Martin Brundle: "Jenson Button is the most complete driver"

[ISLAMATRON]

Ciro, I'm not following how you say that the DDD ruling has helped RBR, Vettle or Webber.

[gridwalker]

For the last few years (post-schumacher), Brundle has been singing Alonso's praises as the most "complete" driver out there. Now, because of the change in running order, Button has been awarded this meaningless accolade.

What's changed? Very little, besides the quality of equipment.

Brundle-fly's comments underline the more popularist nature of his commentary style that has been turning a lot of my friends over onto Anthony Davidson's commentary on the interactive service. Anthony's insight into the current generation of technology and drivers is much more up to date, rounded and down to earth ... need I mention that Martin Brundle was a key part of ITV's 2007 coverage that turned their F1 broadcasts into the Lewis Hamilton roadshow?

I found the 2007 coverage increasingly annoying as the year rolled on, partially because of Martin's jingoism, and I'm sure that a lot of you did too.

I read Brundle-fly's comments this morning and had to dismiss them from my mind, as I found them quite infuriating - I nearly started a thread here on the topic, but decided to wait until I'd gotten my thoughts together ... I'm glad that I'm not the only person annoyed by such inane comments!

By the way, I apologise for the random Sci-Fi references, but I swear that Brundle-fly has been through the telepod a few too many times : he's clearly lost his brain somewhere along the line ...

[RacingManiac]

Never gotten Anthony Davidson's commentary for the race, but caught him through a few practice streaming. Yes he is up to date and yes he is considered as an "insider". But the underlying tone of bitterness of being where he is instead of where he could've been is HUGELY annoying....

ITV's biggest issue was James Allen, and with BBC we got rid of that. Now its more of the fundemental issue of F1's flavor of the month type journalism, and the UK dominant media coverage.

[De Jokke]

"Jenson Button is the most complete driver"

Utter bullocks!

Alonso is, although I'm not a fan of him.

[natef1]

Never gotten Anthony Davidson's commentary for the race, but caught him through a few practice streaming. Yes he is up to date and yes he is considered as an "insider". But the underlying tone of bitterness of being where he is instead of where he could've been is HUGELY annoying....

Couldn't disagree more.

What makes, for me, Davidson a better expert than Brundle is his relentless enthusiasm and passion for the sport. Hindered or not by Legard, Brundle has definitely not been the same this year on the occasions I have heard him (For the 1st time this season I used the original commentary on TV). Perhaps this has something to do with him being used to a pro-Hamilton environment which also saw Button struggling at the back. Maybe he needs time to adjust. For me it doesn't matter because it is clear who is the better, more insightful and more exciting commentary team

Brundle has been a bit hypocritical, maybe ;

"Alonso is the best at handling the big picture of the overall race while also driving an F1 car, so if Renault have a good package then Alonso will be a title contender without a doubt.
"For me, he is the most complete driver both in and out of the car in terms of maximising full potential - though I suspect Hamilton may challenge him on that this year."

If he is talking about the driver then I feel he is being a bit reactive. Also we have to take into context the interview put to him (something that always strikes me as odd, as we never get to see/hear the full story) in both cases.

Right now, I think Button is the best driver that is driving the best car. But this is the way of F1, I don't think you can be all traits without first having one or the other. I'm not sure if you can achieve good results in a good car with a bad driver, likewise a good driver won't always be confined to bad results in a bad car. However put one of the 'nonces' (Kazuki, Nelsinho, looking at you) in this Brawn car and if they had the same results, would they be the "most complete" driver on the grid? No, because unless you are a supporter of those drivers or just plain shameless, no "expert" would have the balls to say that due to their previous results.

But when you get someone who's talent you think you can see (people in this country always said Button was a talented driver), then you might just be able to say it.

[Raptor22]

Jenson can't be the most complete driver.
Just last year he was below average in a below average car.
He's quick and consistent in a car that suits him. In acar that does'nt he's just another driver.

I would not compare RB today to RB a few years back.He is waaaay past his best. He only has his seat because his experience was helpful. had Honda stayed, he would be out.

[DaveKillens]

First off, it's unfair to Brundle to just grab a snippet of his blog. Please read the entire artcile, then make up your minds. And also please remember that the press lives off just this tactic, grabbing just a small part of an interview and twisting it to suit their agenda. Brundle does make some interesting points. Here's a link to his blog.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 067217.stm
I believe the point is that Button has beeen almost flawless so far this year, and that when asked to put the hammer down in critical parts of the race, he delivered. M... (oops, I almost ran afoul of that spider-robot-antispam-filter Tomba has devised) , you know the German guy who retired a while ago.. that guy was famous for that ability, to put out flawless, blindingly fast laps when it really mattered.

