Silly Season 2013/14

[Phil]

So you could argue that he wasn't able to show the true pace of the car (Hamilton had a similar issue passing during this race) or you could argue that given the potential of the car, Bottas and Sutil should have been easy meat.

TBH, I think it's hard to argue either way. Hamilton is usually a good reference point for a driver who takes his opportunities and with a clearly quicker car, he struggled to close the gap in a sufficient manner in order to use even the most obvious areas (the DRS zones) to get passed his 'slower' rivals he was following.

Just as Vettel failed to get passed in Hungary with arguably the quickest car on the track (while Hamilton did), I guess overtaking is not always down to having the quicker car [over a lap], but to be well set-up relative to the cars you are passing. I guess I would have to watch the race again to have an opinion on if Perez was held back or not. Out of curiousity - given that Perez was following Bottas and Sutil - was Button in clear air during the time he was driving at a quicker pace?

One way or the other - even if Button was in clear air and Perez was stuck behind others he could not pass realistically, I don't think it would matter one bit. That's the impression I get. Actually, watching this season, I get the impression Perez is a bit of in a lose/lose situation. He's not quick enough to outshine his team-mate, and doing that with his level of experience in a pretty much dog of a car is probably anything but easy - yet at the same time, one gets the feeling the team is still expecting way more from him relativ to the 'experienced' and well-liked Button. Even if Perez did perform better, I'm not sure his seat would be more secure. That's just my feeling.

If Perez gets to continue in 2014, I think he either pull something amazing out of the bag (or Button something absolutely terrible) or he'll have absolutely no chance to stay on. I think the team is trying to get Alonso or someone of his caliber on board and maybe they'll use 2014 to test the waters with Magnussen, while retaining their experienced known quantity in Button. If Magnussen does well in 2014, who knows - maybe it'll be him and Alonso in 2015. If Magnussen turns out to be a star in a strong car, maybe Button seat will be safe too.

[horse]

Out of curiousity - given that Perez was following Bottas and Sutil - was Button in clear air during the time he was driving at a quicker pace?

I think Button was pretty much on his own when he was doing the frontrunners pace, and he followed Maldonado for the second half of the race.

I agree with your analysis. I think Perez was expected to compete immediately this season. I know JB gets a lot of stick, but he did win 2 races for McLaren in just his first 5 grand prix, so I don't think he's as bad as some posters would suggest.

[Pup]

Whitmarsh:

“I think firstly we have not provided either of our drivers with a good enough race car this year. So in those circumstances Sergio’s been a great team member. He’s made a spirited contribution, he’s produced some really good races, some exciting races, and ruffled a few feathers. And I think he’s done a pretty good job throughout the whole year. Abu Dhabi was difficult, it was not quite the result that he wanted or we wanted, but it was a difficult weekend, and those happen.

“I think that he’s done a good job. We’re still talking to him, certainly. There’s all sorts of things that I’ve read in the media. The fact is at the moment we haven’t confirmed our driver line-up, we haven’t signed contracts – plural – with drivers, so we’re still talking about that. There’s a lot of honest feedback, both ways, I think it’s best done in private and not in public.”

So, has Button signed a contract or not? Or is he including the test driver contract in his comment?

Saward seems pretty sure that Perez is out...

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/11/ ... t-mclaren/

Then again, his sources aren't what they used to be.

[Jonnycraig]

So, has Button signed a contract or not? Or is he including the test driver contract in his comment?.

Buttons 2014 contract has never been confirmed by McLaren, merely by Button himself.

[Holm86]

More media reports Perez is out.

[ScottB]

Mclaren clearly believe that Magnussen and Vandoorne are potential stars, perhaps they are feeling under pressure to try them out or lose them?

Not long ago it seemed like Mac were trying to get Kevin into an FI or Marussia seat, to no avail. They've managed to keep the younger Vandoorne happy in GP2, despite rumours of STR sniffing around him, but maybe they felt, with Perez not really setting the heather on fire, and next year being something of a 'gap' before Honda power arrives, it was a good chance to see just what Magnussen can do. If he does well, brilliant, if he doesn't, Vandoorne will be ready for a go if he does well in GP2 next year.

Secondly, Honda and / or whoever the new title sponsor is could be putting on the pressure for the team to secure a top driver. If Magnussen turns out to be Hamilton 2.0, they won't have to shell out on trying to lure Alonso back, potentially setting up for a Magnussen / Vandoorne line up once Button hangs up his helmet. An all in house, young line up seems more 'Mclaren' than bringing Nando back if they can avoid it?

