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Button says he must be more aggressive in Belgium
Source: Agencies |
August 24, 2009, Monday
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BRAZILIAN Rubens Barrichello has sent a clear warning to championship-leading Brawn team mate Jenson Button that the Formula One title battle is far from over.
Button recognized that he needed to raise his game in Belgium next weekend after Barrichello won yesterday's European Grand Prix to move up to second place overall, 18 points behind him with six rounds remaining.
"It is better to be consistent and not crash, but if you are consistent and get two points it is not enough," Button, who finished seventh, told reporters.
"I am going to go to Spa and be more aggressive, for sure. In every way, not just driving, but with the strategy and with the tires.
"It is where we have got to be because otherwise it (the lead) is going to be slowly eaten away."
Barrichello's win was the 37-year-old's first in nearly five years and 100th by a Brazilian. After a difficult start to the season, when Button won six of the first seven races, he is hungry for more.
A mistake in qualifying for yesterday's race left Button fifth on the grid and he then lost out at the start as Red Bull's title contender Sebastian Vettel moved across aggressively. From then on, he was stuck in traffic.
Despite that, Button could consider himself lucky with the Red Bull drivers failing again to take advantage of his difficulties.
Neither scored points yesterday, with Australian Mark Webber slipping to third overall and Vettel to fourth after yet another blown engine and retirement. Webber is 20.5 points adrift of Button, Vettel another 4.5 behind.
FIVE WINNERS
There have been five different winners in the last five races and McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton, his title hopes long gone, is back on form to take crucial points off the championship contenders.
The Briton was second in the heat of Valencia after winning in Hungary, where Button was also seventh.
"This was the first time when we have had a strong car that I have not been able to get the most out of it," said Button, who had complained in previous races that the Brawn was unable to get heat into the tires in cooler conditions.
"That is the most frustrating thing. We have to turn that around.
"The Red Bulls are still going to be fighting, they are going to be quick for sure over the next few races, especially the next one at Spa, although I don't think the McLarens will be as quick as they were here."
Button, who has scored just 11 points in the last four races, was comforted at least by Barrichello proving that Mercedes-powered Brawn were quick again.
"I think we have sorted out a few of our issues, and we have some updates, so Rubens and myself will be very quick at Spa," he said.
"The team has proven that we are quick when it is hot, and Spa will be the telltale of whether we are quick when it is cold. There are a few coolish races still to come," he added.
"So this Friday coming, is a very important day for us to see if we have made improvements in the cool conditions."
Button recognized that he needed to raise his game in Belgium next weekend after Barrichello won yesterday's European Grand Prix to move up to second place overall, 18 points behind him with six rounds remaining.
"It is better to be consistent and not crash, but if you are consistent and get two points it is not enough," Button, who finished seventh, told reporters.
"I am going to go to Spa and be more aggressive, for sure. In every way, not just driving, but with the strategy and with the tires.
"It is where we have got to be because otherwise it (the lead) is going to be slowly eaten away."
Barrichello's win was the 37-year-old's first in nearly five years and 100th by a Brazilian. After a difficult start to the season, when Button won six of the first seven races, he is hungry for more.
A mistake in qualifying for yesterday's race left Button fifth on the grid and he then lost out at the start as Red Bull's title contender Sebastian Vettel moved across aggressively. From then on, he was stuck in traffic.
Despite that, Button could consider himself lucky with the Red Bull drivers failing again to take advantage of his difficulties.
Neither scored points yesterday, with Australian Mark Webber slipping to third overall and Vettel to fourth after yet another blown engine and retirement. Webber is 20.5 points adrift of Button, Vettel another 4.5 behind.
FIVE WINNERS
There have been five different winners in the last five races and McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton, his title hopes long gone, is back on form to take crucial points off the championship contenders.
The Briton was second in the heat of Valencia after winning in Hungary, where Button was also seventh.
"This was the first time when we have had a strong car that I have not been able to get the most out of it," said Button, who had complained in previous races that the Brawn was unable to get heat into the tires in cooler conditions.
"That is the most frustrating thing. We have to turn that around.
"The Red Bulls are still going to be fighting, they are going to be quick for sure over the next few races, especially the next one at Spa, although I don't think the McLarens will be as quick as they were here."
Button, who has scored just 11 points in the last four races, was comforted at least by Barrichello proving that Mercedes-powered Brawn were quick again.
"I think we have sorted out a few of our issues, and we have some updates, so Rubens and myself will be very quick at Spa," he said.
"The team has proven that we are quick when it is hot, and Spa will be the telltale of whether we are quick when it is cold. There are a few coolish races still to come," he added.
"So this Friday coming, is a very important day for us to see if we have made improvements in the cool conditions."
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