Driver Jenson Button - Page 3

chillibowl · 6 Sep 2016, 14:25 (Ref:3670528)

if i am understanding your question correctly...the OP was from 2015 so was about JB continuing with Mclaren for the current 2016 season.

last week the thread was bumped due to the announcement that JB will take a sabbatical for the 2017 season but will be retained my Mclaren in some sort of a 'man of all seasons' type capacity.

perhaps he will be back for 2018 as Mclaren continue with their new tradition of 'one and done' rookie contracts.

BSchneiderFan · 6 Sep 2016, 14:47 (Ref:3670538)

The history is mixed. Laura came back from retirement and won another championship, as did Prost. Mansell came back from retirement and was for a while bloody quick. Häkkinen never came back at all from his "sabbatical". I'd love to see JB back on the grid in a competitive car in 2018, but I have to admit there's at least a fair-to-middling chance that this will be his last season. Maybe Le Mans beckons.

Akrapovic · 6 Sep 2016, 20:05 (Ref:3670602)

I hope Le Mans doesn't beckon for Jenson. He was rather dismissive of sports car racing when he was doing better in F1. I'd rather top seats at Le Mans be taken by drivers who aria lot want them, rather than drivers forced to change their tune because they aren't allowed in the F1 playground anymore. There's too many brilliant drivers that should be in LMP1s if the teams ran 3 cars and Nissan hadn't gone home in the huff.

Mike Harte · 7 Sep 2016, 12:24 (Ref:3670734)

Has anyone else considered that the reason that McLaren have signed the rumoured deal with Button is because they fear that Alonso may decide to buy himself (or have a clause permitting him) out of his contract at the end of this season? They would therefore want/need JB on hand to lead the team for 2017.

VIVA GT · 7 Sep 2016, 12:27 (Ref:3670736)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Has anyone else considered that the reason that McLaren have signed the rumoured deal with Button is because they fear that Alonso may decide to buy himself (or have a clause permitting him) out of his contract at the end of this season? They would therefore want/need JB on hand to lead the team for 2017.

It's a thought Mike, but where do you see Alonso going instead? Retirement, moving to another category or a return to Renault?

Richard C · 7 Sep 2016, 14:00 (Ref:3670752)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Has anyone else considered that the reason that McLaren have signed the rumoured deal with Button is because they fear that Alonso may decide to buy himself (or have a clause permitting him) out of his contract at the end of this season? They would therefore want/need JB on hand to lead the team for 2017.

I had speculated either in this thread or elsewhere that they (McLaren + Honda and given the 2017 contract details Button as well) may already know (or very strongly suspect) that Alonso is gone at the end of 2017, but I had not considered him leaving in the middle of (or even before the start of) the 2017 season. I guess if the 2017 McLaren/Honda combo is absolutely dismal, then maybe Alonso might jump ship early (and just retire from F1, but maybe not racing).

I am absolutely convinced that "something" is going on. The 2017 Button situation (large fee to sit on the F1 sidelines) is just so odd. I absolutely don't buy the "needed to take a break for a year" storyline.

Richard

BSchneiderFan · 7 Sep 2016, 14:13 (Ref:3670756)

So far it's in keeping with Häkkinen's arrangement for 2002, but of course Mika never came back.

Richard C · 7 Sep 2016, 18:16 (Ref:3670794)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

So far it's in keeping with Häkkinen's arrangement for 2002, but of course Mika never came back.

I can't remember the details of Mika and 2002, but from a tiny bit of reading to refresh, it seems like Mika wanted to leave, but the team wanted him to stay? The compromise was to let him go, but they convinced him to keep the door open for a return at McLaren vs. elsewhere? Outside of keeping driver X on the hook for the future, I am not sure if the two situations are really that comparable? But I could have the details of 2002 wrong.

Richard

TzeiTzei · 8 Sep 2016, 09:30 (Ref:3670950)

Jenson will drive the Honda FE/LMP1 car. You read it first here. :P

**bjohnsonsmith** · 8 Sep 2016, 14:36 (Ref:3671008)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

Jenson will drive the Honda FE/LMP1 car. You read it first here. :P

I couldn't find anything about that on Autosport's or Racer.com's web site.

S griffin · 8 Sep 2016, 15:07 (Ref:3671013)

I love it when it comes to the point of the year of the silly season and the news of his career in the sport being on hold for the first time means that Fred and Stofel are the best thing to do well for McLaren next year and a lot of people who are Fred fans are surely happy with the news earlier in the year that he is staying, now he has a hungry team mate next to him to push him

BSchneiderFan · 8 Sep 2016, 15:15 (Ref:3671016)

The only thing that doesn't surprise me about the situation is that JB isn't driving for McLaren next year. They had to put Vandoorne in a seat.

Might Jenson be seen in a McLaren GT, do we think? Might keep him amused. Or maybe he could have a go at the Indy 500 for a Honda team.

S griffin · 8 Sep 2016, 18:39 (Ref:3671071)

Well he has hinted about following in his father's footsteps and doing Rallycross. Not a bad time to switch to it too, the WRX is on the up ATM

Richard C · 8 Sep 2016, 21:58 (Ref:3671111)

Quote:

Originally Posted by S griffin

Well he has hinted about following in his father's footsteps and doing Rallycross. Not a bad time to switch to it too, the WRX is on the up ATM

I read an article elsewhere today in which he specifically called out doing more karting and maybe Rallycross. He has mentioned Rallycross multiple times in the past.

Richard

Tourer · 8 Sep 2016, 22:32 (Ref:3671117)

Quote:

Originally Posted by S griffin

Well he has hinted about following in his father's footsteps and doing Rallycross. Not a bad time to switch to it too, the WRX is on the up ATM

and Honda is due to expand its current GRC program into WRX next year (from memory). Could be a great fit for JB and be something he'd really enjoy.

BSchneiderFan · 9 Sep 2016, 14:53 (Ref:3671255)

Rallycross would be an obvious choice if he wants to stay in competition.

Juntos · 10 Sep 2016, 16:07 (Ref:3671458)

Spotted: a beautiful blonde phoenix rising from the ashes of a major public humiliation.

BSchneiderFan · 10 Sep 2016, 16:13 (Ref:3671460)

Someone has a crush...

bauble · 16 Sep 2016, 07:36 (Ref:3672737)

I wonder someone doesn't press him to stay.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Sep 2016, 13:23 (Ref:3672782)

Like who?

**bjohnsonsmith** · 16 Sep 2016, 16:11 (Ref:3672803)

He should have a go at IndyCar.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Sep 2016, 17:40 (Ref:3672823)

Well, Alexander Rossi has made a pretty handy transition. Be good to see JB on the top step at the Brickyard.

stripedcat · 22 Sep 2016, 19:44 (Ref:3674342)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

He should have a go at IndyCar.

Yeah, be interesting to see another former F1 champ in IndyCar. Or just a another former F1 driver as well. Be interesting to see if Jenson could adapt to it.

As for this whole year as an ambassador thing, I'm skeptical - for one thing, Jenson might have a lot of trouble when or if he does return to F1 - just look at what happened with Schumi and Jacques. He might have lost his competitive edge. That's one thing I do worry about.

BSchneiderFan · 22 Sep 2016, 19:51 (Ref:3674344)

I think Schuey's return has been underrated. Yes, Rosberg matched him, but look at how Rosberg can often match Hamilton. He's no slouch.

S griffin · 22 Sep 2016, 22:59 (Ref:3674381)

Rosberg more than matched Schumi, he trounced him

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