Lewis Hamilton says he wants fellow British world champion Jenson Button to return for this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.
McLaren are looking for a replacement for Fernando Alonso who will race in the Indianapolis 500 that weekend.
The team is yet to announce who will take Alonso’s place. However the 2009 champion is an obvious choice as he remains contracted to McLaren.
“I hope Jenson comes back,” said Hamilton. “It’d be great for the sport to have Jenson back in.
“I like Jenson and I think he’s still one of the best drivers,” he added. “His calibre and his experience is higher than any other driver who will be able to take that spot, for sure.”
Hamilton praised Alonso’s decision, saying it’s “great that a driver’s able to do that.”
“I think us drivers should be able to do more than one series. There was obviously a period of time in the past where there were drivers doing multiple series. So I think it’s pretty cool he’s doing it.”
“You’ve got one of the best drivers in the world going there,” Hamilton added. “For sure he will be the best driver in the paddock.”
“But he just won’t have the experience that any of them will have. It’ll be a great, exciting challenge for him to go and see how strong he can fair against those who have all this experience.”
Excuse me :D (@square-route)
13th April 2017, 13:15
Isn’t it be better that a new upcomer be given this one-time opportunity for priceless experience rather than drawing Jenson out ‘for old times’s sake’ ?
Excuse me :D (@square-route)
13th April 2017, 13:17
*Wouldn’t it ..
@keithcollantine pl add ‘Edit’ button.
Fukobayashi (@)
13th April 2017, 13:21
Nope. Lando Calrissian or whatever the McLaren junior’s name is? He would qualify one of the worst cars in the grid at the back and have an anonymous race. Button however might do something interesting and put a bit of a show on.
G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
13th April 2017, 13:42
+1 – no mcalren are actually trying to get something out of fault stricken season. no need to pull in a rookie just to give experience.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
14th April 2017, 7:38
But now Jenson will have to start going to the gym again, building up all those neck muscles again.
Gabriel (@rethla)
13th April 2017, 14:26
@offdutyrockstar Button who was beaten by Vandoorne last year will surely do something interesting.
Fukobayashi (@)
13th April 2017, 15:23
@rethla pretty sure I just said he would put a bit of a show on not beat Vandoorne mate.
anon
13th April 2017, 18:21
@rethla, given that, in the one race where Button and Vandoorne raced each other, Button retired just six laps in with an engine failure, I’d say that any direct comparison between the two based on that one race is pretty meaningless.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
14th April 2017, 7:32
Other than the fact Button was solidly in front of Vandoorne at that point.
anon
14th April 2017, 14:35
@spafrancorchamps, it is indeed true that Button had overtaken Vandoorne and was about two seconds ahead of him when his engine failed. Still, it is hard to tell how the rest of the race might have panned out for both drivers if Button had not retired, and there really is not enough information to provide that much of a benchmark between the two drivers.
MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
13th April 2017, 13:53
@square-route I don’t think it’s fair to put a rookie in the car for a single race, especially when the cars are more demanding than ever and double-especially on one of the hardest tracks on the calendar. The result is inevitably either hero or zero; almost certainly the latter. Anonymous is basically the best they could hope for, doing a solid job and not making mistakes, but realistically chances are they will either crash or be woefully slow. And with no subsequent opportunity to show what they can do, that sort of thing could be extremely damaging for their career. Do you think that Giovinazzi has helped his future chances of an F1 drive after the Chinese GP? Absolutely not – the overriding memory everyone will now have of him is that image of his car in pieces on the start/finish straight. Twice.
Button is a safe pair of hands, and nobody is going to think any differently of him if he crashes or if he’s slow – he has no ongoing career to harm, and can just get on and race the car, generating interest for McLaren at a track where they may genuinely be able to achieve a good result. To put a rookie in that car would be unbelievably cruel.
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
13th April 2017, 18:33
Yes better in our eyes but Mclaren sees otherwise,
Mclaren are not doing good, they need valuable points in the bag. They don’t want a Giovonazzi thing ruining their chance at Monaco where they might be strong in the midfield, so the best option would be to have an experienced safe driver who has a proven talent to grab those points.
Murph (@)
13th April 2017, 13:29
Nonononono, please not. Button’s career should have ended after 2012.
If people really want to see a proven winner than my choice would be Juan Pablo Montoya. :)
Miguel Bento (@miguelbento)
13th April 2017, 13:32
I doubt Montoya would fit (literally) in the McLaren…
Phil-F1-21
13th April 2017, 13:58
Oh yes. A man who has not sat in an F1 car (Montoya) for about 8 years would be a great choice ;-)
Cannot see why they would choose anyone but Jenson. What’s the point of having the contract with him if he does not race when required. I guess it can only be a question of if he already has other plans.
Phil-F1-21
13th April 2017, 14:03
Whoops. Massive underestimate. 11 years!
anon
13th April 2017, 18:35
Phil-F1-21, not only that, he is effectively semi-retired from Indycar racing as well (Penske chose not to renew his contract at the end of last year, save for a one off entry for the Indy 500) – he wasn’t even particularly competitive in Indycar last year either, being the lowest ranked driver in Penske’s line up. Is there really much of a performance justification to stick a 41 year old semi retired driver whose performances seem to be beginning to decline into the car?
