Button’s Champion Drive

There is a lot of rubbish being posted on blogs and F1 chat rooms about Button needing a Champion’s drive and that because he has not won a race since Turkey in June that he is not deserving as others to win the championship. They have been saying the pressure is getting to him and they he is or will crack over the final two races of the season. This is all nonsense and just a big pile of poo!

It is still possible for Jenson to lose the championship, but he has already done more than enough to be a deserving Formula 1 World Champion. If you doubt this, then consider the following:

• Button has won 6 Grand Prix this season and this compares very well to some previous great champions:

2008 – Lewis Hamilton (5)

2007 – Kimi Raikkonen (6)

2003 – Michael Schumacher (6)

1999 – Mika Hakkinen (5)

1990 – Ayrton Senna(6)

1989 – Alain Prost (4)

1987 – Nelson Piquet (3)

1984– Niki Lauda (5)

1982 – Keke Rosberg (1!)

1976 – James Hunt (6)

Pre-1976 there were many great champions who won a lot less than 6 grand prix in the season, but there were also a lot fewer races so not useful to compare. If Vettel wins both of the remaining races (unlikely) his total of wins for the season would only be 5.

• Button has finished in the points every single race, except for Spa when another driver crashed into him. This is the consistency of a worthy champion.
• If Button had won 6 of the last 7 races rather than the first, would people be so critical of him?
• Although Brawn was overall the best car the first half of the season, it was not always the fastest but Button was able to draw the maximum potential out of the car
• Since Silverstone the Brawn has clearly not been the best or fastest car, but Button has only lost 16pts to championship rival Vettel
• Even when he has qualified poorly he has still been able to salvage a respectable result from the weekend
• Much more than his championship rivals, he has made decisive and significant overtaking manoeuvres
• With 2 races to go he has a 14pt lead, wouldn’t any driver kill to have this kind of advantage? He only has to drive within his capabilities to become champion, Vettel and Barichello have to go for broke, take risks and chances to stand even the smallest chance of becoming champion. The pressure is on them, rather than Button, to perform and get a strong result at both races.
• McLaren and Ferrari will do very well at one or both of the remaining grand prix
• Vettel has driven impressively well this year but has made critical mistakes, unlike Button, and Barrichello was not able to get the most out of the Brawn car during the early part of the season.

Therefore, Jenson Button is sitting pretty. Of course he has the pressure to perform, as he does at any grand prix, but he can focus and drive within his abilities to become a very worthy Formula 1 World Champion.  I really hope this happens.