2007 season better than ever for Button

By Phil Huff
October 18 2007

Jenson Button's performances in 2007 have been his best ever, according to Honda Racing F1's Nick Fry. Despite only racking up a total of six points over the last 16 races, there's no denying that he's driving exceptionally well, outperforming his team mate for a second year running.

Talking of his fifth place finish at China, Nick Fry said "I think it demonstrates a couple of things. Number one, I think it demonstrates just how good Jenson is. Ironically, for me, this is Jenson's best season yet. He's driven the best, he's acted impeccably, and I think he has impressed everyone in the paddock with how determined he's been in what is admittedly not a good car."

There was no doubt that the changeable weather in Shanghai aided Button, but that was always the hope. "We thought that if the weather was all wet or a mixture then Jenson could certainly score good points," he explained. "But I think he excelled by going to the dry tyres relatively early and going at it. He was purple, purple, purple!"

Fry isn't referring to the fact that Jenson holds hi breath through corners, but rather that the timing screens in the paddock change show sector times in purple when they're the fastest of the race thus far.

Fry then set about 'recalibrating' people expectations for the remainder of the year, saying "If you can only run a mile in seven minutes, you don't try and run a mile in four minutes. You try and run a mile a minute quicker, and when you've done it a minute quicker then you go for the next minute.

"There's no point us dreaming of winning races," he added. "The job for us is to go for stretchy targets, but realistic ones. You have to recalibrate yourself.

"There is a certain amount of recalibration that you do have to do with the team, but it's also important to celebrate when you do have occasion to. Tenth place in qualifying for Jenson was a good one, and fifth in the race was just rewards.

"We need to celebrate that."