Hungary: Jenson faces the press

By Phil Huff
August 7 2006

Following his stunning race win yesterday, Honda Racing F1's Jenson Button headed to the Podium Press Conference. Here's the complete (and lengthy) transcript of what F1 newest winner had to say.

Jenson, let the words sink in: you've won your first Grand Prix!

I know. The problem is that it feels so normal already. Wow! What a day! It's been amazing. The weather conditions made the race very, very difficult for everyone but coming through from 14th and winning the race, I couldn't have done it in a better way, I don't think. I need to thank everyone. The strategy was fantastic and everyone within the team has done a great job this weekend and it's nice to see that we've got a car that can win races. The team deserves this. They've been working so hard and it's taken so many years to get here. We're finally here. I've got to say a big thank you to everyone in the factory and everyone back in the UK who is supporting me because they've never lost faith which is the amazing thing.

A great early phase of the race for you and everybody on Michelins, and then the race for you really came alive after the safety car when you were right behind Fernando in the Renault.

Yeah – and if my voice sounds funny, it's because I've been screaming so much! Yeah, exactly, it was obviously fun closing down Alonso. We made a great choice on the tyres and also on the last pit stop. We've been a real thinking team today. We haven't just gone out there and had the best car and won the race. We've thought hard about this strategy and we've won the race, not just through speed but also because of our strategy and then the way of working within Honda. I've got to thank them all. Fukui-san is here, the president of Honda, so it's a great present for him.

How did that last lap feel?

Amazing. The last ten laps. I didn't want the race to end. Normally, when you're in the lead – I suppose – it goes on for ever but I was loving it. We turned down the revs a lot, I knew we'd get to the end of the race. I had a forty second lead and I didn't want it to end, it was the best feeling, knowing that you're on the way home to winning your first Grand Prix.

Back in 1993, an Englishman named Damon Hill won his first Grand Prix here and went on to win the next two races. You said this one is already behind you…

Yeah, you know it's great to get that first win after so long. It's obviously a great feeling for myself and the team but it's good that I don't have to do those interviews any more, when they say you've done 113 Grands Prix and you haven't had a win. Now they will say that I've had a win after 113 Grands Prix; it sounds a lot better.

Is it all beginning to sink in now, or is it already passed?

No, it hasn't passed, but you know you can get used to winning quite quickly, I think. But no, it's an amazing feeling. Those last ten laps when I was leading, I had a forty second lead, the best laps of my career, just to sit there and relax, knowing that I didn't have to push too hard and it could just sink in, and enjoy those laps.

When did you think to yourself: hey, I can really win this?

That's a tough one, probably about thirty laps in. I was pretty happy with myself and the way the car was going, but you never know in these conditions. You're not thinking 'I can win this race.' You're just thinking about getting the best out of all you've got and that's exactly what we did and we came away with the win.

On those early laps, on a circuit where everyone says you can't overtake, you were picking off a competitor a lap for six laps – absolutely flying!

Yeah, the first lap, I had a terrible start. Alonso came past me and disappeared but then it was just picking off people and getting closer and closer to the front. But it was really enjoyable, to come from 14th and win the race here in these conditions is the perfect way to win your first race, I think.

Where would you have been without the penalty?

It might not have worked from fourth, you never know!

Any problems at all?

There always are in these conditions, when it's drying out you're not sure what to do, either to go to grooved tyres, keep the intermediates on or put new intermediates on. It's something which a lot of people made mistakes with, but thinking back to Spa, where I left the tyres on for two stints, I did the same again and it worked the same. A lot of people obviously didn't realise what we did in Spa last season. It worked and then we stuck the slicks (dries) on at the end and the pace was there.

So it was intermediates, the same intermediates and then dries?

Yeah. I think I had three stops. I can't remember actually. I can't remember anything after about three minutes ago now. All I'm thinking about is that I've just won my first race in Formula One!

How do you think it's going to affect you; you've got a nice three week break now!

