Button joins Hamilton at McLaren

[marcin123]

Jenson Button has signed to drive alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-English line-up at McLaren next season, BBC Sport has learned.

The world champion's move will be announced later on Wednesday.

The confirmation follows news that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not race in F1 next year.



So basically we will see that Button is not the 'great' driver he was last season because I'm guessing between the two Lewis will completely own the championship if they have the best car...

Why is Kimi Raikkonen quitting F1... He had the potential to be the greatest driver of all time but his attitude stopped him achieving this... Is he going to Rallying like most Finn's do???

[Tuffster]

Raikonnen is taking a sabbatical as it's actually better financially for him to do so!

As his contract was ended early by Ferrari, he gets $10m for being "on a retainer" or if he signed for another team, he would only get $5m (Amounts may be wrong as my memory is pants, but they are in the ballpark).

Because of that, he only wanted to drive for a team where he had a chance of winning, so that would be Ferrari, McMerc, RBR or Mercedes GP. The only team that had a seat was McMerc, but he couldn't agree on terms (amount of sponsorship days and a restriction of his "risky" extra-F1 activities, i.e Rallying/Extreme Ironing etc...).

Jenson/Lewis could be more interesting. Obviously the car is designed for Lewis' slightly over-steering style, which will hamper Jenson's smoother style which works better with an under-steering car. However, with no refuelling next year, tyre wear is going to be key. Jenson is a lot easier on his tyres than Lewis even if his core speed is not up to that of Lewis.

We could see very interesting races next year between the two. Lewis, initially faster than Jenson as he will be able to get more heat into the tyres more quickly, however, with the weight of fuel and his driving style he'll bugger his tyres more quickly, then has to pit and drops behind Jenson.

It could very well be a tortoise and hare race between the two, Lewis initially faster, but possibly having to pit one more time per race than Jenson. This sort of strategy would be fine on an open-Tilke track, but could be a nightmare at Monaco/Hungaroring.

Good Luck to both guys.

A British Team, British Engineers, British Drivers and the last two WDC. It's going to be fun to watch.

[Longines]

As his contract was ended early by Ferrari, he gets $10m for being "on a retainer" or if he signed for another team, he would only get $5m (Amounts may be wrong as my memory is pants, but they are in the ballpark).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8365967.stm

"The 30-year-old Finn had been trying to do a deal with McLaren but they would not offer him the salary he wanted, his manager David Robertson told BBC Sport."

"They couldn't afford him," Robertson said. "It wasn't in his interests to race for what they were offering so he's going to go rallying instead."

"Raikkonen is being paid a sum believed to be in the region of 20m euros not to race for Ferrari in 2010, but still wanted to be paid what he felt was a fair sum to drive for another team."



MBN...

[TightEnd]

Tuffster what is your involvement in F1? I saw that you were at Interlagos. Was that as a fan or are you employed in the industry?

Just interested, ta

[Tuffster]

Tuffster what is your involvement in F1? I saw that you were at Interlagos. Was that as a fan or are you employed in the industry?

Just interested, ta

Just an obsessive fan, all the males suffer from that in our family. I can remember chatting to my Granddad about Fangio when I was just a wee nipper!

Interlagos was a golden opportunity for me. As I live in New York these days and being a fan of all British Drivers, it was easy to get to Brazil and (hopefully) see another British WDC crowned.

The only things that ever got the family together in our house were Christmas Dinner, F1 Races and Dr Who

[TightEnd]

Not that I have ever mentioned it before  , but Phil Prew Hamilton's race engineer is my cosuin

[Jamier-Host]

Is he going to Rallying like most Finn's do???

Not Pesapallo then? 

[Tuffster]

Not that I have ever mentioned it before  , but Phil Prew Hamilton's race engineer is my cosuin

Not jealous at all

/lie

I got to meet Shove in Interlagos, I was enjoying a coffee in the Brawn hospitality centre when he came in. Aside from when Jens crossed the line, probably the most enjoyable 5 mins of the weekend.

You never connect people in your mind, even when the surname is not common. I never once thought that Richard and Phil might come from the same stock.

The same happened to me a while ago when I worked for RBS, one of my customers was in the photographic business (My cousin Carole Tuff is a photographer) it was only when she appeared in one of my meetings to say Hi that the CEO of the company realised that Paul Tuff and Carole Tuff might know of each other!

[marcin123]

Is he going to Rallying like most Finn's do???

Not Pesapallo then? 

lmao at finnish baseball...

[mondatoo]

Be shocked if this happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

[Royal Flush]

Be shocked if this happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

lol i had it as nap of the year!

[mondatoo]

Be shocked if this happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

lol i had it as nap of the year!

[  ] I know much about F1... just didn't think he'd drive for any other team than ferrari

[Royal Flush]

Be shocked if this happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

lol i had it as nap of the year!

[  ] I know much about F1... just didn't think he'd drive for any other team than ferrari

He drove for Brawn at benetton, then when he switched to ferrari brawn followed him. Now brawn is obv head of Mercedes its no surprise Schu would go there before anyone else.

[fatshaft]

Be shocked if this happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8368107.stm

lol i had it as nap of the year!

[  ] I know much about F1... just didn't think he'd drive for any other team than ferrari

He drove for Brawn at benetton, then when he switched to ferrari brawn followed him. Now brawn is obv head of Mercedes its no surprise Schu would go there before anyone else.

Of course, his success is wholly linked to Ross Brawn, most over-rated champion ever.

[fatshaft]

So basically we will see that Button is not the 'great' driver he was last season because I'm guessing between the two Lewis will completely own the championship if they have the best car...

Jenson/Lewis could be more interesting. Obviously the car is designed for Lewis' slightly over-steering style, which will hamper Jenson's smoother style which works better with an under-steering car. However, with no refuelling next year, tyre wear is going to be key. Jenson is a lot easier on his tyres than Lewis even if his core speed is not up to that of Lewis.

We could see very interesting races next year between the two. Lewis, initially faster than Jenson as he will be able to get more heat into the tyres more quickly, however, with the weight of fuel and his driving style he'll bugger his tyres more quickly, then has to pit and drops behind Jenson.

It could very well be a tortoise and hare race between the two, Lewis initially faster, but possibly having to pit one more time per race than Jenson. This sort of strategy would be fine on an open-Tilke track, but could be a nightmare at Monaco/Hungaroring.

Good Luck to both guys.

A British Team, British Engineers, British Drivers and the last two WDC. It's going to be fun to watch.

I am in no way the expert Tuffster is, but I see this as well.

I think it will be very close, and I don't think Lewis was particularly impressive when winning his title, he just had by far the best car, whereas Jenson only had ther best car for a part of the season.