David BR
13th April 2017, 21:37
Maybe the (chastening) experience would at least get Montoya to stop dissing the current drivers. For a few days anyhow.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
13th April 2017, 17:31
To be air though I think F1 is more similar to 11 years ago than it has been since Ferrari and McLaren last took a title.
ECWDanSelby (@ecwdanselby)
13th April 2017, 14:16
I sincerely hope this post was ironic and that you haven’t completely missed your contradiction..!
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
13th April 2017, 17:28
Or Jacques Villeneuve maybe? Hell, why not give Alain Prost a ring and see if an even older proven winner is available?
Really you just hate Jenson Button don’t you @murph
Murph (@)
14th April 2017, 10:44
Hate has nothing to do with it, and I really don’t understand why you even think of that. (do you hate F1 drivers?)
He seems like a nice bloke, but his driving has been very dissapointing for more than a few years now.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
13th April 2017, 17:37
Sorry, JPM is already busy that day racing with Alonso!
Sergey Martyn
13th April 2017, 14:04
Had they considered Webber, Coulthard, Hill, Brundle, Alesi etc.?
Mercu
13th April 2017, 14:47
All these people share the same situation. They are either retired from racing altogether, or are no longer taking part in major series, so probably won’t be fit enough. I think the best bet is probably Button as he is experienced and definitely fit enough and in the right mindset to race.
Octopotent (@)
13th April 2017, 16:48
Webber is 40, coulthard 46, the others older i imagine and haven’t been in an f1 car for a longwhile why on earth would you choose them over button in their prime let alone now. Button for me is a smart choice. Vandoorne is still racing in monaco and Button has been good to the team and won several races why not let him race? Experience, consistency, relatively pacey seems the natural choice.
Iosif (@afonic)
13th April 2017, 17:50
I know the original poster is being sarcastic, but Mark Webber would be a great choice in my opinion: He is race fit, after all the was doing LMP1 a few months ago, we is a Monaco expert with two wins there and of course he is one of the most popular ex-F1 drivers.
I’d love to see him back in car, even for one race!
Evil Homer (@)
13th April 2017, 14:21
JB for the drive, why not?
Maybe not Montoya but I think Jacques is available 😉
David (@wushumr2)
14th April 2017, 3:19
Don’t worry, Jacques’ got the snide commentary role covered.
“I can’t believe Button came out of retirement to race!” OR
“What a waste for Button to not come back!”
nelson piquet
13th April 2017, 14:23
2016 cars just look so wrong now
Fukobayashi (@)
13th April 2017, 15:26
+1 they look bizarre!
FreddyVictor
13th April 2017, 15:26
BBC Sport (Andrew Benson) is suggesting JB: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39589767
personally, hope JB gives it a go, he should be able to stay a way from the barriers reasonably well ;)
Ian Bond (@ianbond001)
13th April 2017, 15:31
Maldonado! Maldonado! Maldonado!
Ian Bond (@ianbond001)
13th April 2017, 15:32
That should spice up the Monaco GP.
David (@wushumr2)
14th April 2017, 3:20
Haha they bring back Ron to engineer another Singapore ’08 so they already have the fall guy lined up.
BOSS
13th April 2017, 16:36
Yeah why not Maldonado..
Adi321
13th April 2017, 16:51
I’m surprised so far nobody suggested to give giovanazzi another shot.
JMDan (@danmar)
13th April 2017, 17:18
Hmmm…does Jenson really want to drive that car? Even for one race? I too would love to see Jenson again (yes for old time sake) but only if he were racing in a Merc or a Ferrari. :-)
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
13th April 2017, 17:51
Around Monaco? With any chance of rain? The possibility of getting that semi dry track period that Button excelled at on slicks? The McLaren could be competitive.
If, given the right conditions, Panis can win in a Ligier Mugen Honda, then Jenson Button can win, with the right conditions, in the McLaren Honda.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
13th April 2017, 17:40
If not Jenson, the logical (if unpopular) choice would be a Honda affiliated driver. Someone in Super Formula perhaps?
Or, Red Bull could try do a deal for Gasly?
badger (@badger)
13th April 2017, 17:53
Isn’t there another decent driver who lives in Monaco and isn’t currently racing? Rosberg perhaps :)
George (@george)
13th April 2017, 18:03
I don’t see why everyone is so down on Button returning, he’s generally been pretty good at Monaco, and if anyone’s going to keep the car out of the wall it’s him. If I were McLaren I’d put him in the car with no hesitation.
If it was another track I’d be happy to see a rookie take the seat, but as mentioned above, at Monaco all it would likely do is ruin their career.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
13th April 2017, 18:38
does jenson have enough points to race f1? this is no triathalon you know
AntoineDeParis (@antoine-de-paris)
13th April 2017, 19:18
that’d be great :)
Jere (@jerejj)
13th April 2017, 20:08
Haryanto.
Ben
14th April 2017, 9:46
Sakon Yamamoto, for sure.