McLaren - A picture of harmony

[safeaschuck]

Does 'Thanks' sound a bit too condescending? It's meant to be genuine.

Fair play to you too. =D>

[ringo]

ok Thanks

Proof the driver's ability to care the tyres was not completely responsible for any pit stop decisions. Also some support of the intensity of the kind of decisions and how much luck plays a part.

Jonathan Neale: Both drivers are settling with their race engineers very well. You saw in Australia a very happy Jenson Button who was over the moon with the way his team had prepared him for the weekend. I spoke with Lewis on Monday morning and he wanted me just to reaffirm to the team how supportive and grateful he is for all their efforts and work. We go to Malaysia with Lewis very much a man on a mission. Do I think with the benefit of hindsight we got it wrong? Yes, it’s like picking the score draws or the winners of football matches on Monday morning. That’s just the way it is when you have split-second or, in this case, 30-second decisions to make. They were weighing up a number of options. Was Lewis going to get past Robert (Kubica)? Were the tyres going to degrade more? Were we going to get caught by Webber? Who knows?

No one knows, surely not the driver!

With that, great race by both drivers; one of then not rewarded fully for their devotion. Good intentions but poor gamble by the team.

did Jenson really make the call or was it the team?

You have got to make those decisions at the time, so it’s something for us to learn from. You’ve got to remember that it was the same team that said to Jenson we are ready for you, two laps before he made the decision to come in. So on the flip of the coin, we got it absolutely right.

[sknguy]

As with any driver of Jenson's experience, the team likely left the call up to Jenson... they probably let him know they were ready for the moment that he would make the call. However, I don't think Lewis is quite as polished at judging tyre condition. The team should have given him the harder tyre to finish the race, what with the passing he needed to do.

Alonso had to do a lot of passing on soft's too, but Alonso is very good at tyre management. He was able to make his last pretty well, likely not well enough to get by Massa, but enough for fourth. I feel for Lewis though, Webber was driving like an accident waiting to happen. Both good drivers at McLaren, but very different driving styles.

[lebesset]

personally I don't bother to record the race , but at the moment those of us with access to the BBC and it's famous red button system are able to watch a continuous loop of murray walker's opinion of the australian race ; whether or not you agree with his summation is irrelevant , but one thing you get to see is jenson's tyre change
far from being 'shot ' the inters appear to have plenty of tread ,not greatly worn , in other words not shot enough !
why do I say that ? I am not privy to bridgestone's designs , but unless things have changed a worn down inter is actually pretty good on a dry line ; of course it doesn't last for long but that isn't relevant in this case

if jenson had said ...I'm on the wrong tyre ...we would not had this lucky or not discussion
maybe lewis isn't the only McLaren driver who said the wrong thing in australia

if you have a recording of the race [ presuming this stop was shown live on air ] , or access to the BBC , I commend you to have a look and see what YOU think

[Confused_Andy]

did Jenson really make the call or was it the team?

You have got to make those decisions at the time, so it’s something for us to learn from. You’ve got to remember that it was the same team that said to Jenson we are ready for you, two laps before he made the decision to come in. So on the flip of the coin, we got it absolutely right.

I remember Ted saying that Jenson had entered the pit lane and the pit crew hadnt even received any notification about the stop so were sat in the garage...

Someones telling porkies here.

[lebesset]

don't think so andy , the team had informed button that he was expected to pit in 2 or 3 laps [ reports vary ] , but jenson decided otherwise and said coming in now , which is why they had to jump to it ...they were actually ready when he got there !

[DaveKillens]

Someones telling porkies here.

+1

[lebesset]

as far as I know ted isn't allowed to listen to the team radio's live , so his statement can only be an impression

much longer time interval with the reduced speed limit for the crew to get out ...they were there to receive him , so where's the porky pies

yes , normally the crews are out well before , but everybody involved says it was a late call , what are they supposed to be distorting ?

[Hangaku]

what are they supposed to be distorting ?