[Manoah2u]

The truly great drivers impress right out the box. Clark, Senna, Schumacher, etc. - all of those drivers shocked everyone right from their first race. McLaren now had one year to determine that Perez isn't one of them. They can afford to move on and try out someone else.

Oh i'll agree those 3 drivers indeed impressed right out of the box. But what about the rest? Vettel surely did not shock
everyone right from his first race. Raikkonen didn't. Alonso didn't. Hill didn't. Button didn't. Yet they're all champions.

Vettel became the youngest points scoring driver ever right in his first race. Raikkonen also scored a point in his first race and continued to be extremely impressive, despite having next to no experience in single-seaters. Alonso didn't have the car, but his qualifying results compared to his teammate immediately showed how good he was.
And you can't seriously be considering Hill among those other drivers? Williams had good reasons to fire him in his championship year (i.e. he's had the fastest car for four years straight and yet only ended up winning the WDC because no other car came close to the FW18). My whole point was: McLaren want a driver who can carry to the team to winning a WDC, not the other way around. And they have enough reputation to see it through.

my whole point was: they may not be 'truely' greats. but they still can become world champions. i'm not talking about firing hill or that hill is 'great'. he did become a champion. so did button. so did others. and they did not 'impressed' right out of the box in the way someone like Senna or Schumacher did. nothing more, nothing less.

[Manoah2u]

Multitasking:

https://twitter.com/RachelBrookesTV/sta ... 0310753280

Well this tells us something. If he was talking to McLaren that means that they in fact are scouting for a replacement.

It only tells us he was talking to them. that doesn't mean they were talking to him.

[jamsbong]

I just read that Massa has signed for Williams. Williams will use Merc engine and Rob Smedley is there to coach him. Very good deal for a driver like Massa. Bottas will stay (I guess). Where will Maldonado go? I know people don't like him but I thought his pace is decent.

Perez is gone. Magnussen is in. I guess Perez couldn't live up to the expectation of Mclaren. Even in the Sauber days, he was only famous for using the tires longer than others. He never really got anywhere close to purple lap times. He is not that type of driver. Button is already a naturally slow driver, you can't have another driver who is slow in the same team. There should be some internal competition to push each other to the limit.
I speculate that Mclaren only wanted Perez for the sponsorship, they knew all along their dreaded situation back in 2012. I suspect Hamilton knew about this and jump shipped while he is still worth a lot of money.
I wonder if Perez will suffer the same fate of Kovalainen?

[jamsbong]

@Manoah2u

I didn't know much about all the champions when they first started. But I definitely noticed Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton and Kubica (even if Kubica is not a champion) since their first race. Now, i also notice Jules Bianchi.
These drivers stood out because even on their first race, he outperform their machinery.

[SectorOne]

With Hamilton you definitely knew. First race, first corner, around the outside of the current 2 time world champ. Bingo.
You knew even before all these guys got into F1 that they were different from everyone else.

[mikeerfol]

Autosport says Magnussen as well

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111249

[Richard]

So, has Button signed a contract or not? Or is he including the test driver contract in his comment?.

Buttons 2014 contract has never been confirmed by McLaren, merely by Button himself.

I've only heard Button say "its done" or similar, never "signed".

[munudeges]

I would imagine Button is staying for next season unless something weird happens, but I think it's a question of what happens to him from 2015 onwards.

[Manoah2u]

@Manoah2u

I didn't know much about all the champions when they first started. But I definitely noticed Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton and Kubica (even if Kubica is not a champion) since their first race. Now, i also notice Jules Bianchi.
These drivers stood out because even on their first race, he outperform their machinery.

yeah ok i understand what you're hinting at. allright, let's just keep it at that indeed perez isn't WOW material, yet I think the guy has good potential and seems to have some good skill that just need finetuning. I just feel like being thrown in the gator pit with a rope you can't use and then when the driver is getting half way up cutting the rope through is unfair. I didn't expect too much to be honest from Sergio, but I did expect a tad more. I actually enjoyed seeing him spicing things up when putting the car next to JB and Kimi. In the end, I just think the guy would deserve another year. Not a second chance, but another year. Or just put Kamui in, now he was fun to watch.