Just how good is Button?

[MaxD]

I know opinions on his vary but here's my thoughts...

Currently: For the 2nd season on the trot, JB has had a car/tractor (delete as preffered) that has not been up to scratch to say the very least. His dedication and commitment to Honda, Nick Fry and now Ross Brawn are to be commended. But Barrichello has now out-qualified him wiht but one race to go. Looking at the bare stats, for a man who may retire, that must be a little embarrasing for JB, and perhaps a little concerning for Ross Brawn who has high expectations of his drivers after his dealings with Schumacher.
On the plus side, I still firmly believe that Jenson is up there with Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Kubica and Hamilton but he needs the car. personally, if he was alongside Lewis, I actually think that in qualifying, he'd be ahead but loose out a little in the race.
That said, when he did have a car worthy of his talent, (witness the 2004 season) he was second only to the dominant Ferrari's! He is brilliantly smooth in the wet or on a damp track, whether on wets or dry tyres, and his ability to consistently produce laptimes within 0.1s of eachother is only matched by the current top 5 drivers.
He has had his problems but I just hope and pray that Brawn and his Honda team design a great car for 2009 (they did start the design process significantly earlier than everyone else) and that JB can fight at the front, where he belongs.
I still think that in the right circumstances he can win races on a regular basis and become another British wiorld champion - and in terms of sheer determination and dedication over the past few seasons, wouldn't that be a great thing to see, and fully deserved?
I think so...

what about you?

[TdK]

JB has had a tractor

True, but i think he has lost his "will" to drive. He will be as fast as Alonso, etc. again when he has a better car, so he can show his skills. With this car there's nog beginning at all. And remind, Barrichello is not a bad driver, old maybe, but knows better to deal with bad tractors/cars .

[AD]

I think it's a difficult situation for Button, exactly because he hasn't had very good competitive material for a while now... he did deliver some good performances back when he did, though, so I think he still has potential that now obviously doesn't really come out. It would be interesting to see what he could do if Honda could get a better car together with all the changes for 2009. Let's see.

[rremedio]

Button is a good driver, but is overhated.

[TdK]

Button is a good driver, but is overhated.

you mean "overrated"

[AAS]

Give him the fastest car and he will win F1 races.
Like hundreds other drivers.

[V12-Power]

Give him the fastest car and he will win F1 races.
Like hundreds other drivers.

I think you expressed it a bit exaggerated. Even if you sit in the best car it's not easy to win. Kovalainen performs good but only won one race, while Hamilton has won five.

And Kovalainen is one of the more talented drivers in F1. Drivers like Monteiro, Albers, etc. would'nt even win in a Ferrari. So I think there are maybe 20 (actual) drivers (not only F1) who would be able to win a F1 race. And Button is one of them, for sure. Right now it's a bit unlucky that Honda has no performance, but if they give him a good car he will be a front-runner again!

During the last two seasons I often saw him struggling in qualifying, so I would doubt that he would beat Hamilton if they would be in the same car, because Hamilton performes very strong there.

I would say he is one of the best 12 drivers right now, but rather not one of the top six (Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Vettel, Räikkönen)! I would compare him with Webber, Barrichello, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Trulli.

[Greyhead]

Personally I think he's one of the top five drivers currently in F1 (the others being Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso and Kubica), he's very smooth and easy on the car and tyres and very rarely makes mistakes, rather like Alain Prost. But because results are everything in any sport, not just F1, he's kind of forgotten about. Look at Ronnie Peterson: he was blindingly quick in his early F1 career, but as his equipment got worse at Lotus, March and Tyrrell, most people thought he was past it. Then he got hold of the Lotus 78/79 and suddenly people noticed he was still one of the fastest drivers around. If Honda can deliver the car, Jenson will deliver the results.

[MaxD]

I have to agree with greyhead, I think Button is in the top 5 currently in F1. He is very smooth just like Prost and although I am a Hamilton fan, I am more a JB fan because he's been around longer and I've supported him through the good and the bad times. I dearly hope that Honda can give him a car worthy of his talent next year because he should be fighting at the font at every race. If they can get him there, i've no doubt he can win races and a championship.

[rremedio]

Button is a good driver, but is overhated.

you mean "overrated"

Yeah, there are overHated drivers in F1, but Button is not one of them.

I think I agree with FK about Button. He's not one of the top, but he's a good driver and can win races or even a championship with the right conditions.

[Moonrakerâ„¢]

I think 2004 showed what button could do. He's a solid driver, like from the coulthard mould. But 2004 showed that if he smells a chance, he's going to get the most out of the car. If he was in a BMW right now, I think he'd be on the same level of performance as he was in 2004 and would be doing more than Heidfeld and would be having a good battle with Kubica for the 'pride of the team'.

[MaxD]

Does Button ever get a decent break?

he signs his life away with BAR/Honda, then they do this to him!

Personally, I hope they do find a buyer and he gets the chance to show what he can do!