New challenge drove Jenson

World champion states new challenge as reason for switch

Last updated: 20th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

New challenge drove Jenson

Button: New challenge

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Jenson Button insists that the challenge of driving with and against Lewis Hamilton as McLaren team-mates was the main reason behind his switch from Brawn.

Button left the team he won the World Championship with in order to move to Woking-based McLaren and complete a stellar all-British line-up with the last two F1 world champions at the same team.

A lot has been said after Button's decision, with Brawn boss Nick Fry still feeling some bitterness at what he sees as a lack of loyalty from the driver towards a team that gave him a title-winning car.

The takeover of Brawn by German car manufacturer Mercedes has also thought to have had an impact, while money has been mentioned, but Button insists his move is all about taking on a new challenge.

Button knows McLaren has been built around Hamilton in recent years, but he insists he is relishing the challenge of driving with, as well as against, his fellow Briton.

Challenge

"Moving teams is never the easiest thing in Formula One but sometimes these are the decisions you take and you need some new challenges," he said.

"It's going to be tough and I'm going to go onto the grid in 2010 a better driver, a stronger driver but with new challenges in front of me, I know it's not going to be a walk in the park.

"Moving to McLaren is the buzz I need, fighting against Lewis. Winning the world championship was my aim and I've achieved that, I want to go out there and have fun and fight against Lewis.

"I hope that when we go out head to head I come out on top but I don't know that, nobody knows that, that's why it's a proper challenge.

"We always want to beat each other because we're very competitive people so my aim is to work with Lewis very closely to make sure the car is in a good place so we can fight for victories.

"Then the rivalry will come and we'll try to beat each other. That's a buzz for me - and I hope it is for Lewis."

With Brawn still seething over the move, they will not allow Button to be involved in any McLaren team activity until the New Year, which includes both off and on-track events.

"Jenson will not be doing anything at all for McLaren until the end of this calendar year," Brawn chief executive Fry said in The Guardian. "And if he does, we will be looking on it very dimly.

"He didn't have any obligations to us in 2010, but there are issues with regard to the [McLaren contract] signing process on which we are in discussion with him at the moment.

"There are other constraints on what Jenson can do between now and the end of the year which we will be rigorously enforcing."

Comments (2)

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Alan Thompson says...

Whatīs all the fuss about? jenson has made a decision which will show everyone exactly how good (or not) he is. Finally a driver who is not scared of being compared to the others. Nick Fry is being a baby about it. Brawn and jenson agreed to make a decision about 2010 in November at the end of the 2009 season and thatīs what happened. Not surprising that Button would want to challenge himself and McLaren is a racing driverīs dream.

Posted 11:44 20th November 2009

Jack Maddock says...

I think it will be the best line up in 2010 but I belive Hamilton is the better driverand this will show next year

Posted 10:40 20th November 2009
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