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Why did Button leave Brawn/Mercedes?

Alex T

Jenson Button has repeatedly stated that he is moving to McLaren because of his quest to pursue other challenges particularly the challenge of racing in the same team against one of his fellow Brit LH. Further, he's also repeatedly stated that he definitely is not moving to the new team because of financial rewards

The famed psychologist Abraham Maslow in his renown "Needs Theory" model tells us that 'money is not a motivator'. Thus, someone like Button is making decisions based on his desires to fulfil his 'self-actualization need' - to be the best that he can become. So does this model adequately explains why Button is leaving? Not quite.

During those dark days of December '08 when the fate of the Honda/Brawn team was very unclear, Button demonstrated his loyalty, character, commitment and belief in the team by communicating strong public support; by making some very major financial concessions in order to help secure the team's survival and future. Those concessions were very costly to him. Unfortunately, it would appear that when he was ripping up his old contract neither he nor his management team did not adequately protect his economic interest with a rescission or claw back or restoration clause stipulating that all of his concessions would be restored retroactively (status quo ante),or prospectively should the team survived and prosper. (But, allowing him the option to waive this clause in whole or in part as the need arise).

As we are all aware, in 2009 Button's team was a runaway success. Thanks in no small part to Button's major concessions and his driving prowess. During the 1st half of the season and in the penultimate race in Brazil, Button's driving was near flawless. It was a demonstrated silky smooth beautiful work of art. His performance was without a doubt the acme of grace, self-confidence, beauty, ease and art-form.  During this period, Button finally affirmed the potential that Sir Frank Williams saw in him eons ago.

Button's overall commitment may be summarized as follows: Demonstrated loyalty during the gloomy days; major financial contract concessions (give-backs) and winning for the team both the WDC and the Constructor's crown. Having done so, it is not unreasonable for Button to have expected that he would be very well rewarded by Ross Brawn and the team at the end of the season. He felt that this degree of respect duly earned and owed would be appropriately and promptly forthcoming at the end of season. This, apparently, did not happen.

Based on his overall contribution to Brawn's success, it is not unreasonable for Button to have expected that all of his concessions would have been restored, and that Brawn would have gone that extra mile of presenting him with special bonuses such as the winning car as well as, maybe, 10-25 shares in the company. Respect is shown not just by the financial package being offered but also by the symbolic gestures that are extended.

According to various press reports (see the Times, the Telegraph, Autosport and James Allen's Blog) Button was offered £8m. Officials of the team indicated that this amount was precisely the sum Button had asked for but now seems to want to get more. It was also suggested to Button that he may augment his team income with additional personal endorsements. In essence, it would appear that Button was being squeezed as well as being slated for seemingly being overly greedy.

Again, it is clearly a matter of record that Button was one of the principal factors in Brawn's success. In fact, he was instrumental in helping to ensure the survival and success of Brawn. As a result of his overall contribution, Brawn didn't just survived, it achieved the ultimate Hollywood-type success in the sport.

According to the Mail, Ross Brawn will get a £100m windfall(See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-1228209/Mercedes-ownership-Brawn-Jenson-Button-moves-closer-McLaren-switch.html)

The other secondary team partners will of course realize their own windfalls. Now since Button was instrumental in helping to save the team and having being a very major contributor to its success, then is it so unreasonable for him to want to share in the spoils?

I believe one could reasonable conclude that one of, if not the principal reason Button has decided to leave Brawn/Mercedes stems from the fact that he feels Ross Brawn and the team have not shown him the proper respect and dignity that he has earned. [*]

In addition to the issues explored above, another peculiar development seems to be occurring at Brawn/Mercedes GP. During the gloomy days of December '08, McLaren graciously agreed to allow Mercedes to supply engines to Brawn. McLaren also was instrumental in allowing Brawn to share in the TV revenues. As the 'old saying' states 'no good deed goes unpunished'

BrawnGP used the Mercedes engines to clobber McLaren on the track and win both championships. The engine deal subsequently contributed to the demise of the 15 years old marriage between McLaren and Mercedes; And of course, to add insult to injury, Brawn/Mercedes is now the official works team of Mercedes. As a result of these transactions Ross Brawn will now get a £100m windfall (see above citation). According to Autosport, Ross Brawn has indicated that he will not release Button to McLaren until the expiration of his existing contract. Very interesting indeed.

