Japan: Jenson Button has his turn with the press

By Phil Huff (07/10/2004)
October 7 2004

Following Takuma Sato's appearance in the Driver's press conference, Lucky Strike BAR Honda's Jenson Button had his turn under the lights.

Jenson, here we are at Suzuka which is a great track with average facilities and across the other side of the world we have Silverstone which fits the same description. As a British driver what's your view on the fact that there might not be a British Grand Prix next year?

From a driver's point of view, it's disappointing. Your home Grand Prix is very very special. I have loved Formula One for many years, from when I was a youngster and the only race I used to watch was the British Grand Prix because it was my home Grand Prix and it would be devastating, I think, not just for myself but for all the fans in the United Kingdom, if we didn't have a Grand Prix. For me, Silverstone is a great circuit and if it's not on the calendar I think we would be losing a great race. There are obviously lots of reasons why it might not be there but that is not for me to comment on.

Now you made your decision to switch to Williams a long time ago, and now we're nearly at the end of the season. A lot of bookies are allowing you to bet on races and championships, putting Ferrari out of the equation. Now if we do that you're the World Champion and so is your team. In the time since you made that decision, have you had any second thoughts about leaving BAR-Honda for Williams?

I am not going to comment on that because this is not the correct place to be commenting on that, I don't think. On the 16th October, we will know where I am next year or we'll know the decision of the CRB (Contract Recognition Board) and then I can talk about it a little bit more but at the moment I don't think it's correct for myself or either team.

Yeah, but I am not asking you to say where you're going, I'm just saying in your own mind, we know you want to go to Williams, that's fair, but have you looked at the performance of your team and that of Williams?

I haven't compared them, but I think that in the last few races, as a team, we have done a good job. We have had some very good results but that doesn't change anything.

This is obviously a sort of home race for your team with the Honda engine but I guess you get to play second fiddle to Takuma here in terms of all the attention that he gets. Is that nice for you? Is it a bit of a weekend off from the media side of things, the PR, the promotions and everything?

It's still a busy weekend; it is for all the drivers, but especially Taku. I have been watching him so far today and it's been very busy for him and we will be able to see how he performs under pressure. I think he will do well, but it is always very tough, your home Grand Prix, especially how much of a following he must have after a reasonably good year. So it is going to be tough for him but we will see what he is made of.

Now there is a lot of talk of a lot of rain heading this way for the weekend. This is a bit of an old fashioned track; it looks quite dangerous in the dry... What are your views on racing here on a wet track?

I think on any circuit you are a little bit more nervous racing if it is wet because you can't see 20 metres... even five metres in front of the car because there is so much spray if you are in traffic. Wherever, it's pretty scary and I don't think this is any different. I do enjoy driving in the wet, just not when you're in the middle of a pack. I think we had a very good race in Monza - I know it wasn't wet wet but it was damp and the car seemed to work very well. So I think we will be quick here if it is wet but again, for the drivers in the race, it's not a nice situation if it rains.

You have been very close to the Ferraris many times, but not able to beat them. In which area are you losing out? What is the Ferrari's secret?

It is something we really don't know. They seem to be just strong in every area, really, a step above everyone in every area I would say. They are a very complete team, they have a lot of experience and they have just chipped away at it over the years.

If you follow the Ferrari, can you feel where they are gaining?

For me, as I said, they seem to be gaining in every area. I don't think we should have been able to beat them in the last two or three races because they are quicker than us, and it is a better car. I think that we are a little bit closer now than we have been during the season, but there is still a way to go. Over one lap we are relatively quick, but on a long run we are about half a second off of the Ferraris at most circuits now.

You're getting closer and closer to the Ferraris, at the last race you were one second away from victory. At this track, do you think you might be closer or further? How do you see the race going?

This is a very similar circuit to Silverstone and Ferrari were very quick there and McLaren were also very competitive. So I don't know. It is going to be a tough race, I think there's going to be quite a few cars up the front, it's going to be very difficult to say that we are going to have an advantage or we're not. We have got to wait and see really, but the McLarens and Ferraris, we know, will be competitive. We obviously want to win here, but our main aim is to beat Renault, so it's a tough one. We've got to look behind as well as forward. Jacques Villeneuve is back, he says he's a changed guy and he seems a lot happier. He says all the bitterness has gone and so on. Have you talked to him at all and how does he seem to you?

He seems like he is very happy to be back, definitely. He said the same thing when we were going around on the (drivers' parade) truck in Shanghai. Everyone wants him to be bitter Jacques but he's got no reason to be like that, he's here to race and do the best job he can. He seems to be fit, I think he was consistent throughout the last race and it is good to have him back in Formula One I think. With a bit more experience in the car, I think he could do reasonably well, but it might be too late for them.