Since Jenson hasn't won a race in 7

Steve,
In theory the WDC should pick the best driver and the WCC should pick the best machine but, as you point out the theory often fails. A key third determinate is the team. We often forget that F1 is a team sport. Bad race management and faulty pit work loses and wins races too.

 

and before that he said he won't cheat like MS did for the title AND now this morning he's disappointed Rosberg was not penalized (what's next on the list?)

I think he's trying to convince himself and others of his worth. Meanwhile, I really like Vettel's attitude as this morning he said he will draw inspiration from Kimi Raikkonen's dramatic title triumph two years ago as he looks to overhaul Jenson Button in the final two races of the season. Raikkonen trailed Championship favorite Lewis Hamilton by 17 points going into the last two rounds. Hope he can pull it off.

Carol

 

LOL!

Interestingly, the only time Jensen hasn't finished in the points this season has been in Belgium when he was taken out in the 1st lap carnage and failed to finish at all. Despite some poor starting positions in some races, he's always ensured a points finish - with the sole exception of the aforementioned accident.

As for Rubens, it was a gearbox that gave him a DNF in Turkey (negating Jensen's accident), but having started 12th in Hungary, he only made up two places and finished 10th - out of the points.

Looking at Vettel... ok, he's had 2 DNFs that weren't his fault (engine in Valencia, suspension damage caused by Raikkonen in Hungary), but his accident in Monaco was wholly his mistake. There have also been mistakes like destroying his rear diffuser on the curb in Singapore. He's got speed, most obviously in qualifying and when he wins on a circuit he's particularly comfortable with he destroys the opposition by a huge margin. Sometimes he just oversteps the mark a bit... but with more experience, I think he's a future Champion.

If Jensen wraps up this championship, then it won't be the stuff of legend, but he'll be a very worthy Champion. We also have to acknowledge (as was said earlier) that Brawn slowed the development of this car quite early on in the season in order to make sure next year's car gets a good head-start. Had Jensen's points been acquired at different times in the season (say the latter half), people would have looked on this entirely differently and he'd have be hailed for his legendary comeback to seize the title from the grasp of his competitors... even if the points total was the same, there would have been something magical about that.

So he might not be legendary, but he's certainly worthy.

I don't think Brawn GP fear a meltdown at all. I think Jensen's engineers might be a little worried, but Brawn GP will win the WCC - it's inevitable. As for the WDC, Vettel's chances are so slim it'd be astonishing if he won it. I'm certain it'll be Jensen or Rubens.

Given that the team will likely take both titles, I don't think the senior management will particularly care which driver is crowned. If it's right down to the wire between their drivers, then it'll make it all the better for them as their cars will dominate the commentary in the race and draw the most media attention both beforehand and afterwards.

The possibility of this going wrong for Brawn GP is so remote, it's almost ridiculous to contemplate it. It's just a fight between Jensen and Rubens - at this point, Vettel is just a distraction at most.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Kimi won the DC being 17 points down going into the last two races - no faulty machinery and Vettel can do the same.

Carol

 

There was no faulty machinery in 2007, but Hamilton's DNF in China was a HUGE factor in Kimi being able to claw back the difference. It'll take a DNF from Jensen or out-of-points finishes for it to be realistic and I just can't see him throwing away the Championship by beaching the car or something similar to give Vettel the opportunity.

Jensen needs 5 points total from the remaining two races to take it away from Vettel - even if Vettel wins both remaining races.

Then he needs only 6 points to take it away from Rubens and win the title on number of race victories - even if Rubens wins both remaining races. 7 points will take the title outright.

It's mathematically possible he could lose it, but crazy to think it might actually happen.

All the best,
Andrew

 

except this time there are two cars that have to go badly...RB AND JB.

 

they've had issues in the past - so ANYTHING is possible.

GO VETTEL.

Carol

 

+1

Not a fan of the way the whole Brawn thing came about, I like RB, clever guy, but Newey is a brilliant engineer and Vettel a faster driver.

 

If Button has the most points at the end of the season, then he deserves to win the WDC; that is the system used.

 

sure...absolutely possible....I'm just saying the odds against it happening are even greater than when Kimi did it.

I'd sort of like to see Button win it...he's certainly put in the hard work with that team over the years....but I'm not all that fussed either way. Vettel's got many championships to come IMO.

 

I'd rather see Rubens win because, despite being in a championship winning red car, he was forced to play second fiddle all the time. This is his last chance to be WDC, and he's got a winning car. Dammit, he deserves this far more than Button.

