By What Measure Jense?
F1’s Battle of Britian has moved to Sepang, Malaysia and Honda’s Jenson Button has gotten off the first volley of cannon fire directed at McLaren’s British rookie Lewis Hamilton.
A defiant Jenson Button roared “I’m still No.1″ as he geared up for tomorrow’s grueling Malaysian Grand Prix.
But words aren’t horsepower.
Other than an inflated ego you have to ask by what measure Jense thinks he’s #1.
It can’t be by qualy results on the scorchingly hot (48 degrees celsius) Sepang tarmac. Hamilton stuck his McLaren on the second row outside Aussie GP winner and Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen.
Jense’s Honda is buried in 15th and teammate Rubens Barrichello in 19th. How bad is that?
Both Honda’s replayed their Aussie performance and were slower than the Honda-backed Super Aguri of Japan’s Takuma Sato, who qualified 14th.
Maybe Sato-san should be saying “I’m still No.1″.
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa snatched pole position with a blistering last qualifying lap. The Brazilian timed in at one minute 35.043 seconds and was almost three-tenths of a second quicker than double world champion Fernando Alonso’s McLaren who qualed second.
Sunday promises a repeat of Australia when Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton took the podium positions, with Massa driving himself into sixth position after an engine change dropped him ten spots on the grid.
The one wild card may be the weather. The high heat always comes with the threat of mid-afternoon thunder-boomers.
As an aside, Brad Spurgeon recounts his invite to the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix Fantasy Gala Friday evening, dressed in the only thing available, black pants and a white shirt, with no tie.
It’s a tale of the proverbial fish out of water as he was among every F1 dignitary imaginable plus His Royal Highness Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, King of Malaysia, and the Honorable Dato
You would think that with the belting JB has received from the Brit press in the past, he would now have the brains to keep his mouth shut & not talk himself up.
As for Hamilton, just wait until the entirely predictable, first year, rookie, silly error & the Fleet St will be saying Ron has over promoted him.
Rookies all go through that honeymoon period, ala Rosberg 06 & the contractually challenged, under performing Button went through one in 2000. It’s the second season that proves their real worth.
If after all of his F1 experience Jenson believes he is at the same level as Kimi & Alonso then he has learnt nothing. Jenson is on a dream ride contractually & financially with Honda, sit back & enjoy it.