"Mango's Mouth"

Huge congratulations to Jensen Button on winning the F1 championship. A true champions drive today!

Hi Malcolm, I'm not a motor racing fan myself, but I agree, well done Jensen - not only for England, but for Somerset and for Frome as well! We don't get many sporting champions in this country, so congratulations to him and I'n sure he'll be celebrating for a long while yet!

Hi Dave.

I'm not a big Motor Racing fan myself but, agree with your thoughts. It's good to have a West Country World Champ.

Button's car had an advantage over the others in the first half dozen + grand prix, which he won. The others then caught up and since June Button has done what he usually does, finishing outside the podium places race after race. Could someone please explain why we have to congratulate Jensen Button?
Give all the drivers the same car THEN we will see who the best driver is. Don't forget the 100M final at the 1988 Olympics. Wasn't the winner disqualified for having an unfair advantage over his opponents. What's the difference?
I think the BBC should drop Formula 1. What a waste of licence payers' dosh. They might as well employ a car mechanic to tell us who has the best car and have done with it.
I will not congratulate Jensen Button. + only rich kids become racing drivers anyway.

We have to congratulate Jenson Button, HOC, because he amassed more points than any other driver throughout the whole Grand Prix system, but I don't disagree with your theory. It may well be a lot about the car, but someone has to drive it and they have to know what they're doing. I suppose also, theoretically, that it is possible for a driver to become World Champ by finishing 2nd in every race as long as a variety of drivers finish first in each race, and then struggle in all their other races?

I personally think you see more passing on the M32 than you do in a motor racing Grand Prix and to stand on a grass verge whilst cars flash past you going vroom every few minutes is nopt my cup of tea. Different sport and nothing like motor racing as a spectacle, whilst some folk may not follow speedway too much, I preferred the old-style Speedway World Championship in the days before that sport adopted a Grand Prix-style championship some years ago. But in the case of the speedway Grand Prix, it has become fairly successful admittedly, probably thanks to Sky's input, whereas in the old style World Finals, reached by a series of qualifying rounds, you might not necessarily have had the top 16 riders in the world on the night, but at least you had a winner ON THE NIGHT who could properly be called World Champion.

As for BBC dropping Formula 1, because it's a waste of TV licence fees, can you do the same also with Eastenders, Strictly and all their make-over house-buying, cash-in-the-attic shows that dominate their daytime schedules?

Dave S wrote:
I personally think you see more passing on the M32 than you do in a motor racing Grand Prix and to stand on a grass verge whilst cars flash past you going vroom every few minutes is nopt my cup of tea. Different sport and nothing like motor racing as a spectacle, whilst some folk may not follow speedway too much, I preferred the old-style Speedway World Championship in the days before that sport adopted a Grand Prix-style championship some years ago. But in the case of the speedway Grand Prix, it has become fairly successful admittedly, probably thanks to Sky's input, whereas in the old style World Finals, reached by a series of qualifying rounds, you might not necessarily have had the top 16 riders in the world on the night, but at least you had a winner ON THE NIGHT who could properly be called World Champion.

As for BBC dropping Formula 1, because it's a waste of TV licence fees, can you do the same also with Eastenders, Strictly and all their make-over house-buying, cash-in-the-attic shows that dominate their daytime schedules?

Agree with HOC - it's ALL about the car. The drivers are basically all the same. Don't think Button is any better than anyone else, but hey, what do I know?

And when you start to scrap anything on BBC or any TV for that matter, how about getting rid of all cookery programmes - No wonder the country is obese. Everyone's talking about eating

Good points Dave and SLR. Also if it's for the world championship why are there no American drivers of any note?
Don't agree with dropping Strictly as Mrs Clay really enjoys it.
Frome has done little for England except kill off the Bishop of Bath and Wells when he stayed overnight there in the 16th century. The girl he was with was a bit too excitable with the sledgehammer and for once his complaint of not being able to attend to church business because of a headache, was not caused by drink. His brain swelled to 3 times its size and he died 6 days later.

There are American drivers of any note in Massa and Barrecello both are from Brazil and last time i checked that is in South America.

Button won the championship in the races he had an advantage in the car and people realise this which is why there isnt the hype that surrounded Lewis last season being carried out this season.

So if it was the car that won it, how did Jenson win Formula Ford, where all cars are the same? And finish as top rookie in his first year in F3 where all engines are sealed units of identical spec? And now he's F1 world champ, it's amazing how one person can have so much luck isn't it?

Or alternatively you can accept that he is a talented driver.

Well done Jenson

EdP wrote:So if it was the car that won it, how did Jenson win Formula Ford, where all cars are the same? And finish as top rookie in his first year in F3 where all engines are sealed units of identical spec? And now he's F1 world champ, it's amazing how one person can have so much luck isn't it?

Or alternatively you can accept that he is a talented driver.

Well done Jenson

As I did say EDP, "What the hell do I know". I accept your point that Jenson is a talented driver and he has done well. I feel pretty sure that I could not drive a Formula 1 racing car

He is British and we should all feel very patriotic towards the victory. You obviously know your racing. I don't and I suppose that because I just can't stand the sport, then I am probably over critical. Not necessarily motor racing in general but Formula 1.

I still feel that in the end it all comes down to the car and in FORMULA ONE, it will only be fair when everyone drives the same car.

But that will never happen.

Well done Jenson. You did what you had to do in the circumstances.

Let's hope no one talks about Golf, because then I won't be so forgiving

Ok then if Jenson is such a good driver why has he not achieved anything in his last god knows how many seasons???

And we need an answer which isnt 'Cause he had a poor car' as it will invalidate you entire argument that he won not the car

I am not denying that the car isn't relevant to the argument, I was just pointing out that it doesn't drive its self, you need a huge amount of skill to drive successfully in any formula, and that as F1 world champ he deserves a bit of credit.
I was merely countering the previous aregument that 'it's all about the car'.
F1, for all the glory the drivers get is clearly a team sport. Obviously the driver needs to be extremely skilled, but without a good team of mechanics, pit crew, management etc he will win nothing.

And don't worry, I kow little enough about golf to steer well clear of any debates on that 'sport'.

Wasn't Jenson supposed to be getting together with his girl friend again by the end of this week, after being apart since his victory, in order to, ahem, "celebrate" his success with her?

Wonder how many pit stops he'll need then!!

Jeez, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm losing my touch. Last week Danny and myself were best buddies, now this week I'm totally in agreement with Craig!!!