I disagree in part Lower

Magnussen has shown that he can race wheel to wheel and has done well is a duff car this year. I think it's a bit unfair to compare him to Riccardo & Bottas as they have better machines underneath them so can more easily get into situations to shine, and they have a bit more F1 experience. Riccardo was very average when he strated in F1. Kevin IMO, is easily as good as Kvyat.

He's only been penalised heavily this year (mostly unfairly IMO, I'm thinking of Spa for example) because he is a rookie, and the FIA have stated they will penalise rookies to get them into line. Just a shame they didn't do that with Perez, Grosjean & Maldonado a couple of years back, when they were bumping into everything.

All that said, I still believe Jenson is the better choice right now, but I do hope to see Kevin back in F1 soon.

 

Were Ricciardo or Bottas that impressive in their first years? I don't think they were. Ricciardo and Bottas are good arguments for taking a chance on a newer younger driver: they've both stepped up and really delivered once they've had a few years behind them and got hold of a decent car. Magnussen could be the same. Button still has a lot to offer, but he's not likely to improve, probably the opposite, which is why I would have chosen Magnussen.

Of course it isn't all about performance in F1.

 

I wonder how much of a pay cut Button has had to take?

 

Salary halved apparently.

@ Dembo and j8mie: You might be right about Magnussen compared to the other drivers i listed. But the other drivers i listed came through a 'B' team. Maclaren don't view themselves as a 'B' team so any driver they have needs to perform quickly in the way that Hamilton did. I don't think Magnussen has done that and therefore doesn't deserve a first team seat.

 

From BBC.
Button will be on a one-year deal at a salary reduced by at least half from the reputed £12m he was earning in 2014.

 

And Alonso is on £25million or something? This'll be interesting!

 

That is a very good point. I do think McLaren lucked in when they got Hamilton to drive for them, and it's not often a talent like that comes along. I do think with the season McLaren had in 2014, they should be pleased with both their drivers and their performances.

 

From James Allen:

 

Hardly lucked-in. Hamilton was spotted (or more likely thrust into view by a pushy-parent) by McLaren, and was a paid driver in karting for quite some time before stepping-up to the F1 circus.

If my karting friends are to be believed, Hamilton was on £30K p.a. plus as a juvenile.

 

There is still a massive element of luck involved. Not every promising young driver ends up winning World Championships, nor do they hit the ground running like Lewis did in their first season.

What I'm trying to say is that I get the impression McLaren seem to think they can take an promising young driver, and get another Hamilton. I felt with Kovalainen, Perez and now Magnussen, McLaren were hoping for great thing from a rookie/young driver and seem surprised they didn't deliver from day 1.