One final point regarding the importance of "respect". We are all aware of the termination package Kimi received from Ferrari. McLaren decided to blend its offer with Ferrari's severance package. This way, Kimi's blended Ferrari/McLaren renumeration would not exceed LH's retainer. Kimi apparently felt that as a matter of principle this was unacceptable. He apparently felt that the blended package was not fully respectful of his status.

[*] Update:My final conclusion should have stated that Button's decision to leave Brawn/Mercedes was based on his desires to fulfil his needs for respect (esteem) and self-actualization. (Maslow: Levels 4 & 5). Allow me to thank Tim for reminding me of the need for logical consistency as per his comprehensive analysis of the piece.

Mercedes takeover of Brawn: what's the fall-out?

 

Neil Gardner

Mercedes have confirmed today that they have completed a takeover of Brawn GP after buying a 75.1 per cent stake in the British team in a move that could see Jenson Button join Lewis Hamilton at McLaren.

While the prospect of two British world champions forming a 'dream team' at McLaren is enticing, it would also represent something of a PR disaster for Brawn to lose their star driver so soon after winning his maiden championship. The 29-year-old took a £5 million pay cut to drive for Brawn but expected recognition of his loyalty to be reflected in his pay packet next season and will probably more than double his salary to £8 million at McLaren.

But would it be the right move for Button, who could be on a hiding to nothing going up against Hamilton, who is desperate to regain his status as the world's best? Who would be the more likely driver to succeed when going head-to-head in the same car? And would you expect Button to be treated as an equal to Hamilton, who has been nutured by the team since childhood?

Also, how do you see the rival teams developing? Will Mercedes be title contenders in their first season, with Ross Brawn's technical know-how allied to real financial muscle? Are we about to witness the emergence of another superpower in Formula One? This move must surely leave McLaren weakened.

Let us know your thoughts.

Michael Schumacher's 1994 Benetton for sale on eBay

Ben Smith

Always fancied yourself as a Formula One driver - the women, the lifestyle, the cars? Well here's your chance.

The car Michael Schumacher drove to his first world title is being auctioned on eBay. His Benetton B194, which is described as being in "racing condition", is yours to own if you can make a bid in excess of  somewhere around £2.5million - a bargain, I am sure you will agree.

The car comes with a two sets of wheels (presumably for pit stops), paddle shift, traction control and a laptop that will allow you to toy with the onboard computer.

Some 200 bids have already been made with the price currently poised at £2.3m. You have until next Monday to top that, although with the car being sold from Toronto, Canada, you will also have to find an extra £10,000 to ship it to Europe.

Anyone worried that the bodywork will still bear signs of the damage sustained when Schumacher collided with Damon Hill in the final race of that season in Adelaide need not worry. All signs of that infamous shunt have been repaired and the car has been returned to 1994 condition, complete with sponsors' labels.

So what are you waiting for ...

Edward Gorman's live Formula One webchat

Frank Praverman

Ed is preparing to take your questions on all things Formula One. You can join his debate here. Ask him a question, send him a comment ... get involved. The webchat is for an hour from 1pm.

Is Yas Marina any good as a track?

Ed Gorman

Hi everybody

Great to see a post from Dean, one of the oldest regulars, as we come to the end of this chapter of the blog. Apologies for the paucity of posts from Abu Dhabi. For some reason I could not access the blog there - I was wondering if it was blocked for some reason - and I could not get pictures loaded or view the comments. Apart from that, everything was fine.

I was wondering what people felt about the circuit there. Fleet Street seems to have given it a pretty lukewarm reception in terms of the type of racing it produced. I suppose the question is: have the authorities in Abu Dhabi got a track to match their ambitions? It seemed to spread the cars out, a bit like Valencia, and there was precious little wheel to wheel stuff. Is this the fault of the track layout or is it more a reflection of the difficulty drivers have following a car in front, regardless of the track?

