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| Button and Heidfeld; Both started F1 in 2000 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 20 2007, 10:40 AM (178 Views) | |
| dcoulthard19 | Aug 20 2007, 10:40 AM Post #1 |
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Chief Engineer
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Both these drivers are linked in that they started their F1 careers in the 2000 season. They are both quick and very useful drivers however neither has really got to where they wanted to go in their career or acheived what I feel their driving talent deserves. They both have the potential to be very good in a top team IMO but the chance hasn't come for them for various reasons. Which do you rate as the better driver and who has the better future? Its tough to decide, both have shown great speed when they are in a fast car, both of them are good in crazy races. Both of them work very hard out of the car and have very good technical knowledge. One aspect where there is a huge difference is when they are given a shitbox to drive. Heidfeld has often excelled in poor cars whereas Button has always struggled to find speed in poor cars, remember Bennetton in 2001 and this season of course. Heidfeld has also been better at how to handle the press, i.e he says hardly anything and hides in the corner, this approach seems to have worked well for him. Button has said a few wrong things in the past and then there have been the Buttongate contract breaking issues which may have affected his reputation in the paddock. In terms of absolute raw pace over a single lap and the race distance I feel Button is slightly ahead although Heidfeld I still rate very highly in this area as well, remember he almost ended at mclaren in 2002 but he was beaten to it by Raikkonen. In the future Heidfeld's career prospects are much brighter, I think if a big drive like Mclaren or Ferrari came along I think he would be above Button on the potential list of Dennis or Todt, however some of the reasons for this choice are very likely to be off track reasons as well as on track ones. Heidfeld has had a few slow cars to driver in the past but he has made a great career move to BMW where I think it is possible that a race winning car will be produced soon. So to conclude I think Button just edges it in the speed ranks but Heidfeld has played the F1 game better than Button has and after a few slow cars he now finds himself in a great time in his career. Wins aren't too far off, for Button they have been never been furthur away. Its hard to see where his big break is now going to come from. |
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| TheCompleteGuitarist | Aug 20 2007, 11:00 AM Post #2 |
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Driver
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I agree with a lot of what you say DC19. I am a button fan it's true so I guess my perspective will always be biased. I think they both have similar amounts of potential and I agree with what you say about Button not really getting much out of a crap car, this season itself is an indication of that, however I think in a mediocre car which is the best Button has driven, Button has it over Heidfeld. Last year I believe Button put in some great driving, some feisty races with a lot of overtaking where others may have struggled. I also think that this years BMW relatively speaking is better than last years Honda. This years BMW is a genuine 3rd best car on the grid whereas Button flattered the car and the team. True to say that Heidfeld has managed his off track career better than Button, atleast in the early years. Both deserve to be given the opportunity to prove themselves, after all Massa has and he seems to fading now the big boys are getting to grips with their changes. It's just my view/opinion. |
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| safc_fan89 | Aug 20 2007, 11:07 AM Post #3 |
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safc_fan89
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I'd say Button is the better driver but Heidfeld has the brighter future. Assuming he is handed a new contract with BMW, which he certainly deserves. Button's future doesn't look promising because I can't see Honda being in a position to win races. BMW could well be in that position next season, if they continue to improve at the rate they have been improving at. |
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| TheCompleteGuitarist | Aug 20 2007, 11:11 AM Post #4 |
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Driver
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Put like that it's certainly true, but Heidfeld and Button's situations were opposite last year(although BMW weren't where Honda are now) so no reason why they might not shift again. |
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| safc_fan89 | Aug 20 2007, 12:18 PM Post #5 |
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safc_fan89
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Honda seem incapable of consistently being in a position to win races. They weren't even in that position last year, they took the one chance they had in a race of high attrition. BMW's progress since they bought Sauber has been highly impressive, and all the signs point towards them improving their car even further for next season. Honda have the slowest car now, based on the Hungarian GP. If they aren't at least challenging for points by the last race of this season, then I really don't see how they are going to achieve anyhing next season. |
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| Rob | Aug 20 2007, 01:45 PM Post #6 |
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Nick has the better future, BMW is lookign good and with "rumors" he could go to McLaren his future looks good. Although I would rate Button a simge higher on raw pace as a driver, I think Nick is probably more focused, and probably the overall better racer. |
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| RJHSaints | Aug 20 2007, 01:47 PM Post #7 |
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Chief Engineer
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Button is quicker in qualifying in my opinion but Heidfeld is faster in a race, can get more out of poor cars, won't complain if the car is bad, and won't break contracts. Also historically Heidfeld has demanded much lower salaries, so if you asked me to choose which one of those two I'd hire, it'd be Heidfeld. |
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| sportsman | Aug 20 2007, 02:11 PM Post #8 |
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Chief Engineer
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Intersting comparison this one. Button is probably the quicker of the two over one lap, but Hiedfield is the better racer. In a competive car both of them could put up a good performancer. Hiedfield appears to have a better approach the Button and possibly better management. So Hiedfield's future looks much better than Button's at the present time. If Hiedfield gets the contract he so richly deserves from BMW I can see him being a real contender next year. He also has a much better chance of being snapped up by McClaren if Alonso's seat becomes vacant. |
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| JOSEPH SARANDOS | Aug 20 2007, 02:38 PM Post #9 |
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Refueller
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I wonder who Jenson will drive for after Honda? |
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| Red Andy | Aug 20 2007, 02:42 PM Post #10 |
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Heidfeld has never had any trouble warming up his tyres.... |
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| Monty | Aug 20 2007, 03:37 PM Post #11 |
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Chief Engineer
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They are pretty similar overall although based on the wages they get you would expect JB to be significantly better. I would hire Nick because of this, in terms of qualifying most have said Button is better i would probably agree with that but people forget some of the laps he did even last year. When he would have took pole comfortably is he had carried the same amount of fuel in Monza as Kimi and MS, he was only 0.1 behind with 6 laps more fuel. Thats really impressive, he also qualified ahead of Button in turkey in an inferior car. Whereas Button was regularly outqualified by Barrichello (5 in a row at one point) but was much better in races. So i would just say they are quite identical in both areas, that could change from race to race but their qualifying speed and race pace are very similar. |
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