Button or Alonso?

[Mark F1]

There was some speculation towards the end of last year that if Jenson Button didn't start performing he could be replaced by Fernando Alonso for the 2002 season. As we know, Alonso is Renault's test driver this year, but do you think he should have got the second Renault seat?

Im not against Jenson and Im not doubting his ability, but I would have loved to have seen Trulli and Alonso in the Renault team for 2002. Alonso's performances last year for Minardi were brilliant given the car he had. Out qualifying Villeneuve in the United States last year was an excellent effort and what can you say about Japan, finishing 11th ahead of Frentzen, Panis, Bernoldi etc.

Who knows, if Button doesn't perform this year Renault will probably put Alonso in the second seat for the 2003 season and if Button doesn't go back to Williams (Very unlikely anyway) he may find it hard to get a top line drive for the 2003 season.

Your comments?

[badoer fan]

Button or Alonso? Button or Alonso? Hmmm, can't I just keep them both? What's that? U want a comment on their driving ability! Silly me



Well, basically, Alonso is far better than utton will ever be. He should be in that Renault now, and I shoudln't be at all surprised if Flav realises that well before the end of the year, and poor Jensey is out of a job.



And BTW, Alonso is by far the yummiest

[Mr V]

was this speculated by the same person who thinks rafe will be replaced by jenson at williams BEFORE oz this year????

[Raven]

It's a shame Alonso isn't racing next year. Despite being in a Minardi he did a lot last year to make you stand up and take notice. You can't say the same for Jenson unless it involves an excuse being shovelled in.

[Raven]

[Glen]

Funny thing about Button is that his first two seasons were kinda the wrong way round! What he did in 2001 made him look like a newcomer, in contrast to his rather excellent first season. Taken as a whole, and bearing in mind his good form at the end of 2001, his record isn't too awful.

He clearly responds to being looked after, and was dropped in the deep-end at Renault having been spoiled at Williams. January testing was starting to look decent... so I'll continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Alonso does deserve a break, but not necessarily at Button's expense.

[f1manoz]

Button proved time and again last season he was a 'one-season wonder.' Alonso should be given the second Renault seat in recognition of his outstanding talent.

Anyway, after this season Button will be lucky enough to find a seat in F1 next year as there will certainly NOT be a Williams seat available.

[Mr V]

o.k.jenson drove the williams in 2000, which was a half way decent car, but the blokes gotta have talent to a, be taken on by williams in the first place and b, do what he did in it, inc outqualifying rafe.

i think he went to benny thinking it was gonna be like williams, but it wasn't cos the car was horrible, fisi was clearly favoured by flav (as wurz will testify) and after the 1st race in oz where jenson outqualified fisi, fisi knuckled down more than jens.

this season, see's jens in the same team for the first time, in a car that he will know more and his testing times (i know they don't mean anything!!) have been encouraging.

i think fisi will do alright this season! as for the williams drive in '03...well that all depends on rafe doesn't it!!

[Hugh Jarce]

I'm neutral on the Button issue but trying to be objective (if that is possible) I reckon the following:

1. The Benetton-Renault package at the beginning of last season was very, very poor. It took half the season just to get the thing going. So, there is valid reason for the massive drop in JB's performance from the season before. Even Fisi had problems - but had the ability to push through them and also avoid crashing out.

2. But, there are no excuses going into this season.

3. Alonso should not get the drive until Button shows incapable of getting the best out of the car or Alonso clearly shows he is better. I think that will not happen immediately (check out recent testing times) but will occur around mid-season.

4. Big question - Does Flaver drop JB then or let the rest of the season run? Track record would suggest an enforced change in order that Renault get max points in the season. Especially as it's the key first year of the new team - sponsors / share price etc.

5. Button leaves Renault, misses out on rest of season and prays for an opening elsewhere. Could end up with the lead drive at a declining team.

6. In time JPM, Kimi etc. get the top jobs. New young lads come through with talent and make it virtually impossible for Button to get a big deal.

Therefore the 2001/2 season will prove to have been critical for the longevity of JB's career.

I guess we'll see.

[Stephen Green]

Right, Button was left out by Flav on more than one occasion and you have to remember Flav is Fisi's manager! If you look at the results last year BOTH Benetons (Renaults) were dogs and I don't see many of you slating Fisi too often.

Like Red and Mr V I think you have to give Button the benefit of doubt and lets see what he does with Renault this season. Once again I will make the point that it was Button who did really well for Renault in F3 given the car he was given, and Sir Frank wouldn't have taken him on if he were that bad a driver.