Each and every driver involved in Formula One have immense talent and abilities. They are the best of the best, and even what we may consider an incompetent stands head and shoulders above us mere mortals. That being said, this year's results provide strong support for the theory that in Formula One, the car is more of a factor than the driver.

[kilcoo316]

That German guy was capable of it in a poor car.

Alonso is capable of it in a poor car.


Button is nowhere in a poor car.

[Giblet]

A strong case?

I'll bite.

He has done everything he has needed to for him to be in the right car, at the right time, in the right team, with the right team mate. His ultra smooth driving style is well suited for the car, which is unlikely a coincidence.

You make your own luck.

I do think however, that Brundle's comment might be exaggerated, but it's not too far off the mark, for, as Ciro said, the car he is in right now. He has developed, qualified, and raced above all others for this season. He is getting the shot of confidence he has needed for the last 3 years, bringing him from good, to great.

I also don't really think that we need yet another thread about Jenson being good or not, or better then his teammate or not, so we can go over all the same arguments again, and again, and again.

I refer you here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6583&hilit=button+bashers

or here
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6486&p=98585&hilit=button#p98585

[jon-mullen]

Your ITV/BBC broadcasters are horrible when it comes to factually reporting on the British drivers. I remember Brazil 2007 Mark Blundell honestly seemed to think Lewis could unlap himself and still win the championship up to the last lap. All of 2006 and 2007 you could hear a hint of disdain every time they said Alonso's name. Before watching the ITV broadcasts I really expected them to be about the same as SpeedTV, just a different accent. I was surprised that they don't keep to the same mores that virtually all other sportscasters in all other sports do. You don't hear Ron Jaworski (speaking of terrible broadcasters) openly rooting for the Eagles during Monday Night Football, nor Aikman for the Cowgirls, nor Varsha for Scott Speed.

If SpeedTV starts trying to shove USF1 down people's throats the way ITV does British drivers and teams, I'll start watching the Spanish coverage. I don't like being told who to root for and not getting an accurate picture of what's going on in the gp.

[andartop]

just copy-paste from wikipedia:

Martin Brundle

Nationality British
Races 165 (158 starts)
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 9
Career points 98
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0

Nothing personal, I just can't see why people might get so upset about something someone said.

I never rated JB as one of the best drivers in F1, but he seems to be taking full advantage of the current lack of serious competition and doing a pretty good job at it.

Actually, the way he behaves so far this year has earned my respect.

I can't even dare to imagine what would have been said around here if, say, DC had won 5 out of 6 races in the start of a season.

They even made a hero out of Richard Burns (god rest his soul), the only guy who ever won a WRC Drivers Championship with just 1 (one!) victory, and the only guy ever who failed to win a single race while driving for 2 years the (then) indisputably best world rally car, the Peugeot 206 (when everybody else who ever laid their hands on it got at least one victory: Gronholm, Panizzi, Delecour, Rovanpera, Auriol).

Back on topic, I wouldn't expect a Spanish journalist to have a different opinion about Alonso or a Japanese journalist about, err, Sato for example. At least, the results back him up in this case!

[modbaraban]

What's the fuss is all about? I've been always sure that Button is one of the best drivers (at least since 2004). If I was a team manager in need of a british driver I'd always chose Button over Hamilton. Both are great at the wheel, but Button is way more mature (as a person and a racer) and less punishing for the car.

There are many great drivers on the grid. But there's only one (so far) who clearly deserves the 2009 title.

[jshaw]

Why is there this attitude in the world now that anyone who is successful and popular must be an overrated cheater? Even if Alonso, the man who many say deserves to be more successful, suddenly started dominating, within 5 minutes the whole crowd would be saying he is crap and overrated, simply because he is doing well.

What causes this rampant cynicism I wonder? Jealousy perhaps, or just brainless fools jumping on a bandwagon in a failed attempt to appear 'different' or 'individual'. So much jumping on 'hate bandwagons'.

Its like as if it is seen as a sin to ever say anything good about those at the top, we must only say good things about the underdogs.

Button is certainly more complete than Hamilton in that Hamilton often wilts under pressure whilst Button has not done so far this year. Button was previously not complete, however, like Schumacher post 1996, he now has the team and car behind him to give him the confidence, and now he is complete, why is that such a sin?

Jesus, if you want to be an F1 legend now, win one race or two, like Vettel, but dont dare win a championship, or everyone will hate you.

Some people need to shut up and accept that some drivers and cars win 5 out of 6 races because they are good, and others dont because they are crap, get over it.

[jamsbong]

Hasn't made any silly errors, no? In wet or dry.

Other than that, hard to separate car from driver.

When you have an exceptionally fast car, You are not pressured to drive hard or at the limit. That's why Button has not made errors. But in the past he had plenty...

I'm never gonna be convinced by Button's over hyped talents. I always had respect for Martin Brundle but now I am not convinced anymore

[jamsbong]

where can I get Anthony Davidson's commentary?