Japan: Jenson Button in the 'Fastest Three'

By Phil Huff
October 8 2005

BAR Honda's Jenson Button's drive to second on the grid meant he had to face the Fastest Three press conference. Here's what he had to say...

Jenson, you were out just after Ralf, was the weather maybe a little bit worse then?

Not at all, it wasn't raining when I was out so I think I was the last of the people in just greasy conditions. We were very lucky, both of us, but it was lucky more for me because I had a very difficult car to drive, a lot of understeer in the car. It's great to be second on the grid and it's Honda's home Grand Prix, so it should be a very exciting race tomorrow.

You did some running in the morning. How much were you plunging into the dark in the qualifying lap, you said the handling was not good, how do you live with that problem in the lap?

Well, it's the first time we ran this tyre because we ran a different tyre this morning. It was very difficult. On the out lap I knew I had some big issues, I had massive understeer, I couldn't get my front tyres to work, I don't know if it was temperature or just not enough wing in the car, but it just felt like a very, very slow lap, so to be P2 I am reasonably happy. I am sure all of us have set the car up for tomorrow in the race but for us we are very positive and think we can have a very good home race for the team.

And what are your thoughts for the race in terms of your potential for winning tomorrow, bearing in mind the shape of the grid?

It is never going to be easy even if the McLarens are so far back, we also have got Giancarlo here at the front with us. It is going to be an exciting race and I think we have a better car here in race trim than we have had at the last couple of races, we have solved a few of the problems we have had so we think it will be a strong race for us.

You must be pleased to be on the front row after the events of the past couple of weeks.

It is fantastic and it is always nice to be on the front row, but especially at Honda's home circuit. Again, it was a little bit lucky, because it did start raining for Giancarlo just after my run. So, yeah, it's a bit lucky but sometimes you get bad luck, sometimes you get good luck and it's nice to get some luck this time.

Did you get the forecast right?

Yep, pretty much. I think we are correct with our forecast for tomorrow as well. As Ralf said, I think it's going to be dry for the race.

You were very quick in the second two sectors but not particularly quick in the first. What happened there?

I just had very low front grip. I thought some of it was to do with the warm-up of the tyre but it wasn't because I had massive understeer throughout the whole lap and I was very surprised to be second quickest, I really was.

You often say McLaren is too good but now they are well behind you. Do you think you can beat them tomorrow?

We will do everything we possibly can to do the best race we can but we have seen before when Kimi has started at the back or Juan Pablo, they have been very strong, especially in a circuit like this where aero is very important. I think we will see them coming through the field very quickly. But we will do everything we possibly can. We can't go into this race feeling defeated already. We have to stay positive and look for the win, definitely.

Is this the new order we can get used to, seeing Honda and Toyota drivers at the front of the grid?

We are hoping, but you never know. So much can happen during the winter. I am sure that both teams will be moving forwards very much. We are hoping we will move forward more, likewise for Ralf I am sure. I am sure in the future we will be very competitive and we will see both teams challenging for wins in the future.

When you qualify in conditions like that, but expect a dry race, are you running a full dry set-up, or pretty much that way?

Yeah, you've got to. The race is 54 laps long and you have to concentrate on that. One lap in qualifying is important but nothing like the race, and especially the way the system is now, with the tyres and also the fuel load in qualifying, you have to think about the race.