Hungary: Jenson says... not much.

By Phil Huff (12/08/2004)
August 12 2004

Jenson Button sat in on the Thursday Drivers Press Conference today, and was pressed on the recent activities at Lucky Strike BAR Honda. He wasn't exactly forthcoming...

Have you enjoyed a quiet break, I am sure you both have! No? What have you been up to Jenson, tell us.

It has been a very quiet one for me.

Yeah? Where have you been?

Sardinia.

Keeping fit?

Not really. I am still a little bit tired coming here.

Tell us first of all the situation as it stands regarding your drive for next year at the moment.

I think I have made myself pretty clear in the press already. I don't think there is any use going into it again, well, I am not willing to anyway.

But, I mean, the situation regarding the contract recognition board, what happens about that? Can you tell us about that?

No, I can't. You will have to ask the team because it is a contractual matter and I am not able to discuss that.

Well, you and Mark Webber have been team-mates before. How do you feel about teaming up again next year, if it happens?

Again, I am not going to comment about being team-mates. But as a driver, Mark is, erm, we have worked together before, and he really works hard which is fantastic to see. He puts in a lot of effort in every area and I think he would be a big bonus to any team in Formula One.

When you signed with Williams did you know that he was going to be your team-mate?

No comment.

Obviously, you had a meeting with David Richards last Sunday. How is the atmosphere in the team, you have obviously spent quite a bit of time there.

The atmosphere is, erm, okay, it's fine, you know, we are all here to do a job and I am looking forward to it. I think we have got a good car here, we should be able to get a good result, everyone is pretty excited about the weekend and so yeah, we are pretty positive.

You don't think things are going to change at all?

I don't think we are going to get any less positive. As soon as we get onto the circuit, we are in a position to challenge for a victory here, I think, so no, we are very positive and that is going to continue throughout the weekend, bar a few mishaps.

What do you think of BAR's chances in the future?

Well, it is difficult to say, isn’t it? For anyone.

You have made your feelings clear about Williams' chances in the future, so what about BAR's?

They have obviously got a good career in front of them but it is difficult for anyone to say how good.

Jenson, can you give us a timescale on your contract talks?

[Silence]

I have never known you so un-talkative, Jenson, what's the matter with you? You can't say anything?

I have made myself clear earlier about the issue.

And that's all we are going to get from you?

Mark Webber: It is.

Anybody else like a crack?!

Jenson, all season you have been saying how much you have been enjoying your season with BAR, how good it is to work with guys who are working so hard for you. How come the announcement was made in the manner that it was if you had so much respect for the guys you are working with?

I am not going to comment on that. The only thing I would say is I have enjoyed working with BAR and they have been a great team to work for and I have had some very good times.

Looking at your outstanding performance in Hockenheim, what are you able to do here in Hungary?

It is very difficult to know because we expected to be quick at Silverstone and we weren't really where we expected to be. Coming to Hockenheim we knew we had a good car, the traction of our car seemed to be very good, so that helped us there quite a bit. Here it is a little bit more of an understeering circuit so we have got to wait and see but we are all pretty positive we can have a good race and, yeah, we are all pretty upbeat about it.

Just looking at the contacts you are supposed to have signed with Williams-BMW and with BAR-Honda, at the end of the matter, do you think it is going to be a question of money?

I can't comment on that. I think I have made that clear now!

Jenson, have you been in the garage today?

Yes.

Have you discerned any change in attitude towards you at all to what it was, say, at Hockenheim? Have people been exactly the same?

There is a good atmosphere in the garage. We are here to do a job, we are here to race, and we are here to hopefully get our best result this year and the best result personally and the best result for the team, so we are upbeat about the weekend, definitely.

So everyone is talking to you?

Yep.

Do you sleep well?

I always sleep well, do you?

I had a feeling that you and Flavio were not exactly in love. I got the feeling that David Richards did look after you big time, you got a great deal of tender loving care. Frank is not really known for being a very loving person, are you at all concerned that the sort of care and attention you were getting previously you may not be getting in the new team?

I have had a good relationship with the team, everyone included, at BAR.

Just a question apart from motor racing, as the Olympics are coming up, are you looking at any particular athlete?

It is an amazing event and I am looking forward to it. Obviously James, James Cracknell, because I know him pretty well, so it will be interesting to see how he does, and I know how hard all of them train for it. We both know the amount of effort they put into the Olympics, they are training for four years for it, so it is going to be exciting to see what the outcome is and, yeah, I am looking forward to it very much.

Amongst the several outlandish stories that have arisen following your move to Williams is one that BAR owes you money over a disputed arrangement for bonuses paid on points. Would you like to take this opportunity to deny that story?

I have got no comment on that.

Who's going to win the race this weekend?

I think it is going to be a pretty exciting race. I think the Michelin tyres should be working better than the Bridgestones so I think it is going to be pretty close. I don’t think the Ferraris will have their advantage here, so it should be a very competitive race weekend.

I am sure you know that rain is expected here for tomorrow and the day after that and maybe even on Sunday. Are you concerned about that because there has been no rain at any of the past Hungarian Grands Prix over the last 18 years.

It is obviously a slight worry because there has never been rain on the circuit at the race meetings so we don't know how the water's going to fall – how it is going to stand, sorry, we know how it is going to fall! We don't know where it is going to stand and we don't know if there is going to be any big puddles, so we will have to be a little bit careful but I am sure the people at the circuit have made sure there is not going to be any horrendous puddles anywhere.