Button "resigned" to difficult 2007 at Honda

Paulc · 9 Apr 2007, 16:49 (Ref:1887326)

Nice Jenson first you blow 18 million to stay there and then you say you are "resighed" to a difficult season at Honda,Now Form a line behind Ralf intitled "well i'm loaded so whats the point in trying and they wont give my seat up to some hot rookie cos we are F1 legends"

.
Button cant sit on he's laurals as the brit hope in F1 one anymore,a certain young genius has put pay to that and the kids here to stay

ralf fan · 9 Apr 2007, 17:09 (Ref:1887337)

It isn't his fault the car is crap. What do you expect him to say "We'll win the WDC this season?"

Suze · 9 Apr 2007, 17:34 (Ref:1887350)

I think from the first two races alone it's clear it's going to be a very hard season for the Honda team and it's more a case of "how far can they catch up?" more than anything else. It's now trying to make the most of a potentially bad season.

Incidently, can anyone enlighten as to how long JB is contracted to Honda for?

Super Hans · 9 Apr 2007, 17:39 (Ref:1887354)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suze

Incidently, can anyone enlighten as to how long JB is contracted to Honda for?

I believe it was for 5 years from 2006 - 2010, but others may feel free to correct me.

As for the original post; Everyone at Honda should resign themselves to a difficult season, because there is one hell of a lot of work to do before that car (or the rumoured new car) will be competing at a reasonable level.

Pingguest · 9 Apr 2007, 17:52 (Ref:1887369)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralf fan

It isn't his fault the car is crap. What do you expect him to say "We'll win the WDC this season?"

True, Button isn't performing too well. Barrichello finished in front of Button, while the Brazilian had to start from the pits.

Paulc · 9 Apr 2007, 18:00 (Ref:1887373)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralf fan

It isn't his fault the car is crap. What do you expect him to say "We'll win the WDC this season?"

A bit more professional dedication and not taking he's position for granted would be nice,this what I love about Flavio's you are only 3 drives away from the dole queue attitude,ask Kovy it works

NWFF 37 · 9 Apr 2007, 19:05 (Ref:1887423)

is it just me or is Jenson a bit too harsh at criticising the team? I know its a difficult car but saying that your mother says it looks shocking is a bit far IMHO.

Michael never criticised Ferrari in 96 so publicly, despite many problems , they just knuckled down and got the job done.

maximus · 9 Apr 2007, 19:39 (Ref:1887437)

Here come the Button bashers, 2 races and he's finished.

Knowlesy · 9 Apr 2007, 19:42 (Ref:1887442)

It is pointlesss bashing.

Evidently, Honda are in difficulties. But Barrichello has complained equally vociferously, so quite what the problem is I don't know.

I seem to recall similar criticism last season when he ws claiming Honda could go on to win. Funny old world!

LuckyGit · 9 Apr 2007, 20:50 (Ref:1887496)

I have always wondered about the question of good driver v's bad car dilema, which must have affected every racing driver at some stage. But in this case, Button is working in a team who have shown commitment to developing a car around him (much in the same way Mr M Schumacher recieved at Ferrari). Button is as responsible for Honda's performance and vice versa.

JB Keep your chin up and don't let the barstewards get you down.

BootsOntheSide · 9 Apr 2007, 22:12 (Ref:1887573)

By the time the drivers had any idea of how the car was going or what needed doing to it, it was too late. Any progress this season can partly be down to them. If they build a new car, their advice on the shortcomings of the current car will have to be accurate.

carlo8 · 10 Apr 2007, 01:31 (Ref:1887655)

I think it's funny that ,for the last 2 (?) years jense has been saying gentle positive things about honda -trying to be a team player and encourage the team that way.
This year he's just not bothering,instead saying anything negative he can think of .Maybe in the hope that such comments are what they need to get motovated?

neilap · 10 Apr 2007, 02:38 (Ref:1887664)

JB being resigned to their situation does not mean he is going to stop trying, it means he has faced the facts. Honda has not given him what they promised and he has to live with it. As for being critical, both drivers, in fact the team has expressed the same thoughts repeatedly. No one has bashed Honda, they have all said how hard people work in the team and how they know things will bet better with time.
Honda has long suffered with front end grip. It seems the new car was designed to over come that issue but maybe its done a 180! Now the car has very little rear grip and still understeers too. Rumors are that this design is pretty much hopeless and a new car will be here in Canada. Wow... Canada... thats a lot of suffering till then.
JB and co. are in for a very long season.

