F1 is slowly adjusting to the sport's new reality. Although still with a winning car, Red Bull's utter dominance is undoubtedly over. Not just that, the Pirelli tyre situation, and the equality of performance amongst teams, have thrown up as many as four or five teams that might realistically be in with a shout of the 2012 title.
"We have a very good car," Mark Webber said at the Mugello test this week, "but we have company, that's clear. We've got some teams that are performing pretty well and if we're not totally on our game we will be punished," the Australian is quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Early on, McLaren seemed to have the best overall package. "I see no reason why he (Jenson Button) shouldn't be champion again," legendary British commentator Murray Walker told the Sun newspaper. "Mind you, I don't see any reason why four or five others shouldn't be either!"
Webber has a different idea about the 2012 favourite, after Romain Grosjean was right at the top of the Mugello timesheet on dry Wednesday. "If you look at all the races and the tests," the Red Bull driver is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, "then the Lotus is the most consistent car in the field."
Grosjean and Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi posted identical fastest times on Wednesday, but the Japanese did his 1.21.603 with softer tyres.
Mercedes' Ross Brawn, however, quantified Webber's use of the word 'consistent' to describe this year's pecking order. "It has been an inconsistent first four races for every team," he insisted, according to DPA news agency.
He said the crucial challenge has been understanding the Pirelli tyre. "It's an exciting challenge because when you get it right as we did in China then obviously you can get some great results," said Brawn, "but it's adding another layer of challenge to the normal challenge we face. That will tend to even out after a period and the best cars or the best teams will show through because you will get it right more frequently." (GMM)
Mark Webber full of praise for Lotus F1 Team
- Published on 03 May 2012 14:32
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team McLaren
- Points 37
- Podiums 0
- Grand Prix 41
- Country United Kingdom
- Date of b. Jan 19 1980 (46)
- Place of b. Frome, Somerset, United Kingdom
- Weight 72 kg
- Length 1.82 m
- 67,124 comments on McLaren
23 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Jenson Button
Team profile
- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,987 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
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