Jenson Button News

[Anna]

Button has no plans to console under-fire Hamilton


"To be fair I wasn’t planning on it"

Tuesday 27 September 2011 - 11h57, by GMM
Jenson Button has revealed he will not be talking to his teammate Lewis Hamilton about the 2008 world champion’s latest controversy.

It has been suggested that, without a conventional manager, Briton Hamilton is in need of guidance in the wake of his professional split with his father.

The 26-year-old is once again in the doldrums after Singapore and his spat with Felipe Massa, while the much more experienced Button in the sister McLaren is happily the only driver still mathematically in contention for Sebastian Vettel’s title.

So will Button be phoning Hamilton this week?

"To be fair I wasn’t planning on it," he is quoted by the Telegraph. "We never talk away from the circuit.

"When he gets back home I am sure he will have people around him that will pick him up."

Button, 31, played down the depiction of the British media that - with Red Bull’s Vettel surely headed for the title - the real point of interest now is which McLaren driver wins the internal team battle.

"For us the important thing is to work together until the end of the year. If people try to turn us against each other ...

"My aim is to get more points than anyone over the last nine races," admitted Button.

He answered "I don’t know" when asked if it is his increasingly comfortable position within F1 and McLaren that has rattled Hamilton.

"I am definitely driving well at the moment," said Button.

"When I talk to Lewis, I don’t think he has changed the way he drives or anything."

[Lucius]

And so he shouldn't. I don't see why all of a sudden drivers, especially it seems Lewis, needs to be cuddled and loved when they are doing badly. Its a learning curve. Alright we don't like Lewis very much but he is a character and I prefer that to the PR crap they come out with, the only real problem I have with Lewis is he uses whatever he can to be a victim.

When life goes hard for Jenson the media aren't half as nice to him, look at Massa going through difficult times and everyone wants his seat from him! No one sits there saying "if only he had a manager cuddling him telling him the world will be fine..." I don't see why someone like Jenson should have to sit with another driver trying to help them through the tough times.

[Amanda]

I'm not sure what this big thing is about Lewis needing people. Lewis has people, he has a family, he has friends. Maybe his attitude is just like this naturally. If he doesn't ask for help why should people help him? Maybe this is how he acts to things naturally and which will help him best.

But why the hell ask Jenson if he'll do anything? It has nothing to do with Jenson.

[Pete]

BUT LEWIS NEEDS A HUG AND THAT IS ALL MCLAREN PAID JENSON FOR!!!! TO GIVE LEWIS HUGS WHEN HE'S HAD A HARD TIME!!!!!

I mean it isn't Jenson's fault that Lewis is having a bad season and Jenson having a good one. You've all said it, Lewis is the kind of person that gets angry and has bursts of stupid victimized rambling when he's not happy. A bit like Mark Webber just you can laugh at Mark whilst Lewis just feels childish... When Jenson has a bad time Jenson just deals with things differently. F1 drivers are grown ups, they don't need to be treated like children in kindergarden.

[kelli52]

Button signs multi-year deal with McLaren


The announcement came ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, with Button the only driver still standing between Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and a second successive championship.

Vettel needs just one point to clinch the title while Button must win to have even a glimmer of a hope of staying in contention with four more races to come after Japan.

McLaren said in a statement that retaining Button's services for the next few years would strengthen the Woking-based team's long-term stability.

Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, already has a contract with the team to the end of next season.

"I've never felt more at home at a team than I do at... McLaren," said Button, who won his title with Brawn GP - the former Honda team now racing as Mercedes.

"I've won four of the greatest races of my life here (with McLaren), I'm currently lying second in the drivers' world championship and I feel that I'm driving better than ever," the 31-year-old Englishman added.

"You can only achieve that with the right level of support, and I truly believe that the passion and determination to win are stronger here... than anywhere else."

McLaren gave no details about the deal, other than saying it was multi-year, but the length of time will end paddock speculation about a possible move by the Briton to glamour team Ferrari for 2013.

"I've made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those things," said Button.

"We... know how to win and we're busy refining an organisation that will enable us to keep on doing that for years to come."

Hamilton, who risks finishing second behind a team mate in the championship for the first time, welcomed the news.

"Jenson has been a great person to work with and a genuine team player, from the moment we welcomed him on board [in 2010]," he said.

"Jenson and I are as hungry and as ambitious as ever to win races and world championships in the future."