Yeah, well, it would be nice to party this evening but I'm going away to Shanghai for four days PR which is going to be pretty tough, getting on a plane this evening, but there's another time to see my family and friends after that and I've got a great holiday, I'm heading out with my friends to the Mediterranean and celebrate. We do need to celebrate it and then we can start moving on and look to the next one.

I expect your father will look after the celebrations…

I think the old boy will enjoy himself this evening. I think he's staying in Hungary. I could see on his face when I was on the podium - he's staying!

You look relieved. Can you tell us your thoughts when you realised you would win?
I think about 35 to 36 laps in I knew the pace was good compared to the people around me, but you never know in a race like this if you have a chance of winning because although you are competitive there is so much that can happen with the weather and if it rained again who knows what would happen. There are so many different circumstances and scenarios. I think probably 10 laps from the end when I was leading by 40 seconds that I had a hint that I was going to win the race but again I was looking at the clouds as you come down the main straight and there is a big, big black cloud and that's why I had to build up such a big gap in case I had to come in and change back to intermediates. The last 10 laps were fantastic and I didn't have to push that hard, I just enjoyed myself and let it sink in. I wasn't pushing, the car was not pushing the engine and I knew I would get home safe and I was just thinking about what to say in the press conference really.

As you mentioned, you have put up with a lot of interviews with people reminding you of statistics to do with your career, so do you now feel a great sense of vindication now that you have your first win?

Yes, it is something, thinking personally about myself, and also the team. I think they did a fantastic job both before when they were BAR and also now it is Honda and done a fantastic job. They never let their heads drop when times were tough because it has been tough and all worked right through. Today looked like a race-winning team with the way they worked and the strategy and it is fantastic to see. This evening I will run through it again I am sure and a lot of interviews I have done or read about myself have always had that 'he has had 113 Grands Prix, or 114, and not won a race' and now they are not going to happen anymore and it is going to be that he has won his first race and looking to the next one which is nice. It will take a big weight off my shoulders when I read the press – and I do read your interviews now and again.

At home, there will be millions of people celebrating up and down the land. Do you have a message to your supporters?

Yes, a nice big thank you. It's been a tough few years and my time at Honda has been fantastic, but we've had some low times and this is the best time of my career and so I say a big thank you to my supporters for staying with me and supportive through the difficult times and that is when you learn who they are and I have got a lot out there that I've seen through fan mail and support at Silverstone and all around the world and it is a really nice feeling to have a chance to repay them for their effort and support over the years.

Surely you didn't dream you would win after all that happened before the race?

We were quite quick in the dry and before my engine blew the times were very good. We thought we were in with a chance of scoring very good points here and a podium was going to be difficult especially in dry conditions, but in the wet our car worked very well. The strategy worked out for us. Everyone stayed calm and did a great job and that is what won us the race, not outright pace.

I think you said you would shave should you win a race… Did I get that right Jenson?

I did, but I didn't think I was going to win a race because I like it long. But I think I'm going to have to shave now. What do you think? It's a bit hippy isn't it? If I shave we'll all like Pedro, all clean-shaven, all the same. We've got to have a bit of style you know… Have you counted up your races for a definitive number before this first victory?

I don't have that much time on my hands. That's not that important to me. The only way I know is by reading articles, but it is nice to get that first win and get it off my shoulders and hopefully I can celebrate this first win next week when I get back from doing four days of PR and we can look forward to Turkey where with some new things on the car we can improve our performance again in the dry and in the wet. So, it is promising.

What has happened to turn the team around in such a short time?

It has been many things in Hockenheim, we had an aerodynamic upgrade and also with the engine and the front suspension. Many little things have made the difference. We have always been quick in Hockenheim but here to have a quick car shows we have made a step forward. It would have been difficult to win the race in the dry but in these conditions it was possible. It will be very competitive in Turkey.

Do you feel any special relationship with this track?

It has been a controversial circuit for me and it is nice to put that behind me and proves what you can do with a clear head. I've made right choice to be with Honda and this is a great race to get my first win. Fukui-san is here, the president of Honda and obviously was disappointed with my engine failure yesterday as we all were and now it is nice to top this weekend off with a win.