Button in frame for McLaren drive

[Matt32AMG]

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Button in frame for McLaren drive
good or bad thing
Guess its going to be a matter of dosh in the end

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Two British F1 Champions in a car fielded by a British team. Kind of makes you proud to be British!!

OK so the engine isn't British, but I'd rather it be MB than any other, being a British MB enthusiast - it doesn't get any better!!

For JB I think it would be in his long term interests to get into the Mclaren, as I think they will have done the opposite of what they did last year - start developing next seasons car early.

Brawn have taken the fight almost to the end, and with a more limited budget, may have done wat Mclaren did last year - start developing next seasons car late.

 

[Dryce]

For JB I think it would be in his long term interests to get into the Mclaren, as I think they will have done the opposite of what they did last year - start developing next seasons car early.

Bad move for him IMHO. The McLaren team is built around Hamilton.

I think Kimi would survive better.

Brawn have taken the fight almost to the end, and with a more limited budget, may have done wat Mclaren did last year - start developing next seasons car late.

It may be worse than that. How much money do Brawn have? Despite their amazing championship position by mid-year they didn't pick up a decent headline sponsor. Indications are that Branson was basically getting his name on the car for beer money.

I'm guessing they'll still need to go after the final remaining available points this season to help make up the numbers for next year.

 

[kurtdaley]

Two British F1 Champions in a car fielded by a British team. Kind of makes you proud to be British!!

OK so the engine isn't British, but I'd rather it be MB than any other, being a British MB enthusiast - it doesn't get any better!!

For JB I think it would be in his long term interests to get into the Mclaren, as I think they will have done the opposite of what they did last year - start developing next seasons car early.

Brawn have taken the fight almost to the end, and with a more limited budget, may have done wat Mclaren did last year - start developing next seasons car late.

Did you see the interview with hamiltons dad last week? He said basically that they have got the new car for next year and had been working on it for a while, because this seasons had been a bit of a dog really!!

 

[Matt32AMG]

Two British F1 Champions in a car fielded by a British team. Kind of makes you proud to be British!!

OK so the engine isn't British, but I'd rather it be MB than any other, being a British MB enthusiast - it doesn't get any better!!

Yes but then who is going to get No1 driver status? Presumably Button as his car will carry the Number 1

For JB I think it would be in his long term interests to get into the Mclaren, as I think they will have done the opposite of what they did last year - start developing next seasons car early.

Yes I can't help but agree with that, Brawn haven't been keeping pace with rivals developments. Look at Mclaren this year, they had a minger of a car back in April, March, etc now look at the cars performance. Like for like, Brawns car hasn't improved that much over the season.

Brawn have taken the fight almost to the end, and with a more limited budget, may have done wat Mclaren did last year - start developing next seasons car late.

Agreed, I think it unlikely Brawn will repeat this years success given that the usual protagonists are now up to speed with the new regulations/restrictions of this year’s formula. Its going to be an interesting season next year me thinks.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Bad move for him IMHO. The McLaren team is built around Hamilton.

You're dead right, Hamilton has had two families really - the Hamilton's and the Dennis's. He's been groomed by McLaren, and they won't drop that alliance just because there's a new boy in town.

What I do know though is that McLaren are racers, and they're all about winning. If JB is the main title hope in a Mclaren next year, then they'll back him to get the win, the credit, the big sponsorship deals, and therefore funding.

JB is also a racer, and he wants to win. Ross Brawn will be a major boost in his chances of winning, but not quite so much as a team with a competitive car (certainly at first) with money behind them. Tough choice.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yes but then who is going to get No1 driver status? Presumably Button as his car will carry the Number 1

I think it could be even stevens. LH is an old and trusted friend, and JB is the current Champ. I think they'll do what they can for both, but naturally LH will keep his crew, and JB will inherit HK's.

 

[blondebier]

I think it'd be a real shame if he went to McLaren just for the money.

I hope brawn secure some serious sponsorship as a result of the constructors title and stay up near the top next season.

Honda must be kicking themselves so hard!

