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Perez was only 2s behind Button in Melbourne, that's why.

His pace was comparable in China until the option stint in the middle. Same happened with Hulkenberg in the Sauber actually. Options mid-race didn't work.

Button is in his 14th season, Perez is in his 3rd. I think a little slack needs to be given.

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

Since Perez signed for McLaren last year his form dipped at Sauber. That's fairly well known.

As for Australia and Sepang, getting screentime doesn't mean you're not doing a good job. It has been noticed that while he wasn't running in the places where you'd expect a McLaren to race, he was fairly close to his team mate and maximising the performance of of the car. Why don't you think his races were good?

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

It's not Sergio's fault, but if the assortment of commentators who offer opinions on F1 had paid attention they would know that all of his results last year came through having one great skill, the right car to harness it, and the right grid position to start from. Therefore, they would not have hyped him to the moon last summer, and they would not be hacking him down to earth right now.

Sergio's outright speed has never been anything special, and his racecraft is downright flaky. The Pirellis are his best asset in F1. I hope for his sake that the sport never switches back to a more conservative tyre manufacturer otherwise he will be in trouble.

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Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

...and Pedro de la Rosa, but let's forget about that one, shall we?

I have never had birthday on F1 race day. One was held before I was born. 1993, 1999, 2004 and 2010 my birthday was on Sunday, but no races on that day. With current calendar structure, unlikely as it falls to the summer break.

My birthday fell on the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix when Mansell could have won the championship, but he slid into the gravel chasing Senna. Doh!

[Mansell]Senna pushed me off[/Mansell]

Born on June 8 so I usually get the best race in the world aka Le Mans within a week of my birthday and the Canadian GP as a bonus.
When I was a kid I would invite friends at my home on the week-end of Le Mans, we would watch the beginning of the race and then we would play Destruction Derby 2 for hours while eating birthday cake. And I would get presents.

Don't believe Mansell could have won it that day. I believe Senna was already ahead in the championship.

Can remember the Aussie GP being on my birthday (March 3). Don't know when though.

Yes, it's a mathematical impossibility for it to be possible for two or more drivers to win the title on the same day using the all races count system outwith the last race.

* There is one exception to this, though it's a very morbid one.

I think he had to win with Senna down on points, it was still mathematically possible (and to my young brain that meant possible haha)... until the gravel!

In Mansell's case it was just to keep the championship going. Senna was 16 points ahead going to Japan.

Maybe I am too harsh towards Perez. I agree with you that not getting screentime doesn't immediately mean you are not doing a good job, but was he fairly close to his teammate? In the quali of Australia, although wet, he was 3,3 sec behind Button (Q2). In Malaysia 1 second (Q3) and in China more then 5 tenths (Q2). As Phil pointed out correctly, in the Australian race he was 2 sec behind Button but in China the gap was 28 seconds. I would love to agree with you Kals, but I cannot see that these gaps are fairly close.

Also Phil, you say it's Button 14th year and Perez's 3rd, but I think this is not an excuse anymore. If it was his first year I would agree with you, if it was his second year I might too, but this is already his third year. He's not a rookie anymore. Although the argument, he is new at McLaren would be a valid point. But I still would have expected him to be closer.

But as I said, maybe I'm too harsh towards the Mexican.

If Mansell didn't have that wheel issue in Portugal it would have been a lot closer, he had that race in the bag until that moment

Had Mansell not had reliability issues in the first 4 races
Had Mansell not behaved like a child in Canada and killed the engine on the last lap while leading by 50 seconds
Had Mansell not left his braking far too late for T1 in Japan

It is a season not one race...

Senna also had issues throughout the year as well don't forget. It's pointless to make these comments about "If X didn't experience Y would have meant things being different". Utterly pointless.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

BBC try Ferrari's simulator. I love the opening with the presenter bumping into the wall with the Ferrari guide looking at him like "WTF is wrong with you?!"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22218163

and what about me, sharing birthday with Max Chilton

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Motorsports trend for 2024: everything is a bad taste joke now

I share my B-day with Martin Donnelly.....

I share my birthday with Jack Brabham and the last time a race was hosted on my birthday was Australia 2006.