London: Jenson Button has raised the possibility of moving from McLaren as the fallout from his boss Ron Dennis’s ham-fisted criticism of him continued ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
Dennis said earlier in the week that Button should “try harder” — holding the driver partly culpable for a season in which the team have failed to make the podium once.
The wording was typical of Dennis’s old-school style of management, and caused ructions within the team. Eric Boullier, the racing director, is believed to have found the intervention unhelpful.
Speaking at Silverstone yesterday, Button said sarcastically: “I think Ron is practising to be a motivational speaker, maybe. When we are in the position we have been in for the past 18 months, it is not easy.
“We all need to work harder as a team and we shouldn’t be pointing a finger at any individual. I don’t do things in half-measures ... Everything is 100 per cent.”
At 34 and in his 15th season in Formula One, Button’s future is a subject for debate for the first time. The team are keen to enlist a top-rank performer, believing that Button is “a tenth or two” short of what is required.
Fernando Alonso is the first name on their shortlist, while Lewis Hamilton has also been in tentative dialogue with his old McLaren team.
Button, who wants to continue in the sport for a number of years, said: “I would like to stay. This team has a bright future and the partnership with Honda [from next season] will help the team a lot. But this isn’t the only team in Formula One.”
That seemed to suggest he was putting himself on the market, albeit as his fallback option. A credible theory is that McLaren will stick with Button for another year, allowing Honda to bed in as partners. They could then save on Alonso’s salary and redirect that money towards research and development, before bringing him in a year later.
Button said: “Don’t feel sorry for me — I still drive an F1 car for a living. I am not getting as much enjoyment as the guy who is winning but I am enjoying my job. I just wish we were further up the grid.
“The guys I work with in the team are doing an awesome job. Most won’t have an influence on the development of the car but the mechanics are working flat-out. They are used to being in a team that wins points and suddenly they are not. It is tough for them because they are not just here to be mechanics; they want to succeed and are a massive part of the team. It is difficult when you can’t make a difference.”
However clumsily expressed, Dennis’s remarks raise an interesting question: can a 34-year-old bring the same enthusiasm as a new driver? Does he lay everything on the line as he did? Does the grind of travel — same airports, hotels and restaurants — and the cushion of multiple millions dull a driver’s dedication?
It takes an exceptional person to remain as keen at the later stages of his career. Button said: “When you have been in the sport a long time and if you believe in your ability, and feel you are at your peak, criticism shouldn’t worry you.”
Button will wear a special pink helmet for the race in honour of his late father John, who passed away in January.
