Button: "I will fight until it's impossible"

Button: “I will fight until it’s impossible”

Korean Grand Prix

October 28, 2010 at 2:40 pm by Keith Collantine

Jenson Button vowed to continue his efforts to retain his F1 title despite falling 42 points behind in the title race with only 50 left to be won.

Button told his official website:

I’ve always said that I will fight until its mathematically impossible. Sure, looking at it written down on paper, you’ve got to admit it’s a long-shot but I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I chose not to go for it, and then circumstances transpired to give me a full run at the title.

So, for me, the situation’s the same: I’ll be fighting until it’s no longer possible for me. In Formula 1, you just never know it’s totally possible that I could win at Interlagos, take home maximum points and have none of the other title contenders finish. If its another wet race, that could easily happen.

Basically, you learn early on in this sport that its not over until its over.
Jenson Button

He said his 12th place finish in Korea was a fair reflection of the pace he had on the day:

There were a number of issues it started to go wrong on Saturday afternoon in qualifying when the temperatures dropped and I just didnt feel as comfortable working the tyres as I’d felt during practice.

Suddenly, the car just didn’t feel as confidence-inspiring as it had on Friday it was much harder to find the limit, and I was struggling with nervousness and wheel-locking. In fact, I was quite surprised to qualify seventh, because I certainly didn’t feel comfortable with the cars pace during Q3.

The race was an extension of that, really. I just had no grip: the brakes were locking at every corner. I wore through the Extreme Wets pretty quickly it might’ve looked like a strategic call to make an early switch to Inters, but it was borne out of necessity really.

And that set the pattern for the rest of the race. I lost out badly when everybody else pitted during the Safety Car period, and I just didn’t have the pace from then until the end of the race to be able to challenge the cars in front of me.

On paper, 12th looks like a pretty shocking result but it was actually a pretty good reflection of the pace we had on Sunday afternoon.
Jenson Button

Button said he is “optimistic” about his car’s pace despite qualifying behind both Red Bulls and Ferraris, and Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes, in Korea:

Our performance has been a little bit up and down recently. We nearly had the pace to win in Monza, we looked faster than the Red Bulls in Singapore, and our race pace was very good at Suzuka.

So it’s difficult to say precisely where we are. In Korea, we looked extremely quick during all the practice sessions, only to see that pace narrow in qualifying and the race. So I think we have every reason to still feel optimistic.

For Brazil, we’re bringing more updates to the car. That’s something thats always impressed me about this team the pace of development is just incessant, and everybody is so determined to make the car faster. We’re always trying out new parts, and making changes. We havent backed off the development stream just yet, so, once again, were hopeful of another step forward in perfomance for Brazil.

It’s a track that should suit us, so I’m already looking forward to it.
Jenson Button

2010 Korean Grand Prix

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68 comments on Button: “I will fight until it’s impossible”

Hare (@hare) said on 28th October 2010, 21:02

Basically, he needs to mount machine guns on his car to win.. I’d love to see that. Lasers perhaps? Easier to hide, some aren’t visible. IR Lasers for example… Infa-Red Bull’s Eye.

It would be great! :D

Reply Report user
sato113 (@sato113) said on 28th October 2010, 21:29

Button needs to remember he’s at a big team now. where the team comes before the driver.

Reply Report user
rbc said on 29th October 2010, 0:11

jenson
it was impossible from the day one of this year championship
so enjoy your last days as champion and stop being funny

- BBT said on 29th October 2010, 19:18
  
  … but I beat you weren’t saying that after the 1st 4-5 races, give it a rest.
  
  Very unlikely yes, but he had a chance… nowhere near impossible.
  
U2 said on 29th October 2010, 8:15

Agree… Jenson never had a chance with Lewis around, even Alonso couldn’t win in 2007 such is the inclination towards Lewis. Having said that, Jenson would do a far better job being wingman to Lewis in the remaining 2 races.

Oliver said on 29th October 2010, 9:01

If any of the other 4 drivers just scores 2 more points than Jenson, at the next race, Jenson will be out of the championship.

the edge said on 29th October 2010, 19:00

wasn’t that last sunday?!

adam23 said on 30th October 2010, 1:36

It doesnt matter how hard Button tries. He needs his 4 rivals to score no points in the final 2 races, leaving him with the competition of Massa, Kubica and perhaps the Mercedes’ to get a 2nd and a victory. Should be easy for him :).

Either way, its not going to happen. Valiant effort from Jenson this year though. He has done well against Lewis, despite generally lacking the last tenth or two, and I feel the two of them have learnt a lot off each other and for a car that’s been a distant 3rd in raw pace over the course of the season, and has only been the fastest at Spa and maybe Montreal, it is a credit to the drivers that the WCC is a real possibility and both men are in mathematical contention with 2 races remaining.

So far, well done Jenson and Lewis!

VXR said on 31st October 2010, 18:58

I’m getting really good odds on Button finishing in front of Hamilton in the championship, and these odds are not as long as either one of them winning the championship.

I wouldn’t expect anything other than a driver to fight on while ever he has a mathematical chance of winning the championship. Shame on you Massa.

And let’s not forget that Button won his title in a Brawn. Not a Ferrari or a McLaren or a Renault or a William’s. But a car that very nearly didn’t show up at the first race of the 2009 championship. That’s got to look good in any F1 history book.

Jeffrey Powell said on 1st November 2010, 13:58

I think the Fight untill its no longer possible attitude may be a direct result of the teams response to his comments directly after the race which seemed to me to indicate he had given up on the WDC. Jenson is a consumate spin doctor of his own ability but is prone to let his guard slip after a bad result .I would love to see Lewis win it but I think the combination of Alonso and the superior Ferrari will be just to much.