Joshua Newman2 said:Jack Kelly5, comparing this situation to a group of unfaithful partners is a pretty convincing analogy, and I have to hand it to you—I agree with that point. 🙏
But look at it this way: I’ve always had a soft spot for Button. He reminds me of Prost, and I really respect how he carries himself with such class, proving that raw aggression and sheer speed aren't the only ways to win. Now, the big question: Is he actually Hamilton's wingman? A lot of people swear he is, but personally, I don't buy it. I don't think anyone at McLaren ever sat him down and said, "Look, once you catch up to Hamilton, you need to step aside because we're banking on him for the title, while you're just here to play team player—even if your mathematical odds of winning the championship are just as slim." If I knew for a fact, if it were proven, that Button was intentionally playing the supporting role at the expense of his own shot at the title, I’d be the first one to write him off as a true athlete and driver.
I also like Button, and I can't wrap my head around McLaren's strategy, which says a lot. 😁
Regarding the team dynamic, I think they definitely favor Lewis. At least on an intimate level. 😁 I’m not saying they tell the drivers this openly or make it blatantly obvious, but I think it's definitely in the air. And look—the relationship (in terms of power and point gaps) between those two isn't even close to something like Massa and Alonso's. I believe McLaren expected Button to fall behind Lewis more significantly. It will be really interesting to see how things play out if they reach a situation where they actually *have* to help Lewis at Button's expense, which hasn't happened yet.
I suspect how much equality Button is 'allowed' will depend largely on how well he manages to push Lewis. I imagine if he weren't this close—if the gap between them were as obvious and massive as it is at Ferrari between Massa and Alonso—then Button would likely know his place too. 😁 In a situation like yesterday's,
he might voluntarily 😉 offer less resistance to Lewis, allowing him to pass without having to issue an explicit order like they did to Massa, and without making the whole thing look as messy as it did.
One of Button's traits—and I'll call it a quality—is that the team's interests actually matter to him. He strikes me as an incredibly rational person who doesn't have ego issues. I think in a scenario like yesterday, he would realize that, for the sake of the team and the loyalty he seems to feel toward them, he doesn't need to defend his position tooth and nail. Unlike Massa, it would be clear to him what serves the team best and what the team legitimately expects from him. He wouldn't act foolishly or fight back so aggressively, only to end up embarrassing the team by forcing them to give him a direct order for something that should have been obvious. 🙄
I also feel for Massa that they had to say it to him. You know, the narrative sounds nice:
"let them race, let him pass on track, blocking is cheating"—but when you look at the bigger picture, I don't think that mindset is right. From the perspective of the team, which the drivers are part of, that moment matters. They aren't just driving for themselves at the end of the day; they drive for the team. They should have some sense of belonging, respect, and 'loyalty' to that team, rather than focusing solely on their own selfish individual interests—at least when their own title chances are gone but the team's still remain.🤷 Don't forget there's a massive difference here because Button is still very much in the title hunt, whereas Massa isn't. So, I don't really buy your argument about him "defending his own title chances at all costs."
If I had been in Massa's shoes yesterday,
I think I would have let my teammate through in that situation. Not obviously, but let's just say I wouldn't be defending myself quite as aggressively as if someone else were behind me. First off, I’d probably feel like
it was my own fault for being such a huge distance behind in the points. It seems reasonable, and honestly fair—both to the team and the fans—to step aside for whoever actually still has a shot at the championship. To be honest, I’d feel like an irresponsible, selfish jerk if I were desperately fighting against my own teammate in a moment like that (especially knowing he's faster, and even if he is, it'll be hard for me to pass him anyway). It would feel like I was being selfish just to take first instead of second—even though being second doesn't realistically change my title hopes—and in doing so, ruining the team's last genuine chance to secure the Drivers' Championship 🤷
I suppose it just depends on your perspective and how you frame it in your head... but I view Formula 1 primarily as a team sport (regardless of the fact that only one driver can win the title). And again, Massa is out of the running here, which he himself has admitted—so in a team sport, I think different rules should apply, or at least ought to, compared to individual sports. 🤷 It reminds me of when soccer players get greedy and refuse to pass, trying to take shots from terrible, unrealistic positions instead... They end up missing, and they directly hurt the team. Personally, I find
that ugly, selfish, and just plain wrong. 😳