I guess I just would enjoy seeing him at them. He's steadily building (or was) a team around himself with Honda. Too bad that pesky Barrichello keeps interfering. As for level racing and spec series... Nah. Just need less aero-dependence and more mechanical grip. Then its down to power, driver's balls, and their braking threshold. So, IMVHO, i think Button will stay with Honda for quite some time. Hopefully he will grow the balls to be a true leader, build the team up around him more, and find more success. BMW are on the up and up, Williams is eh... in a slump, McLaren/Mercedes found beryllium into their V8s this year and Ferrari are in growing pains with a new team that is just starting to get its pubes. I see Kimi/Mass doing good things for SF, and vice versa in the future. Its a very pleasurable thing to see.
I like Jenson, seems like a cool guy. That said, I wish he had a better seat, but I don't see it happening for a while.
i do see JB leaving Honda end of next season, should their performace maintains the same level. but,i think there'll be plenty of people waiting to hire him out there.
Jenson deserves better than what he has. He is a WAAAAY better driver than the Honda is a car. Honda seriously needs a major housecleaning. I admire Button for having grown up and stuck it out with them for a while. But something must change. I think there is plenty of opportunity for Button. He is pretty much at the back of the grid at the moment. He could make many potential moves forward, to teams like Red Bull, Renault, Williams. Even a move to Toyota would be a step up at this point. I'd love to see him in a Ferrari or McLaren but that won't happen anytime soon. I think Frank would take him back - be believes in Button and money always trumps hard feelings, if any exist.
Button is a great driver. His past success in 04 and 06 where he was constantly on the podium, especially 04, attest to that. It's a real shame that his car is placing him in the same area as Albers/Sutil/Sato/Liuzzi. It's an embarrasment for him, as well as Barrichello, who enjoyed major success since 1999 with Ferrari. I would like to see both of them jump ship, the Honda sucks. Button would be a great addition to a competitive team, and great for F1 as well, with more than two teams competing for the title.
Maybe not, but Barrichello has out-qualified Button 5 to 4 this season so far, and beat him 7 to 2 (one of the times Barrichello retired)... I can't believe people are even suggesting that Button should be a Ferrari driver, i think he is the most over-rated on the grid, I would rather see Barrichello back at Marranello then Button!
Button doesn't seem to put together a quick lap, he was always beaten by his teammates in qualifying. Race pace however he's really consistent and doesn't make many unforced errors. He'd be a good number two to Kimi. I said it before and i'll say it again, he's as good as Massa if not better in some ways. Massa may be quicker over one lap but Button doesn't mess up under pressure like Felipe does at times. Now that Kimi is starting to come on, watch Massa start to fall apart.
I think Jenson thought the money Honda have it would be a good place to be Just goes to show it take more than that. I really like his driving style Dont want to see him leave but it must be so dishearting right now as he paid to be with the team and they got it so wrong. Knowing his luck he will leave and then the car becomes a ferrari beater