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh hailed Button as "one of the most capable and respected drivers we've ever had".

"He's a considerable credit to this organisation and I'm proud to be his team principal," he added.

"I feel sure that he'll now build on the considerable success he's already achieved with us and will be even more successful with us in years to come."

Vettel leads the championship on 309 points with Button a distant second in the standings on 185. Hamilton lies fifth on 168 points.

[Anna]

Button expecting police escorts for all drivers

23 November 2011

Jenson Button expects abundant levels of security for all Formula 1 drivers as the sport returns to Brazil this weekend. When leaving the circuit after qualifying last year, the 2009 World Champion was subject to a carjack attempt but was saved by the rapid reactions of specially-trained drivers and an armed vehicle.

“No, not at all,” Button is quoted as saying by Reuters when asked if he is nervous in returning to São Paulo. “Something was going to happen. It happened so many times with the mechanics and engineers. In the end it was going to happen to a driver, but I don't think they wanted anything except for our bags out of the boot.

“But we have more security this year. I think every driver you see will have a police escort this year in Brazil - and they should do. But you also have to spare a thought for everyone else in Formula 1 because they don't have police escorts.”

The McLaren driver was not the only target last year, as a group of Sauber technicians had items stolen from their car when threatened at gunpoint.

[Anna]

2011 end of term report – Jenson Button


270 points, 2nd in the drivers’ championship

Tuesday 27 December 2011 - 16h50, by Sandrine Bouchard
Unlike his teammate Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button had a satisfying season in 2011. The 2009 World Champion impressed the observers with both his driving and attitude. Runner-up to Vettel, he definitely silenced those who predicted him a tough time in ‘Hamilton’s den’.

Season review

Jenson Button didn’t know what to expect when he turned up in Australia for the first round of the season. The level of performance of his McLaren was a big unknown after a difficult winter, but last-minute changes worked wonders and the MP4-26 turned out to be the 2nd fastest car on the grid.

He qualified fourth on the grid but had a difficult race. He was given a drive-through for cutting a corner and gaining an advantage from it. He didn’t have the chance to give back the position to Felipe Massa as the Brazilian was passed by his teammate Fernando Alonso. He crossed the line in 6th place. In Malaysia, his smooth driving style helped him to take 2nd behind race-winner Sebastian Vettel.

In China, the McLaren driver qualified on the front row of the grid but made a rare mistake during the race. As he came in for a tyre change, he briefly stopped in front of Red Bull’s garage… It only cost him a couple of seconds and he finished in 4th position.

The Briton’s strategy didn’t work out as expected in Turkey and he took 6th on the finish line. He was 3rd in Spain despite a poor start. In the streets of Monaco, he started from the front row of the grid and was fighting for the win until the race was red-flagged. He eventually finished 3rd.

Button had his best race of the year in Canada. Seventh on the starting grid, he made five stops and had collisions with Hamilton and Alonso. He was also given a drive-through penalty for speeding behind the Safety Car. Despite all these problems, he made the most of the drying conditions in the final part of the race to close the gap to the leader and pass him in the final lap.

The next three races were less successful for the Briton. He finished sixth in Valencia and retired in Great-Britain (loose wheel) and Germany (hydraulic problem).

In Hungary, he celebrated his 200th Grand Prix in the best way. On a wet track, he took the win after a great fight with his teammate Lewis Hamilton. He was on the podium in Belgium, Italy and Singapore. His consistency saw him move up to 2nd in the drivers’ championship.

He took another win in Japan but couldn’t deprive Vettel of a second consecutive world title. Button missed the podium in Korea but finished in the top three of the last three races.

Conclusion

Button’s smooth driving style was a perfect match for the new Pirelli tyres. He got stronger through the season and impressed with his attitude and his race craft. He scored 12 podiums, including three wins, and finished runner-up to Sebastian Vettel. More importantly, he seemed to gain the ascendancy over his teammate Hamilton. He renewed his contract with McLaren for three more seasons.

Highs
12 podiums including 3 wins
Great attitude
Canadian Grand Prix

Lows
Mistake in China
No pole position
Retirements in Great-Britain and Germany

Nextgen-Auto.com marks :
Oliver Ferret : 17/20
D.Thys : 17/20
Sandrine Bouchard : 17/20
Jean-Michel Setbon : 17/20
Average mark on the forum Nextgen-Auto.com : 18/20
Total : 86/100