I have said this before so will mention it again. We in the Uk love to bash our sportsmen and women rather than get behind them and offer support.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Stephen Green
Right, Button was left out by Flav on more than one occasion and you have to remember Flav is Fisi's manager! If you look at the results last year BOTH Benetons (Renaults) were dogs and I don't see many of you slating Fisi too often.

Like Red and Mr V I think you have to give Button the benefit of doubt and lets see what he does with Renault this season. Once again I will make the point that it was Button who did really well for Renault in F3 given the car he was given, and Sir Frank wouldn't have taken him on if he were that bad a driver.

I have said this before so will mention it again. We in the Uk love to bash our sportsmen and women rather than get behind them and offer support.

your right stephen.........we do bash our sportsmen and women in this country and i for one don't really know why but also to carry on abit from your post........fisi seems very well rated by the members of this forum and with the exception of spa he didn't do too much more than jenson for the rest of the season (why did i say that........i'm in for a slating now!!) and although jenson obviously didn't get the better of fisi, he got alot closer to him in terms of performance and occasionaly outqualified him.

sir franks no mug...............he knows a good driver when he see's 1.....jenson just needs more experience in race trim.

[Mr V]

after all the rumours surrounding jensons future this season, his team boss flavio briatore has given jenson a public vote of confidence at hte launch of the new car.

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.cfm?id=17791&series=5

[Martin de Miguel]

I don´t understand the controversy, Mr. Raikkonenn got a place at Mclaren and in my personal opinion he is not as good as Alonso. Hence What is Alonso doing as a test Driver when he should be a regular driver in one of the top teams?

[Total-F1]

It really annoys me the way people pretend and make opinions on how good a driver is after 2 seasons.

We don't know the full story about Benetton last year, or Williams the year before. We never will. We just see what happens on the track.

And you must all be intelligent enough to realise that talent hardly makes up anything in the eyes of someone like Flavio. If the team isn't performing, he finds someone to blame, sacks them and thinks it'll be OK. He had Renault's restraining hands on him last year - let's hope the same will happen again.

[Stephen Green]

Well, if you read the article Mr V posted above you will see that Flavio is now fully behind Button (at least for now) and says he (Button) is a changed man since the beginning of last year.

Like you, I don't have a great deal of time for the way Braitore treats people, but then again Sir Frank hasn't been an angel either has he? (Thinks of Mansell, Prost and Hill)

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by mr v
after all the rumours surrounding jensons future this season, his team boss flavio briatore has given jenson a public vote of confidence at hte launch of the new car.

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.cfm?id=17791&series=5

This type of "vote of confidence" usually comes before the kiss of death (havn't you been watching the Sopranos? )
Bunsen will have a most difficult year because he will be compared with Fisi from the word go, and anything less will put his job on the line, with Alonso waiting in the wings to take over. AND we all know Fernando is a great driver. Quite frankly, I fully expect Fernando to be Fisi's partner next year if not sooner.

[Raven]

VB, don't you mean Trulli ...not Fisi?

[Valve Bounce]

Of course - I totally forgot the swapping of drivers between Renault and Jordan. My mistake. :confused: :confused: However, it will not be easy as Jarno was a fantastic qualifier, who regularly got the Jordan near the front of the grid.

[senna12]

I really think Jenson is in a bit of a spot. I have read a couple of articles where Flavio basically says that the seat is Fernando's next year. So Jens will have to equal or better Jarno in order to impress team bosses for '03 (Jag comes to mind). Is his "playboy" lifestyle responsible for the negative perceptions of his racing attitude?
This year we will see if Jens really has what it takes. If he's good enough to change peoples perception of him, he'll come out of it ok.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
Of course - I totally forgot the swapping of drivers between Renault and Jordan. My mistake. :confused: :confused: However, it will not be easy as Jarno was a fantastic qualifier, who regularly got the Jordan near the front of the grid.

jarno is a fantastic qualifier, but has a tendancy to "goto in races" jenson will out race jarno for the majority of the season, mark my words!

[nreed]

button/alonso

jenson's 2001 season was disgusting but, there were a number of reasons. fisi is a more experienced driver as well as admitidly more aggressive, suiting the 2001 bennetton more (not that anything really suited it). Jenson is more of a smooth driver. I'll be the first to admit that fisi outdid jensen probably 95% this past year, but i dont think jenson as young as he is should be looking for work elswhere. As for alonso i think testing at bennetton will be a good experience. He got the chance to go out and race wheel to wheel in f1, even if only with a minardi and now he'll be able to focus on the technical side without worrying about the race. Next year he'll still be very young, experienced both in race and technical sides, and be ready to challenge for points if not podiums for bennetton or what ever team he'll end up with.