In 2008 Jenson could hardly buy a point with Honda (and believe me, they paid top dollar); he was labelled “washed up” at the tender age of 28. This season, he has won three out of four grands prix and been praised to the rafters for his “smooth” driving style and maturity.
Well which is it? Car or driver? Was Jenson really that bad, or indeed is he really that good?
The truth is that in F1 the car is the decisive factor. I couldn’t put a percentage on it but if pushed I would say 80 per cent car, 20 per cent driver. Put Lewis Hamilton in a Force India and they still wouldn’t win a race, although they might do a little bit better than they are now.
This dynamic is true of other sports. Ryan Giggs was yesterday named the PFA Player of the Year, but would he have won that title if he had not been playing for Manchester United? Probably not…Â Details