Elsewhere on the web I see there are some fairly unflattering comments about the circuit and its designer Hermann Tilke. If you don't like it, how would you change it? I guess this race is one that will never(?) be interrupted by rain, so the circuit has got to provide the drama all on its own. Perhaps Yas Marina should break completely new ground and instal a sprinkler system with rules on use to match.

When I was there I tried to post this paragraph (below) and the picture...so here it is, about four days late...

Media Room Abu Dhabi

 

One area where the planners of the Abu Dhabi operation have got it right is their innovative design for the main press room. Unlike all the other circuits in Formula One, they have dispensed with individual TV screens in banks all over the room (which often give us cricked necks) and chosen instead to display the same information on three sets of giant screens on the wall in front of us. It works. You can read all the timing from anywhere and you get a superb main image of the TV feed from the track. Even at this size the resolution is excellent. This sort of approach is only possible, I guess, when you are starting from scratch, money is no object, and you can design the room layout with this sort of large-scale projection in mind.

PS You may have noticed I am scheduled to do a web-chat at 1.00pm on Wednesday. The last time we tried this, when I wuz in Suzuka, it turned into a disaster because the software was creaking. This time we have a new programme, apparently, and my colleagues in the office in London are confident it will work. The idea is you can ask me anything about the season gone-by. I will not know most of the answers, but I'll try to cover up as well as I can! 

An Indian Perspective

Dean Rodrigues

I've been in India for the last month as the first stage of a "gap year" tour around the world (which coincidentally explains my total disappearance from this blog since September), and as this season ends I feel obliged to provide some sort of voice for what could well be F1's largest worldwide following. 

Due to various travels, I ended up missing the live telecasts of pretty much the entire climax to the season, with the exception of yesterday's Abu Dhabi bonanza.  However, that is in no way reflective of the coverage of F1 over here - whether or not you watch the race, you'll be sure to find out the result whether you want to or not.  I think this is the 15th time I've been India (my "other" home), and this has always been the case.  Every qualifying and race is broadcast, but more pertinently the practice sessions are covered as well - something we lacked in the UK for years until BBC took over again this season.  Coverage in the print media is also excellent, and for good reason too - after cricket (which you are better considering as a religion than a sport here), F1 probably garners the second greatest interest across the board. 

As I say, this has been the case for years.  My love of F1 almost certainly developed here in India as a 6-year old tyke, when my uncle would sit me down every Sunday to bear witness to the ministry of Michael Schumacher back in his Bennetton days.  "Man over machine", as he would describe it - and too right he was.  And certainly, I have met no one anywhere else in the world more passionate and knowledgeable about the sport than him.  And while he is an individual, he's a representation of F1's following in India - it is everywhere.  Drive around the roads here (at your peril), and you'll be passed by many a 2-wheeler, wriggling between cars like a rat on wheels.  What you'll quickly spot is the remarkable number of moving adverts for Marlboro cigarettes... and indeed for various other brands that happened to adorn Michael Schumacher's helmet back in the day.  Since helmets became compulsory a few years back, replica's of MS's design have sold like hot cakes - though the odd replica Alonso and Hamilton wouldn't be a total surprise on the streets of Mumbai.  What strikes home is that the appreciation of the sport in the country - the passionate following of a team or a driver that has been present in India for years on end (certainly throughout my lifetime) - is totally independent of national interest. 

Handbags in Abu Dhabi

 

Ed Gorman

Hello from Formula One's most elaborate and breath-taking creation yet. How can Silverstone battle against places like this one wonders? The track is perfection itself. I walked it today - it will be interesting to see what kind of race it produces. The pitlane exit is fun and a bit dangerous with it's blind left-hand bend.

Anyway the "three o'clock follies" here saw a highly amusing spat between Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil over their first lap crash at Interlagos which I reproduce in full for your delectation. On that subject, who was in the right in your view? I tended to see it from Adrian's side more than Jarno's. He was on the racing line and Jarno tried to take him on the outside where there was no room. The stewards decided to take no action and called it a racing incident.

So here they are, arguing like a couple of motorists who have biffed each other in the rush-hour, while we laughed in the background. 

