How's Jenson getting on?

[LordGrover]

Any news on how JB is getting on?

I saw this, bit of a struggle, but assume he'll find his feet soon...

[rscott]

Pretty well, I'd say. Within 1/10 sec of his team mate, despite not having driven the actual car before (yes he's had sim time, but that's not quite the same).

So far, I think his biggest issue is the steering wheel layout He's already had a minor problem which they diagnosed as 'accidental button press' and also couldn't find a DRS related setting

[768]

Yeah, he didn't know how to turn DRS off (no use at Monaco) I think and it was beeping at him?

I was surprised that isn't intuitive enough for him to figure out.

Still think he has an outside chance of points, which could be quite amusing.

[HustleRussell]

The cars are really quite different to drive compared to last year's, The thing that struck me most of all when I watched an onboard shot of a 2017 car for the first time was how the cars enable the drivers to practically brake on the corner- so much later than in previous years. Unfortunately for Jenson, Monaco must be the absolute worst circuit on the calendar to be exploring the limits under braking. He also has different controls and procedures to learn and critically has very little time to get the car to his liking ready for qualifying.

Jenson is a world class driver but I feel that he's up against it here- I think that's why he keeps coming out and saying it's just a bit of fun and he's just having a laugh. He's an F1 driver so those statements are patently bks.

Barring any issues I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see Jenson scoring a point or two- he does after all have huge experience. The McLaren could potentially be the 4th or 5th best car around Monaco.

However, more likely (in my opinion) Jenson will struggle to get on it in FP3 and Qualifying, will miss Q3 by some margin and will suffer some kind of misfortune whereby his car blows up or he gets taken out on the first lap by somebody useless.

[kambites]

If Vandoorne ultimately ends up comprehensively slower than Button it'll be pretty damning given how much more experience of the new cars he's got.

[Crafty_]

kambites said:

If Vandoorne ultimately ends up comprehensively slower than Button it'll be pretty damning given how much more experience of the new cars he's got.

I don't think thats true, 18 years of f1 competition vs 2 full race distances (DNS in Bahrain, 17 laps in China, 32 laps in Spain).

If anything Button should be ahead of Stoffel, it isn't like he's been out of the car for years.

[clonmult]

I wonder if Alonsos engine will fail at Indy, and both McLarens finish in the points .....

[kambites]

Crafty_ said:

kambites said:

If Vandoorne ultimately ends up comprehensively slower than Button it'll be pretty damning given how much more experience of the new cars he's got.

I don't think thats true, 18 years of f1 competition vs 2 full race distances (DNS in Bahrain, 17 laps in China, 32 laps in Spain).

If anything Button should be ahead of Stoffel, it isn't like he's been out of the car for years.

I guess it depends on just how different this years cars are to drive.

[MrC986]

Coincidental engine replacement with a 15 grid penalty just announced in P3....Honda engine woes again & Fernando is spared the grid drop. What a pity for JB as I'd hoped he'd mix it up a bit & prove he'd still got it. I look forward to hopefully seeing him race at Le Mans soon

[Hub]

So he starts at the back of the grid - what's the point? Will probably tangle with someone on the first lap and be out.

So why is it Alonso and not Button doing the Indy 500 anyway?

[stevesuk]

MrC986 said:

Coincidental engine replacement with a 15 grid penalty just announced in P3....Honda engine woes again & Fernando is spared the grid drop. What a pity for JB as I'd hoped he'd mix it up a bit & prove he'd still got it. I look forward to hopefully seeing him race at Le Mans soon

Seems a little unfair that he as the incoming driver has to pay the price for Alonso's earlier failures - but they're the rules I suppose.

[RichB]

MrC986 said:

Coincidental engine replacement with a 15 grid penalty just announced in P3....Honda engine woes again & Fernando is spared the grid drop.

Well that great motivation for the stand in driver, he must be thinking it confirms why he quit Mclaren at the right time.

[768]

What a farce.

[Cold]

Qualified 9th but collects Alonso's grid penalty down to 20th due to the power unit being changed.

[Mafioso]

I have to admit that it's a load of bks. Just let them race and stop all this penalty crap.

[irocfan]

Not knowing F1 rules at all but is this a sneaky way of losing Alonso's potential penalty without him suffering?

[768]

It's possibly a good way of avoiding the embarrassment of Jenson getting all the team's points for the season. I doubt it materially affects Alonso's season.

But it's probably just the Honda parts being useless.

[cuprabob]

Hub said:

So why is it Alonso and not Button doing the Indy 500 anyway?

If you watch the JB & DC interview shown on the CH4 quali show today he says he has no desire to do the Indy 500.

[RichB]

cuprabob said:

Hub said:

So why is it Alonso and not Button doing the Indy 500 anyway?

If you watch the JB & DC interview shown on the CH4 quali show today he says he has no desire to do the Indy 500.

what was his reason? or just don't fancy it?

[cuprabob]

RichB said:

cuprabob said:

Hub said:

So why is it Alonso and not Button doing the Indy 500 anyway?

If you watch the JB & DC interview shown on the CH4 quali show today he says he has no desire to do the Indy 500.

what was his reason? or just don't fancy it?

He just said itcwasn't his thing. DC said the same, he never fancied it either. They both implied it was a bit too dangerous.
http://f1.channel4.com/video/back

Edited by cuprabob on Saturday 27th May 21:21