 

[corned]

Whilst I'm not sure about the original question, I think what has been posted about McLaren is spot on. They have always been racers, even to their own detriment on several occasions. This is why I regard them very highly indeed, and others - say in red livery - not so highly...

I believe that this was primarily down to Ron Dennis (as he was Bruce McLaren's oily rag in the early days, and knew the business from the ground up, unlike most), so whether the corporate stuff overpowers this fundamental philosophy, now Rockin' Ron is out of there, remains to be seen. I sincerely hope not.

 

[Dryce]

JB is also a racer, and he wants to win. Ross Brawn will be a major boost in his chances of winning, but not quite so much as a team with a competitive car (certainly at first) with money behind them. Tough choice.

Not so simple I suspect.

Assuming he's being advised strategically then JB needs to sort out earnings. He's just past the likely 2/3 point of his F1 career. His contract issues with Williams and Honda plus the pay cut to stick with Brawn mean that his cumulative earnings probably look quite poor compared with the other WCs in the field - and even non WCs such as Barrichello.

Now he has the WC to his name the temptation - despite the instinct to go for another WC - will have to realistically be be more towards career earnings and a retirement plan.

 

[Dryce]

Honda must be kicking themselves so hard!

That's what I thought at the weekend.

But on second thoughts the question arises as to whether or not the car would have been as successful with their engine.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I think Honda should get some of the credit.

 

[blondebier]

That's what I thought at the weekend.

But on second thoughts the question arises as to whether or not the car would have been as successful with their engine.

Good point.

Although we'll never know, I can't help but think that as those engineers build such reliable cars for the road that they'd pull out something pretty special for their F1 cars...?

I liked the variety of technology last season. Now that BMW are off there won't be as much. I think that's a bit sad really.

 

[Dryce]

Although we'll never know, I can't help but think that as those engineers build such relaible cars for the road that they'd pull out something pretty special for their F1 cars...?

No. I suspect that in part was the problem. They weren't just paying for the car but also the engine development.

A company such as MB supplying to three or four teams means as likely as not means reduced costs for all concerned.

And I had a Honda a few years back. The shortest time I ever owned a vehicle (a year and a bit), and the only car or motorbike that I don't tend recall fondly in some way.

I liked the variety of technology last season. Now that BMW are off there won't be as much. I think that's a bit sad really.

Perhaps. But the Cosworth dominated era of F1 wasn't bad. Then along came the turbos and the option to turn up the boost (bit like KERS).

 

[blondebier]

In 2007 the engine specification was frozen to keep development costs down.

I believe the engines which were used in the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix were used for the 2007 and 2008 seasons and they were limited to 19,000 rpm. In 2009 the limit was reduced to 18,000 rpm.

Certain design changes intended to improve engine reliability were carried out with permission from the FIA. This led to some engine manufacturers, notably Ferrari and Mercedes, exploiting this ability by making design changes which not only improved reliability, but also boosted engine power output as a side effect.

I suspect this is one of the reasons that encouraged Honda to leave.

I'm really glad Toyota are still in, otherwise it'd be a pretty dull 2 horse race. (Didn't mean to emphasise horse in any way)

 

[saorbust]

Is it possible Merc have a hand in this decision ? I note they promote Jens on their website as using their engines. I'm also sure I've read that McLaren veto'ed Merc supplying anyone else with engines next year.

I wonder if the politics are on the engine supplier side...

 

[saorbust]

Course it could just be a nice rumor to bump up salary conversations....

 

[Mudster]

How much money do Brawn get for winning the championship?

Raikonnen is being a bit of a silly boy and pricing himself out of the market, it's looking like He wants more than a bank bail out for driving a car....get real sunshine.

I read this as spin, I think JB will sign up at Brawn and all this is just hot air on what's a slow news day.

Still baffled as to why they haven't signed him yet, does make you wonder.

 

[corned]

Wouldn't be the first time a current British F1 champ has found himself without a seat...

 

[Dryce]

I wonder if the politics are on the engine supplier side...

Doubt MB would want JB in a McLaren.

Not so much as a reason against - but no reason for it. They'd be more likely to push for a German driver for marketing purposes.