Jarno
"I think we're going to probably discuss further tomorrow in the drivers' briefing and in the GPDA. Obviously it was very disappointing to end the race like that, especially on the first lap. Obviously I had every reason to be extremely furious. I've got all the evidence to show I was there and was next to him, so I think tomorrow we are going to discuss it."
 
Adrian
"I think there's nothing to discuss, it was quite an obvious incident. In the end it was very disappointing for myself, even more, I think, because I was the one who was driving, and he lost control of his car and crashed into my back, so it was not my problem, it was his problem. I don't know why he's freaking out like that to be honest."
 
Jarno
"If you want, I can show you some pictures. I don't know if you're blind but I can clearly show you my front wing is next to your front wing so..."
 
Adrian
"Yeah, but you're trying to overtake around me the outside on the kerbing. There was not a problem..."

Jarno
"So you mean...you didn't move there..."
 
Adrian
"No, you were just not going off the power. The same happened in Barcelona where you lost control again and crashed again into a Force India car. You have to sometimes also..."

Jarno
"I just lost..."

Adrian
"...Respect the limits of the car. If you've nowhere to go, you have to back off. That's how racing is. I don't know how long you want to learn it."
 
Jarno
"In Barcelona I spun and he hit me because he tapped the kerb, he completely cut the circuit, and he didn't slow down., so basically...anyway, I think it's better..."

At this point Fernando Alonso, sitting in the front row with Kimi, turns to the Iceman and says: "Shall we go?" The pair behind them continue as before...

Adrian
"No, no. Watch the race in Barcelona. I didn't hit you. You hit me. I don't know what is your problem but maybe your eyes are a problem."
 
Jarno
"I don't have any feeling about him."

Adrian
"I don't understand, really sorry."

Jarno is then asked what he was saying to Adrian when he pushed and jostled the German as the two were walking away from their wrecked cars.
"I was furious because I said 'didn't you see me?' I mean, I was next to him and he kept on pushing me going outside until I was obviously on the kerbs. I couldn't believe..."
 
Adrian
"...the kerbs. Not a problem to be on the kerb, I think. Where's the problem."
 
Jarno
"OK, no problem, it's OK. As long as we know the rules."
 
Adrian
"I know the rules."
 
Jarno
"Fantastic."

Finally Fernando was asked for his opinion and the Spaniard (who was taken out by Sutil's car, coming back onto the track) brought the house down with his final word on the matter.

"I saw everything more or less," he said, "but as Jarno said, we will discuss it in the drivers' briefing - deep!"
 
 

Jenson - the picture

Ed Gorman

 

I am not saying much in this post. More of an indulgence really and what we call a picture story. All season I have been storing this one up and towards the end I have been using it as my screen-saver because, to my mind, it sums up what this year has been about.

The image is of Jenson staring at the camera as he prepared to exit the garage at Barcelona at that incredible first pre-season test in the second week in March. The Brawn team had conducted one shakedown at Silverstone but it was during those four days in Catalonia that they, and most of the rest of us, realised that the BGP 001 was an absolute rocket ship. This was also the first time we had had a chance to get to grips with the car with its new livery and a chassis devoid of sponsor logos.

So this was the moment, in a way, when the die was cast and since then both drivers at Brawn, especially Rubens, have talked a lot about those days, as the excitement about the car swept through the team (and fear of it swept through the rest of the pitlane). Rubens recalls asking Jenson - who had first dibs - what it was like and being desperate to have a go himself. They both knew it was a hot machine and, from the moment they first drove it up and down the hills in Spain, they knew they were going to be contenders.

In that week Jenson's odds as a potential champion started to tumble. Of course, to begin with, he made it look so easy but it was to get a lot tougher along the way. At one point we thought he could be champion by the end of August. Luckily for us - and for him in a way - that was not the case and Abu Dhabi, our last longish flight, is to be our one and only dead rubber.

On that subject, I too cannot but fail to notice the irony that we are about to visit the latest motor racing cathedral in the sand in the same week as the Donington Formula One project collapses and Silverstone, once again, make clear that they cannot afford the terms Bernie is offering. Perhaps Abu Dhabi will be a rip-roaring success for years to come and will sell out its fairly modest 50,000 seats every time, unlike Malaysia, Bahrain, China - the leading duds. But Silverstone, if given a chance by Bernie (which it should be), will always bring in the faithful in a country steeped in motor racing history which remains the cradle of the sport.

