Welcome back Jenson?

[gibbon]

slipstream 1985 said:

Can we all assume there are only two drivers that can consistantly drag a poor car to great performances? Those two are Fernando and Lewis. Mclaren know their car will not the lead car and as such need one of these two drivers.

When has Lewis ever done this?

I am happy to be pointed to a time, I just cant really remember one.

[Laughingman21]

gibbon said:

slipstream 1985 said:

Can we all assume there are only two drivers that can consistantly drag a poor car to great performances? Those two are Fernando and Lewis. Mclaren know their car will not the lead car and as such need one of these two drivers.

When has Lewis ever done this?

I am happy to be pointed to a time, I just cant really remember one.

I thought he got a couple of wins in 2009 and he definitely wasn't in one of the best cars that year.

[Schermerhorn]

MGJohn said:

rigga said:

Read an interesting article the other day that referred to the time Alonso last spent at McLaren, he threatened to blab about the Ferrari information that he had been included in emails about if he didn't get his own way within the team , I'm frankly very surprised Ron Dennis is even considering him for a drive.
.

Your final comment is how I see things.

If he did consider that driver option as a possibility for more than a second or two without dismissing it then for me it would go a long way to explain the status of McLaren within the sport currently.

Maybe a short and curlies scenario. Money talks of course and possibly where Santander money is concerned in F1 it SHOUTS!

Santander already sponsor Mclaren.

[Schermerhorn]

Laughingman21 said:

gibbon said:

slipstream 1985 said:

Can we all assume there are only two drivers that can consistantly drag a poor car to great performances? Those two are Fernando and Lewis. Mclaren know their car will not the lead car and as such need one of these two drivers.

When has Lewis ever done this?

I am happy to be pointed to a time, I just cant really remember one.

I thought he got a couple of wins in 2009 and he definitely wasn't in one of the best cars that year.

Latter half when the car improved massively. Lewis has always had the benefit of having a winning car in F1. He was also the most prepared rookie of all time too.

[Tyre Tread]

Schermerhorn said:

MGJohn said:

rigga said:

Read an interesting article the other day that referred to the time Alonso last spent at McLaren, he threatened to blab about the Ferrari information that he had been included in emails about if he didn't get his own way within the team , I'm frankly very surprised Ron Dennis is even considering him for a drive.
.

Your final comment is how I see things.

If he did consider that driver option as a possibility for more than a second or two without dismissing it then for me it would go a long way to explain the status of McLaren within the sport currently.

Maybe a short and curlies scenario. Money talks of course and possibly where Santander money is concerned in F1 it SHOUTS!

Santander already sponsor Mclaren.

I think the point is that Santander, being a Spanish business, might want a Spanish driver in the car. Since they pay the bills I don't think McLaren will be able to say no despite what Ron might really think.

[Henry Fiddleton]

Also, by taking away Ferraris biggest asset, Alonso, they will lose more performance relative to McLaren.

Don't see anyone else dragging the car around as per Alonso...

[benters]

Surely Honda will want to have two former World champs in the car, commercially it must be better for them with the Kudos each has versus the alternative Alonso and KM line up.
I would have thought that KM would go to reserve driver and standby and watch the older guys for a season if there isn't a place for him elsewhere.
JB will inevitably be replaced ahead of Alonso, but I don't think 2015 is the right time given all the additional challenges a new car brings and his overall experience.

[LDN]

Schermerhorn said:

Laughingman21 said:

gibbon said:

slipstream 1985 said:

Can we all assume there are only two drivers that can consistantly drag a poor car to great performances? Those two are Fernando and Lewis. Mclaren know their car will not the lead car and as such need one of these two drivers.

When has Lewis ever done this?

I am happy to be pointed to a time, I just cant really remember one.

I thought he got a couple of wins in 2009 and he definitely wasn't in one of the best cars that year.

Latter half when the car improved massively. Lewis has always had the benefit of having a winning car in F1. He was also the most prepared rookie of all time too.

But a rookie none-the-less... a rookie that beat his WDC teammate that year. There's no way of painting the picture as anything less than incredibly impressive.

As you were.

[gibbon]

LDN said:

But a rookie none-the-less... a rookie that beat his WDC teammate that year. There's no way of painting the picture as anything less than incredibly impressive.

As you were.

For sure its very impressive, and he is one of the best drivers out there. But a driver the consistently puts the car above where it should be and drags the best from it? Im not sure I would put him in that bracket, each driver has his strength, one of Alonsos is driving around problems, Hamiltons is outright dialled in pace, each has its place.

As a side point, Hamilton has so far in his career only been in top teams, with massive support and has been groomed for this from almost day one, that's not detracting from his achievements, its simply a statement of fact, and I believe he was one of the first new breads with this level of support. These are obviously subjective opinions, so happy to be argued, but its my view.

[swisstoni]

I think Alonso gets the Ferrari exactly where it ought to be. It's Raikonnen who doesn't IMHO.

[benters]

gibbon said:

For sure its very impressive, and he is one of the best drivers out there. But a driver the consistently puts the car above where it should be and drags the best from it? Im not sure I would put him in that bracket, each driver has his strength, one of Alonsos is driving around problems, Hamiltons is outright dialled in pace, each has its place.

As a side point, Hamilton has so far in his career only been in top teams, with massive support and has been groomed for this from almost day one, that's not detracting from his achievements, its simply a statement of fact, and I believe he was one of the first new breads with this level of support. These are obviously subjective opinions, so happy to be argued, but its my view.

I agree with a lot of what you say, however I cant think why he wouldn't be in anything than a top team. . . his talent before F1 saw to that.

[RemarkLima]

Schermerhorn said:

Santander already sponsor Mclaren.

Is that why this year's Ferrari has santander logos on it then?! And the McLaren has none?

[Tyre Tread]

So why is Jenson Button in the Santander advert?

[DanielSan]

And it's in big red letters on the drivers overalls.

[Tyre Tread]

DanielSan said:

And it's in big red letters on the drivers overalls.

Isn't that Vodaphone?

[Chris Type R]

Tyre Tread said:

Isn't that Vodaphone?

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/partners/

Click on the Santander link.

[RemarkLima]

Tyre Tread said:

So why is Jenson Button in the Santander advert?

Wasn't that last year? Can't say I've seen any santander ads this year... Looks like they sponsor both, but this year's Ferrari certainly has santander as it's title sponsor, hence their logo on the rear wing and side pods.

[Mr_Thyroid]

Tyre Tread said:

So why is Jenson Button in the Santander advert?

That's not Jenson, and it's not a Santander advert.

[DanielSan]

Tyre Tread said:

Isn't that Vodaphone?

[ajprice]

Yep. Because of some reasons, McLaren have Santander sponsorship, but the logos are on the drivers race suits and not on the cars. Because of some reasons.