Jense: 'michael Will Be Beaten'

[Senna 0]

from planetf1.com:

Jense: 'Michael will be beaten'

Wednesday December 01 2004

Jenson Button believes that Michael Schumacher will not wear the Formula One crown forever and intends to challenge the German for the Drivers' title next season.

Both Button and BAR were sensational this year, with the Brit finishing the Championship in third place behind Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. The Brackley squad surprised everyone when they finished the season in the runner-up slot behind the Scuderia. Schumacher once again shattered records this year, while the Italian team was even more dominant than in 2002.

But the 24-year-old believes that there will come a day, hopefully soon, when the rest of the grid will not be staring into the back of the seven-times World Champion's Ferrari.

"Nobody is top forever. Everybody can be beaten, and Michael definitely can be beaten," the BAR driver told The Guardian.

"He's not perfect. He's made quite a few mistakes this year, which I was actually surprised by. He's beatable, and I think most drivers on the grid would think so. Maybe not Rubens..."

"I don't think of him as a better driver than Kimi Raikkonen, Juan Pablo, or Fernando Alonso. I really don't.

"He's won the World Championship on many occasions, but it's not all down to him. He's in such a comfortable position, and a lot of it is down to his equipment. He's got the quickest and most reliable car out there, but there's a lot of work he's put in himself.

"It's very important to get a team behind you and to get everyone focused, and he's very good at that. He is a great talent, but when you're in that position it gives you so much more confidence and you can be so much more relaxed.

"But Michael will be beaten, and I hope it's sooner rather than later."

BAR's performance rocketed this season when they scored a total of 119 points, a staggering 93 points more than in 2003, and this the Brit says, is a performance they intend to only improve on.

"This year we were aiming for five podiums and to finish fifth in the Championship. So to get ten podiums and to be so close to winning on many occasions, and to be challenging the Ferraris, which were staggeringly quick, has been beyond even my expectations.

"But it hasn't made us relax. It's made us want it even more for next year. I think we'll move forward and possibly challenge for the title, and then we'll have to wait and see what happens from there on. We don't want to look too far into the future. I've done that a lot in my career and I'd rather just get on with the job," Button concluded.

[AutoRacer5 0]

Bullsh1t!

[ecapdeville 0]

For the good of F1, I wish Button was right...

[Sato 0]

Button will never be a WDC.

[ecapdeville 0]

Button will never be a WDC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

why???

[Sato 0]

I don't think he has what it takes. Maybe i'll be wrong and if proven so i'll eat humble pie, but for now i don't think he'll ever be a WDC.

[Shadow 0]

It is a bit early to say that actually. He may improve on his currently good performances.

[ecapdeville 0]

I don't think he has what it takes. Maybe i'll be wrong and if proven so i'll eat humble pie, but for now i don't think he'll ever be a WDC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe he wont be champion with BAR or HONDA, but when he could get a winning car, I consider him a good champion candidate.

Sato, do you think that SATO could be champ some day?

greetings from mexico city

[Jet 0]

Same old, same old. Again a driver claiming Michael can be beaten. Well Duh!, he is human no? Not some flawless machine. And again like other, he claims that Michael only wins because he is in the fastest, most reliable car with the best equipment. True, yes, but how quickly these drivers with much to say forget the state of Scuderia before he joined in 1996. I mean I can accept a new fan to the sport making these claims, but Button (and Montoya) should know that Michael didn't simply inherit the best of the best.

Even then it took five years. And despite losing, Michael was always in the championship hunt. Give everyone a break and please do you talking on the racetrack.

[nojvnof1 0]

JB's best is JV's worst. '03 proved that. He should have won at least one race this year, but didn't. Could have, should have, DID NOT!!!! He's not the next Schumi, noone is atm, maybe he's the next DC!!

[Shadow 0]

I still think we should wait atleast a year till we say JB might be a DC. But maybe he should have reseved his comments till he had atleast won a race. Kimi or JPM can talk about challenging MS, but not JB( atleast not now)

[Chris Strange 0]

Whether or not you like Schumi he is one of, if not the best driver of all time and that's just a fact. Regarding Button he had an outstanding season in 04 but so far he has not even won 1 grand prix so I suppose he's just playing mindgames... so he'd better get down to business and shut the F*** up!

[Sato 0]

Maybe he wont be champion with BAR or HONDA, but when he could get a winning car, I consider him a good champion candidate.

Sato, do you think that SATO could be champ some day? 

greetings from mexico city

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be 100% honest no, not the way he currently is. He has potential if he keeps learning and improving maybe he will get to a point where he could, but if he stays at the level he is at this monent i doubt he will be the WDC anytime, just like Button.

[kiko01 0]

JB has been brilliant this year and he deserves saying whatever he wants. Yes, no victories for him this season but his race in germany was (at least for me) the best of the year by far. I like the way he thinks and i do agree... KR, FA, JB or JPM would have won the championship driving MS

[Kaciaj 0]

Probably he did a mistake saying that without having won a race...but he is a bright talent (of the same level of Alonso,Raikkonen and Montoya) and of course he's confident of his ability!!!He wouldn't be a top driver if he wasn't!!!I think that a driver like Michael won't appear on the F.1 scenes for years after his retirement, because at least there have been just 3 drivers of this kind in 54 years of F.1 WC:Fangio,Senna and Michael!!!But after all we have a bright future because JB,FA,KR and JPM will share the F.1 domination after Michael and they are not less talented than Prost,Piquet or Mansell for sure.........and there are a lot of young very quick drivers appearing at the horizon......

[kiko01 0]

To be 100% honest no, not the way he currently is. He has potential if he keeps learning and improving maybe he will get to a point where he could, but if he stays at the level he is at this monent i doubt he will be the WDC anytime, just like Button.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sato can be pretty competitive sometimes but he

[nichosnz 0]

Sato...

[Sato 0]

Neither is DC, RS, JT, RB.

JPM is not consistent either, yet people still tout him for a DWC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In all fairness DC is the only one talking about him winning a WDC. Like i said right now Sato can't win it but if he continues to improve which he has been doing maybe he might be able to one day.

[kiko01 0]

Neither is DC, RS, JT, RB.

JPM is not consistent either, yet people still tout him for a DWC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi nichosnz!!!!

I use to agree with you but i think you

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I think it's great that Michael has another serious challenger, it's about time Button came out with some hardman talk. He's proved he can race with anyone and very rarely makes mistakes (unlike JPM & even Schumi himself), so I say go Button go, give us yet another British world champ.

[Shadow 0]

hey jemstride are you a Brit, because you are the first who is supporting JB over here. Anyways welcome to the forums.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Yes being a Brit I would love to see another British world champ, but at the same time I truly believe he's proved himself time and time again, and I have no doubt at all that with a little bit of improvement from BAR he can beat anyone, he's extremely consistent, fast and drives without errors, quite like Kimi really.

[Shadow 0]

no denying Button's good results sonny. I am only saying he should'nt shoot his mouth without a couple of race wins under your belt. if JPM nad KImi talk like that it is more understandable as they have both run MS pretty close once before.

[Sato 0]

JB is a bit of a talker. Lets see if next year he can finally win his first race, maybe then i'll re think my comments.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

What are you on about. JB ran MS closer than anyone this year, for most of the year. Kimi threatened once or twice, but Button was always a threat, every race. Just face it he's proving himself and he'll shut u all up next year!