Back to the picture. I like it but my colleague Darren Heath - one of the best lensmen in the paddock - says it is a typical amateur job because of the disembodied arms of the mechanic. I suppose, these days, you could "paintbrush" them out, or whatever the term is, but that's what was happening and I don't mind it...Jenson was about to go out and set the timing screens alight...

Pic: Ed Gorman/The Times (It gets bigger if you click on it).   

Todt wins by a landslide

Ed Gorman

Jean Todt has been elected FIA president by 135 votes to 49 (for Ari Vatanen). There were 12 abstentions. Will Todt be his own man or is this "Max Mosley: The Sequel" ? Let's have your thoughts on this here...

Time for change at the top of the FIA

Ed Gorman

I am not sure if this is likely to happen, but there is a strong case for radical change at the top of the FIA after the long years of Max Mosley's rule. Tomorrow in Paris the organisation will vote on a new president with Jean Todt heavily favoured to win against Ari Vatanen.

Vatanen may not have all the qualities to succeed in the job - he lacks a certain gravitas and he sometimes seems to get tangled up in his own arguments - but, to an outsider, he strikes me as a better choice than Todt who is very close to Mosley and to Mosley's clique at the top of the FIA, all of whom depend for their livelihoods on the Frenchman winning.

I still think it was a bit odd that Mosley endorsed Todt. The FIA is not a political party after all, but an international governing body. Surely Mosley should have announced his retirement and then stood aside in a disinterested way, and opened the floor to whoever wanted to stand. Not only that, the way that Mosley himself and some in his kitchen cabinet have endorsed their man and criticised Vatanen, has been rather unpleasant. Indeed, all along, this has seemed an unbalanced campaign: Todt walks downhill to the job backed by key office-holders in the FIA, plus the long alliances put in place by Mosley across the organisation over the years, while Vatanen struggles uphill like a man losing his way in blizzard. That's realpolitik for you, FIA-style.

The Mosley argument - and I am drawing on his conversation with us Brits at Monza where a lot of effort was put into bigging-up "JT" - is that Todt alone has the capabilities to do the job. That point of view is based on the peculiar Mosley interpretation of what the job is - ie it requires a political hardnut who is prepared to go in for all kinds of machinations and Machiavellian intrigue and to run Formula One with a rod of iron. What, however, if the job involved concensus management, a non-confrontational approach, a greater degree of transparency and an underlying philosophy which attempted to avoid crisis? Would Todt be the best candidate for that?

It is interesting that Richard Woods, who is running Todt's campaign after "resigning" as Mosley's spin-doctor, is claiming Todt's main quality for the job is his ability at concensus-building. That sounds more like Vatanen to me. Was Todt known for that when he ran Ferrari and turned that team into one of the most confrontational and difficult-to-deal-with teams in the paddock? The other qualities listed by Woods for his man include, "achievements", "commitment" and "work ethic." Fair enough.

There seems little doubt that Formula One would prefer Vatanen, whether he is man enough for the job or not. If they had a vote, many opinion-formers in the paddock would vote for "anyone but Todt" and take their chances with the former world rally champion. There is still a fear that Mosley could try a "Putin" style behind-the-scenes government by proxy. I can see the grounds for fearing that. However I believe Mosley is probably telling the truth when he talks of wanting a quieter life after all the trials and tribulations he has been through of late.

The question is, is there a chance for Vatanen? Or is his candidature as hopeslessly naive as the Mosley group like to suggest? The Finn reckons he has big backing in the mobility clubs because of his work in that area as an MEP. He also claims strong support in the Middle East. His advocates have been claiming recently that he is actually ahead in the count and that the outcome of the election will be determined by a group of undecideds. My impression is that there might be a fairly significant group of club presidents who are saying one thing but are thinking of doing another. If that is the case, are they numerous enough to spoil Max's party? To be honest, I have no idea but we will find out tomorrow.