 

If not Button then who is the "worthy" champion for this year? Rubens or Vettel coming from behind? Well, first they have to actually pull it off.

It has been up to the others to snatch the championship away but so far it looks like a slim chance. I'm not a Brawn/Button fan but they did what they had to do to be ahead by that much.

In F1 it is evident that being champion and the best driver do not necessarily go hand in hand (K. Rosberg, Villeneuve, D. Hill, etc.) Button is not the best driver but will make IMO a worthy champion.

As a side note, Button would have already won the championship if Bernie's (idiotic) medal system was in place.

 

In the beginning of the 1979 season, the Ferrari 312 T4 was a consistent front runner and scored many points. Later the same season the brilliant ground effect Williams FW07 arrived and the 312 T4 was more and more outdated.

Does this make Jody Scheckter an unworthy F1 champion?

 

Dumbest post I've seen in awhile. What is your point? Do you want the old system where points were thrown out and only the best X finishes were counted, then Button wins or the Bernie prososal of wins in which Button wins. It's a champinship, points are points and it the end the one with the most wins and congrats to them.

Many teams and individuals go through losing streaks; ask the Mets, the Yankees, the Rangers, ask Tiger Woods, ask Michael Schumacher anyone/team who compeats has wins and losses and the champion is the one who scores the most points at the end of the season.

So again what is your point?

 

Actually, Button only needs 4 points against Vettel even if he wins both races. Points wise they would be tied, but Button has more wins.

6 points against Barrichello if he were to win the last two races.

Either way, I don't see Barrichello or Vettel winning both races.

Jenson need only come in 5th place at Brazil, and Vettel is out of the Championship, even if Vettel wins.

+1

+100

Rubens does deserve a WDC, but I feel Button does also. If it were any other driver besides Button, I would definitely be rooting for Rubens. Whoever wins, I'll still be happy. Only wish that they would be winning in a Honda powered Honda chassis, instead of a Mercedes powered Honda chassis.

I concur.

 

Ah, I'd been looking at Jensen's points tally and saw only 5 points for Malaysia - forgetting that the points were halved and I hadn't counted it as a 'win'. Oops!

It'll be an interesting two races. You can bet Vettel and Barrichello will be flying hell-for-leather around both tracks and Jensen will be trying not to be taken out by anyone.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Agree to a point...that's why I keep hoping Barrichello comes back to pip him. He's been more competitive all season, and if not for dubious "team orders" he would be leading the championship right now.

Jensen is a mid-pack driver who had a dominant car. The fact that his teammate has been the better driver the whole season soils his image, versus his lack of victories lately.

 

Don't post that on crash.net! The partisan crowd over there thinks he is Jim Clark reincarnated. They seem to forget the past, oh..decade of mediocrity and unfulfilled potential.

I hope Rosberg kicks his butt next year at Brawn.

 

Nothing against Jensen, but Brawn wanted him to be champ and not Rubens. I just hate that the old guy didn't get an equal opportunity. Button just has faded back into being himself once the other teams caught up with the Brawn's advantages, while Rubens seems to push as hard as the car will let him.

I think the team figured that out a few races ago and finally let Rubens compete for the title. Unfortunately, Button's lead was too big to overcome by that time.

 

I wasn't aware that points earned at the beginning of the season were worth less than points at the end of the season. Go figure...

 

+1

Seems to me folk want JB to go balls out every race and lose the WDC like LH did, and he got slayed on here for that..no pleasing some folk, like the armchair experts could do any better.

Short memorys on here everyone was quite happy seeing a new face win races at the start of the year especially from the ashes of a team that went tits up with the great man Ross B leading it.

 

Agreed.

If people compare Jenson's results to date this year with Lewis' at the same stage last year you won't find much difference in them.

 

Balls out worked so well for Lewis his first season

 

+2

 

Steve, I think the question centers more around those who proclaimed that Jensen was Schumacher's equal at the beginning of the year. Others said he was a good but average driver sitting in the best car on the grid. I think this is just a "come uppance" post for those who proclaimed the latter.

The only place I question his "worthiness" is that Rubens had been every bit his equal at the start of the season and now beats him constantly. At the end of the day, though, it's Ross' team and he can choose how he wants his team to perform. As far as the other cars are concerned, Jensen had nothing to do with Red Bull running too heavy and getting stuck behind the KERS cars or Webber imploding at the end of the season. He'll get his title and be crowned 2009 WDC. That's all that will be remembered at the end of the day.