Jenson Button unhappy with Lewis Hamilton telemetry tweet

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McLaren telemetry shot
McLaren telemetry shot

McLaren's Jenson Button said he was "disappointed" by team-mate Lewis Hamilton revealing confidential information about telemetry on Twitter.

Hamilton posted a picture of data from his and race winner Button's qualifying laps before the Belgian Grand Prix.

McLaren said it had not done "much damage" but, when asked how he felt about the incident, Button said: "I'll say disappointed.

"We work so hard to improve the car and to keep things like that private."

Hamilton was asked to take down the tweet by his team, which he did, but the information revealed ride heights as well as braking and acceleration rates.

McLaren will not be taking any disciplinary action against Hamilton, who was attempting to show the difference between a rear wing being used by Button against the one he had chosen for qualifying.

"I think it's done now," said Button, who qualified in pole position compared to Hamilton's seventh spot. "I don't think it's for me to be angry with Lewis because it's not a personal thing.

"The bit about him losing 0.6 secs on the straights isn't the bit that's important to me because he should be gaining it back in the corners he's got more downforce on. And I was 0.8 secs quicker in qualifying anyway.

"It's more the information that we work so hard to keep secret and private, that was the thing I didn't want to see on Twitter."

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327 comments

  • To all of those claiming Button shouldn't have commented - If you are asked a direct question, don't you think it would look a lot worse if you said "No comment",.... Simply saying that he was disappointed and not angry is a much more measured response!

  • Very diplomatic Jenson. Truly a safe pair of hands.

  • I've always thought that Hamilton is a spoilt brat and this rather proves it. Everybody keeps saying what a wonderful driver he is, but all I see is a driver in one of the best teams on the grid; a team virtually built around him, who has won one world championship by the skin of his teeth. Maybe it's time for McLaren to bite the bullet and cast him adrift to sink or swim in the real world.

  • Have always been a fan of Lewis Hamilton since he burst onto the scene in 2007 Just like Jenson i thought he was a great world champion representing Great Britain but this last weekend i lost all respect that i had left for him, to throw a tantrum over twitter because he lost fair and square over one weekend to Jenson is pathetic. Grow up Lewis, learn to have a bit of humility when you have lost

  • Lewis Hamilton's constant whinging really grinds my gears.

    Tell you what Lewis, you come and work in my low paid office job for a few weeks, and I will have your millionaire race driver lifestyle for a few weeks? Yeah?

    Grow up man!

  • @diesel001 Does that include being so naive that you share confidential information to the detriment to yourself, your team mate and your team, on a worldwide social networking site? Hamilton's done a lot of stupid things in his career, but this one has to be up there.

  • I think the time has come for owners and employers of sports teams paying millions to insert a social media clause in contracts. Time and time again sports 'stars' let themselves and employers down with idiotic and sometimes offensive tweets. The whole thing is just a tool for them to massage their own massive ego but unfortunately in the main their intelligence is not so massive.

  • Hamilton seems to blame everyone but himself. Spoilt child does spring to mind.

  • In 07/08 I loved Lewis, great with the media and so driven to win, so much fire in his belly, and came 2nd in his first DWC I beleive?. Now he's more concerned of posing on twitter with his gf and pleasing his celeb guests! Its so clear his focus is elsewhere! What a sell out!

    Will he go down in history as one of F1's biggest let down potentials?
    PS He won the 08 DWC by one point......?

  • Hamilton should be made to drive for Marussia for a season as punishment.

  • Pretty measured comments from Button, if I was in his position I'd be livid and argue to keep all my car's data confidential from my teammate who'd posted it. Hamilton is incredibly lucky to not be disciplined as if it was anyone else they would've been sacked there and then.

    Just as well he hasn't moved to Red Bull, Horner would've shown him the door on monday morning.

  • Lewis is lucky I'm not McLaren team manager, he'd of been shown the door on the spot for serious misconduct and breach of confidentiality!! I'm sure the immature little schoolboy has broken his contract with this, lucky for him Whitmarsh has the backbone of a fish.
    Jenson has full right to be far more than disappointed! Lewis is basically moaning cause he's been beaten and he can't take it....

  • @41

    In the 2 1/2 seasons Jenson and Lewis have raced together Jenson has out scored Lewis 585 - 584 (Lewis has 8 wins to Jensons 7). I'm not sure that Mclaren would see the as a meagre contribution would you?

  • @ 41 .. Could you type anymore dribble? To say that Jenson Button is a "conceited" individual is ridiculous. Do you even know what that word means? Jenson, unlike his counterpart, is a brilliant role model to any aspiring kids wanting to get into Formula 1. He is a brilliant driver, great with the team, great with the media and well yeah, you get the idea...

    Lewis needs to grow up.

  • I think you will find NOTHING in future regarding car performance from Lewis on Twitter.Whitmarsh will have been furious in private,no matter what he said after the race.
    Lewis needs to be careful,there are plenty of drivers that could run at the front in that McLaren,for a lot less money too.He could easily drop into the next tier of cars down the way the driver market is poised for next season

  • Disturbing thing for McLaren about all this is that Hamilton KNOWS fine well what he was doing. He let down himself, his team-mate and the team. In some workplaces, it would be a near sackable offence - you cannot release confidential data for all the competition to see.

  • I think Hamilton needs to grow up.A great driver but his personality/attitude,particuarly in the past 2 years hasn't been great. With talk on sportsday live of tantrums and people saying things they shouldn't,Lewis is right up there.He should take a leaf out of Jensons book, he is a model professional who even though is clearly angry at times,remains composed.Been childish will get him nowhere.

  • Nick I´m afraid I have to disagree with you. Hamilton has done things that others haven´t. For example, last year or the one before in Australia. He was doing an exibition in the streets,driving in circles and racing with his own particular car. That was not part of the McLaren plan for the weekend. And the police thre took action.Remember that? Now tell me, what the hell was Hamilton thinking?

  • It does seem that Lewis has reached some from of plateau, from his initial raw talent moniker he hasn't sorted out the rawness and the talent is slowly seeping away.
    So he made a bad choice on set-up, he didn't need to whinge about it in public. Jensen is an utmost professional, and a class act to boot.
    Lewis can't be considered best driver 2012/13 have you seen what Alonso's done with the Ferrari

  • @James totally agree with your comments.McLaren haven't done a great job at times.Bad strategy poor pitstops,poor car setups which at times has lead to a pair of frustrated drivers.The criticism i have of Lewis is that if he had an issue with the team,he should have discussed those issues behind closed doors.The tweets show frustration,but also a level of immaturity which he needs to sort out!

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