(The last time the FIA, as a body, passed judgement on Mosley's record, which, in a way, is what this election is all about, was when the organisation voted on his fitness for office in June last year in the wake of the revelations in the News of the World. On that occasion 170 people voted, and the count went 103-55 in Mosley's favour. [Before someone writes in to point out the obvious, I guess the others abstained]).

Jenson ahead of Lewis? I don't think so

Ed Gorman

Far be it for me to disagree with my predecessor as Times Motor Racing Correspondent Kevin Eason, but it is hard to understand how he can possibly place Jenson above Lewis in his ranking of British Formula One world champions published in today's paper.

I have no firm idea how the others should be ranked but on Hamilton vs Button, I feel I have a pretty good idea, having seen Hamilton's career in Formula One in its entirety and Button's since two races before his first win in Hungary in 2006. I would not put them too close and certainly not in the order Kevin has chosen.

First things first, I would not want to take anything away from Jenson. I think he drove a remarkable race on Sunday and he showed us several times this season that he is not just a smooth stylist but also someone who can fight when it matters and he is a worthy champion, no doubt.

But, in my view, he is not in the same class as Lewis. The most consistently fine spell of race driving I have seen in Formula One was Lewis's debut run of nine podiums in a row in 2007. In some of those races, especially at the starts, Lewis drove with a fluency and flair which no one else on the current grid can match.

Lewis has already assembled a body of work in Formula One which leaves not just Jenson but nearly everyone else struggling in his wake. There is the small matter, after all, of that fact that last year he became the youngest world champion in the sport's history. This is not just a statistic, it speaks to the fact that Lewis is an extraordinary talent even by Formula One's rarefied standards. However it was achieved, whatever the state of the cars and the game, it took Lewis two seasons to achieve what Jenson has managed in 10 and he did it six years younger.

Lewis's two great seasons - 2007 and 2008 - saw him fighting from the outset, tooth and nail with either the very best rival driver in 2007 (Fernando, his then team-mate) or the very best rival car in 2008 (Ferrari). I certainly do not think that Jenson walked to the title in a superior car this year, but there is no doubt that he started the season with a big advantage - half a second per lap on the best of his opponents - whereas Lewis was locked in a battle of 100ths or less with Fernando in 2008 and with Ferrari in 2009.

We should not forget that Lewis took his race seat in 2007, not against Rubens Barrichello in his dotage, but against the then reigning double world champion in Fernando who, himself is widely regarded as a driver from the very top drawer. Of course it turned into a contentious season, but no one can deny that Lewis proved as quick, if not quicker, with next to no experience in Formula One, as Fernando, and as much of a fighter as the redoubtable Spaniard.

This season Jenson reminded us how good he is when the car is perfect in those early races when he drove with lightning speed and with the sort of minimal steering inputs that JYS so applauds. However he also showed us that when the car is not right, he struggles. At the same time Lewis has displayed an ability to do far more, I would argue, in a recalcitrant machine than Jenson. There is no doubt that the McLaren MP 4/24 has come on leaps and bounds but Lewis has wrestled it up the grid in a way that Heikki for example has not been able to do. 

My view and I would say the view of many in the paddock these days, is that Lewis threatens a career in Formula One which will leave Jenson and the rest - with the possible exception of Fernando - in his wake. He has far more intensity than Jenson about his racing (not always a good thing, I accept), he has the burning hunger of a man who has to win (not unlike his hero Senna) which you cannot say of Jenson and he certainly will not be satisfied unless he accumulates at least three championships if not many more.

In making these comparisons it is hard not to allow subjective factors to influence judgement. Lewis is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, he has been heavily influenced by Ron in the over-mannered way he presents himself and I, for one, hope that this will gradually fade under Martin Whitmarsh's management. But he is a hell of a racer and there is no team in the pitlane which would hesitate for five seconds about signing him, if money and everything else was no object, and you cannot say that about Jenson.

The 50 greatest Formula One drivers: updated

In the wake of Jenson Button's world championship triumph, Kevin Eason has revisited his hugely popular countdown, amending the position of Britain's latest sporting hero.

