Button: I can win, but not until next season
JENSON BUTTON the racer would like nothing more than to register a win in what has turned out to be a disappointing season for McLaren.
But Jenson Button the realist knows that winning a race would do little more than provide a fillip for his team, having conceded well before the halfway point, in Hungary this weekend, that a title challenge must wait for another year.
‘If you go without a win, you go without a win,’ said Button, despite driving for a team that last failed to notch up a single victory during a season way back in 2006.
‘I would rather fight for the world championship next year than get a win this year and one win next year. Getting a win during the season is not important.’
That may sound like a remarkable admission f or a highly motivated, not to mention highly paid, racing driver. But such have been McLaren’s woes this year, it is difficult to criticise Button for now viewing the remainder of the season as largely a dress rehearsal for next year, when radical new engine regulations come into play.
“It is non-stop here. Mentally it’s just very, very draining”
‘We are concentrating more on 2014 but we are putting bits on this car that will help us for next year,’ said Button.
‘It is not as though we are finishing with this car. It is not the thing we do and with 700 people wanting to see a result, it is wrong just to focus on next year. So, there will be new things for this car that will help us with the design of next year’s car.’
It is not all doom and gloom, even though the measures McLaren have taken to improve their troublesome machine have been more like baby steps than giant leaps.
Reminded that 1980 was the last time McLaren went through an entire season without having one of their drivers on the podium, Button brought into sharp focus just how much of a bitter pill that would be should such a poor return be repeated this year.
‘That’s the year I was born,’ quipped the 33-year- old before vowing he would stand on one of the three steps sooner rather than later, albeit not the top one.
‘I don’t think we are going to get a podium here,’ said Button of his prospects in Hungary. ‘We have to be realistic. A good result here would be good going into the summer break. I am hoping that, by the following race in Spa, we can get a podium.
‘Winning? No. But we can fight for a podium at least. People might think, “How the hell can you say that? Your best result was fifth and you were sixth in Germany”. But I feel we are making progress all the time. If we can string it together over the weekend (in Belgium), we can get a good result.’
This weekend, Button is hopeful his legendary fitness can come into play when the mercury rises to nearly 40°C on race day. The new Pirelli tyres have also added an element of randomness to the mix.
‘Over the years here, McLaren have done very well,’ said Button. ‘I have also won two races here. I like the circuit and the layout. It is physically c hall e nging and mentally challenging.
‘It is non-stop. Mentally, it is very, very draining. The heat is going to play a part as to how mentally strong you are, and fitness is, too. Because it is going to be so challenging, plus the unknown over the tyres, it is going to be our best opportunity to get a good result.’ Despite Button’s admirably positive approach, not so long ago good results meant wins, not solid, points-scoring finishes.
It took Button a very long time to record his first career win — 113 grands prix — and returning to the scene of that landmark with virtually zero chance of a repeat victory is a situation Button certainly never envisaged happening again.
Recalling that maiden win in 2006, Button said: ‘I remember the last 10 laps of the race as I had such a big lead and I was able to enjoy it. All weekend, I had been up and down. I qualified fourth and then got a penalty for the engine change and starting 14th.
‘And then coming through and winning — it was just a great race — doing Michael Schumacher into turn one. There were some good battles out there. It was a weekend that I will never forget.’
The same does not apply to the post-race party. ‘I had a pretty good night that night so I can’t remember anything,’ he admitted.
With 2012 being a season to forget, any future celebrations look like being on hold until next year.