**Born Racer** · 10 Apr 2007, 11:02 (Ref:1887887)

Would it make any sense do you think for them to use a modified version of the 2006 car?

After all, Super Aguri are nearly beating them with that, and it is probably only resources and inexperience in F1 that are holding them back from beating Honda thus far. If the 2007 Honda does have a fundamental design problem, then perhaps there is more potential in evolving last year´s car.

Knowlesy · 10 Apr 2007, 11:05 (Ref:1887889)

The problem for Jenson is that Honda make the same mistakes every season and make no real progress. I challenge anyone not to get frustrated with that situation after so many years.

Schumacher was a positive guy but if Ferrari did not show forward progress like they did over the course of 1996-2000, then I doubt he'd have displayed a calm attitude. In fact, he'd probably have left.

Paulc · 10 Apr 2007, 12:33 (Ref:1887987)

[QUOTE=Knowlesy]The problem for Jenson is that Honda make the same mistakes every season and make no real progress.

Couldnt agree more Jenson and his father obviously had big hopes at Honda and nothing is happening,I do think this is having an affect on Jensons dedication to his driving,could it be possible that its going to cost him a lot of money again to get out of Honda,how ironic

.

Osella · 10 Apr 2007, 16:25 (Ref:1888147)

I 'spose in the short term, Honda could just swap the cars back 'twixt Earthdreamteam and SA?? That is legal, right??

Snrub · 10 Apr 2007, 17:01 (Ref:1888179)

Button needs to be careful. When things are going poorly, teams look for areas of weekness. Drivers are easy scapegoats and Button is drawing a lot of attention to Honda's embarasing problem. Ultimately teams race for marketing purposes and Button is undoing any possible benefit. Rubins has utterly outperformed Button in the first two races, possibly by the largest margin of any teammate on the grid. With the exception of Rubins' "parachute" comment he's been pretty positive.

Marbot · 10 Apr 2007, 17:51 (Ref:1888236)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snrub

Rubins has utterly outperformed Button in the first two races, possibly by the largest margin of any teammate on the grid.

Eh?

ralf fan · 10 Apr 2007, 17:58 (Ref:1888248)

Rubens has finished ahead of Jenson on both occasions. After qualifying well behind Jenson at Malaysia too. But i think Jenson did have some gremlins in Australia.

Super Hans · 10 Apr 2007, 18:30 (Ref:1888286)

It comes as no surprise that Barrichello has the better race pace at the moment. Jenson is as good as anyone when he's got a good set of wheels underneath him, but he's not so hot when it comes to driving difficult cars.

Knowlesy · 10 Apr 2007, 19:17 (Ref:1888325)

I think that is fair, we saw that in 2001.

He is one of the very best in a good car, average in a bad car.

**Born Racer** · 10 Apr 2007, 19:42 (Ref:1888367)

Quote:

He is one of the very best in a good car, average in a bad car.

Indeed it seems so- which is strange when you consider that he is apparantly one of the smoothest drivers. This opens up a range of questions regarding technique, because you would perhaps think smooth is best when it comes to dealing with nasty handling issues. But then smooth is in theory best in any situation!

And then I find myself thinking..in what way is he known to be smooth? Smooth application of throttle, of brakes, of steering, or all three? Maybe "hustling" the car is better if the thing handles badly. Do I even understand the term ´hustling´correctly to say that it relates to sharper, more aggressive input on any of these three aforementioned areas of driver control?

Knowlesy · 10 Apr 2007, 19:48 (Ref:1888379)

A smooth style possibly requires a car that is very well defined. A bad car often needs bullied around a track.

I think a good example of this is 2003 at Williams. Initially the car was very bad, and JPM (the "bullying" driver) was the frontrunner and in contention whilst Ralf (the smoother driver) was qualifying 17th and doing badly. Then the car got better and Ralf was marginally on top for a while at least.

Jenson is smooth in all areas, or so we hear. His steering input is as delicate as hell, his throttle use is so smooth that he almost overrides the TC. All of which is of no apparent use in this years Honda mule, as Rubens storms away in the races.

Super Hans · 10 Apr 2007, 19:50 (Ref:1888380)

It's difficult to say, but you might have a point about his smooth driving style being ill-suited to poorly balanced machinery.

Throughout his karting career he was used to running at the front with a top-class chassis beneath him. Maybe this is why he seems to be all at sea when faced with a truly difficult car like the RA107.

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