Click here to read the latest list and tell us if you agree with Kevin's assessment.

Jenson reaches the high summit after the performance of his life

 
Ed Gorman

No time now to go into details. Just to say a breathtaking performance from Jenson who has answered Jock Clear's question succinctly. As he could not stop reminding us at the press conference, he is the new world champion...tell us what you went through watching it, your views on his achievement and your thoughts on a great day for British motorsport. I am hoping all of you will comment and we can break our all-time record for participation on this 'ere blog...

It's been a breathtaking day.

Is Jenson Button a worthy world champion?

 

Richard Neale

At long last. Jenson Button finally claimed the world drivers' title with a fifth-placed finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Although the race itself was enthralling, the 29-year-old from Frome did not exactly land the world championship in the manner he would have wished, by fighting his way through from 14th on the grid to claim a dramatic victory.

There were some impressive overtaking manoeuvres to get past Romain Grosjean and Kazuki Nakajima early in the race. There, however, the charge stalled, and he had to show admirable patience and discipline to deliver the result British motor racing fans craved. Fifth, and the four points on offer, was good enough when Rubens Barrichello was unable to gain the victory that would have taken the battle down to the final grand prix in Abu Dhabi.

Critics of Button will say that he limped over the line in recent months and that only one time in the last eight races did he finish better than fifth.

Jock Clear: Where are you now Jenson?

Ed Gorman

Could it be that yet again the Formula One title race will go down to the wire? And more important for Jenson's fans, is Rubens about to turn the Englishman into one of the biggest chokers in sport?

After a stunning performance on a wet track in qualifying at Interlagos, Rubens has done everything asked of him as he starts his home Grand Prix from pole, while Jenson (who chose not to fit Inters as the track improved) could do no better than 14th, with Sebastian Vettel 16th.

Consider these words of Rubens's race engineer on the pitwall to car radio at the end of the session, when the Brazilian was climbing out of his car with the crowd roaring in the background. "That's P1 in Brazil. That's P1 in Brazil, dude. You beauty. That's Jenson Button P14. That's Sebastain Vettel P16. Where are you now?"

I imagine the tension can only be building across the Brawn team as this title race tightens...and Jenson has got a lot on... 

Faces in the paddock at Interlagos

Ed Gorman

Here are some faces from the paddock at Interlagos in pictures taken just after the second session of Friday practice. I can name most of the people who are featured as main subjects, can you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pics/Ed Gorman The Times. If you click on them, they get bigger...

Dinner with Jenson in Sao Paulo

Ed Gorman

I am not breaking any confidences here by revealing that Jenson entertained almost every British journalist working in Formula One (more than 30 of us) at the famous Fogo de Chao churrascaria in Sao Paulo on Thursday night. This is a Brazilian steakhouse where meat is roasted on an open BBQ and brought to your table on red-hot skewers by be-gloved waiters in traditional gaucho dress.

As my ever-vigilant eldest sister pointed out to me, Jenson Twittered as much even before he got there. He was late in fact. Most of us had been there for half an hour, checking out the champagne or the delicious Malbec red wine, by the time the world championship leader arrived with his retinue, among them his father John, his manager Richard Goddard and his physio, Mikey Collier.

As he got out of the car Jenson was "ambushed" by the same local TV channel who got Lewis in Sao Paulo this time last year. In Lewis's case a stuffed black cat was thrown on stage at a Johnny Walker presentation he was making. In Jenson's case, he found the front door to the restaurant framed by a step-ladder which he promptly walked straight under. I don't think it bothered him in the least and, if Lewis's experience here 12 months ago is anything to go by, it can be taken as a good omen.

To be honest I was quite surprised Jenson was happy to do a dinner like this just two nights before the biggest quali session of his career and with a race coming up which could make him champion. He had not been feeling 100% with a slight stomach upset but he decided to carry on all the same. I am sure most of us would have been quite happy if he had merely put in appearance but he stayed till 11.00pm, had a glass of wine and some delicious roast beef and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. Jenson, by the way, is one of the only drivers in Formula One who takes his national press out to dinner at his own expense and it is something that we appreciate enormously. Normally this dinner is held in Shanghai but this year, with the change in race date for China, it was moved to Brazil at a time when few people in his back-up team could have had any idea that he might be within touching distance of a world championship.

