JENSON BUTTON: I WILL GET QUICKER WITH MORE SEAT TIME
Formula 1 champ knows he has a lot to learn in rallycross
Formula 1 World champion Jenson Button says he needs to do more testing to become more competitive following his debut in the third round of the Nitro Rallycross Championship at ERX Motor Park in America earlier this month.
Driving for the Xite Energy
Racing team, Button partnered with compatriot Oliver Bennett in the British squad racing singlespecification electric FX1-X machines but F1’s 2009 title winner struggled to match the pace of his team-mate. Button didn’t make the final.
While Button’s performance improved throughout the weekend and he challenged Bennett for second position in the Last Chance Qualifier showdown, Button didn’t make it to the main event.
Sharing the Xite seat with ex-World Rally Championship star Kris Meeke this year, Button is set to drive at the next two rounds of the Nitro RX season in Los Angeles and Phoenix.
“Having never driven on just dirt with jumps in a rallycross car, there was a lot to learn,” he said. “It was probably more difficult than I thought it would be. My issue is that I’ll do a run, learn and gain confidence and then go back out and the track is completely different. You have to adapt to a changing track and I’m just not used to doing that in a car I don’t know.
“The team keep asking me what I want to change on the car and kept saying I didn’t know. I need to do more testing [but] looking ahead to LA I’m definitely in a better place.”