Indeed. Some people appear to like drama in F1, and this just tries to create more of it. It was a late call, end of. If anyone reads more into it, they need to get out more

[ringo]

Porkie pies are lies right?
Not british, so not used to the lingo.

From what I understand Jonathon Neale was saying the team gave him a window to come in, which was the 3 laps. What may have happened is that jnson gave the impression he refused the offer and decided to run with the rest of the pack. All of a sudden he dashed for the pits.
So the team had the window open and were intent on pitting him, but they probably got the impression he was not interested. He changed his mind suddenly and then came in.
Any how you look at it, it was the teams decision.

If someone believes the team are lying, then who can we trust?
It's either Jenson in a press conference hyped up right after the race, or the team after the dust and adrenalin settles.

So this all goes back to the team having 2 lotto tickets. The #1 driver and highest qualified, getting the most ambitious choice. It worked in the end, no advanced tyre knowledge need, no polishing for judging tyre conditions. Just driving your best and listening to the team.

Malaysia is here, and the Jenson cares his tyres thing is not looking so true either.
I hope he can prevent Rosberg and Shumacher from separating him from Lewis. He might get the shaft strategy if he's behind.

[DaveKillens]

Some people have trouble accepting the fact that Jenson Button drove the smarter race in Melbourne, and the finishing order reflects this.

[ringo]

Some people have trouble accepting the fact that Jenson Button drove the smarter race in Melbourne, and the finishing order reflects this.

He drove a good race no doubt. Though I don't see where smartness and dumbness comes in.
People are using this as an opportunity to contrast both drivers, when they simply had little to do in the way of the strategy. Jenson's flash of smartness or should i say experience was the decision to come in (which was made by the team really, but i will give him that he chose when; in the time window) and that was the end of the race right there.

He went into cruise control. I don't even know what else he was doing in the race to warrant a stark comparison to both drivers. He did what all drivers would have done and done before. His teammate had many races where he showed composure and patience to cruise to the finish. No skill involved, no great knowledge.
This Australian race also showed where Lewis showed good composure in the way how he chose to pass and back off. It just so happens the team messed up his race.

Jenson did good, Lewis did also, but one driver got the short end of the stick. That is plain as day and the team admitted to it and will step up their game for their driver. Remember they swapped around the engineers.

Hope every here sticks around in this thread after this race! Prepare the excuses.
Keep in mind finishing order! no if or buts!

[timbo]

He went into cruise control.

Well, driving 52 laps on the same tyres is hardly cruise control. Noone hadn't managed to do so since 2005, and 2005 is not a fair comparison even, because the tyres were different and cars were much lighter. He also was able to keep Kubica and Ferraris at bay.
It was quite the opposite site of racecraft than what Hamilton showed, but a racecraft nonetheless.

[feynman]

did Jenson really make the call or was it the team?

You have got to make those decisions at the time, so it’s something for us to learn from. You’ve got to remember that it was the same team that said to Jenson we are ready for you, two laps before he made the decision to come in. So on the flip of the coin, we got it absolutely right.

I remember Ted saying that Jenson had entered the pit lane and the pit crew hadnt even received any notification about the stop so were sat in the garage...

Someones telling porkies here.

From the Formula1.com Australia race-edit video, they have radio ...

Jakob : "The call is yours for dry tyres, we are ready for you"
Jenson: "This lap, in this lap"

Got to watch with those edits, they play fast and loose with the timeline, but we at least know the basic sequence.

...also worth watching to see Petrov's hustle through the starting grid.

[Confused_Andy]

From the Formula1.com Australia race-edit video, they have radio ...

Jakob : "The call is yours for dry tyres, we are ready for you"
Jenson: "This lap, in this lap"

Got to watch with those edits, they play fast and loose with the timeline, but we at least know the basic sequence.

...also worth watching to see Petrov's hustle through the starting grid.

Either way I'm not trying to downplay Jenson's race or the teams decision's, I was implying that Ted was not correct on what he said or he misinterpreted the situation.