As we have seen in press conferences, the "Frome flyer" loves a bit of general joshing and mickey-taking and he was in fine form on that score at my expense and that of one or two of my colleagues. The guy is a thoroughly likeable individual who is fun to be around and seems remarkably unaffected by the fame and money that have come his way over 10 years in Formula One. There is no doubt he would love to finish it off here and, as I have said before, I hope he manages to do so. Either way, he is scheduled to fly out of Brazil on Sunday night come what may, to prepare for a big PR day at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent on Tuesday where he could arrive, in glory, as world champion. (Maybe some of you will be there to see him).

Towards the end of the dinner and after Jenson and his father had swapped places so that we could get the chance to talk to both, several local people (women mainly, it must be said), plucked up the courage to ask if they could have their photo taken with him. He duly obliged in good humour, just as Lewis would do, and was delayed for some time posing with one couple or another.

On the track at Interlagos

Ed Gorman

I went for a jog round the track this evening. Unless you have been here and walked the circuit you wouldn't believe how steep the downslope is at Turn 1 into the Senna S. The circuit tightens alarmingly into the left-hander at the end of the very long straight from 14 and 15 and then it dives into the Senna turns, going right, then left.

I can imagine the whole sequence is a real ordeal on lap one and most drivers must have their hearts in their mouths first time through. I remember Lewis ran wide there and didn't DC crash in this section last year, bringing his final race to an unceremonious end? This was also the place Michael Schumacher went through on the inside against Kimi at the end of his superb, show-stealing drive in 2006, which brought his career to its (apparent) end.

Cruising along the Reta Oposta, you get a great view of the twists and turns of the track in the in-field section above you to the left, and with the tower blocks of downtown Sao Paulo in the background. You can see why this is such a high speed circuit with the run from 12 all the way through to Turn 4 broken only by the S sequence. According to one team preview the cars are at full throttle for 63% on this circuit...

On the hilly section, the track is almost always cambered or slanted one way or another and you notice that aspect particularly on the long run into the home straight when the racing surface is twisted like a piece of ribbon. The drivers must feel huge power and acceleration at that point as the surface spits them out into the run down to Turn 1.

At several places in the narrow twisty bits between 4 and 12 I noticed that there have been fairly crude attempts to improve rain water run-off, with channels cut into the tarmac, as if by a giant rake. The idea presumably being that water will run down and then into these small gullies and away onto the grass. It seemed a very crude and damaging way to drain a Formula One track and possibly a last minute solution to the problem of rivers of water crossing the racing line.

Interlagos is right up there with the best circuits in Formula One. It is a proper old racing place with a real sense of vibrancy and history about it. It has amongst the worst facilities in Formula One and the press room is terrible but we all love it. (The state of Interlagos, by the way, as I am sure I have said before, makes a complete nonsense of Bernie's critique of Silverstone which is far better resourced I would argue). The place also has the best paddock in the sport. It is actually a complete dump but it is cramped and buzzy and the perfect environment for chasing down gossip and rumour.

Coming back here I, and I am sure many of my colleagues, have been thinking through what happened here 12 months ago. The most exciting finish to a championship in Formula One history. Just seeing those last couple of corners where Lewis came up behind Timo and then went past him, it seems incredible that he left it that late to clinch his place in motorsport history.

Flight information

 

Ed Gorman

Well I'm in Sao Paulo, a city which has its supporters. I always try to look on the bright side when I drive in along the Ayrton Senna highway but every time (and this is the fourth time) it strikes me as one of the most unremarkable and shapeless places on earth. Maybe one day its charms - as a visual urban experience - will finally get to me. I'm not sure.

We are nearly at the end of another marathon season and I offer some flight info for the "travellistes" among you who like a bit of economy class agony. This time it was courtesy of British Airways who have a lot to learn from Cathay Pacific when it comes to friendly service and seats that don't kill you. (We flew with Cathay back from Japan, by the way, and the seats were so good I actually managed to get some sleep.)

A dog called Alfie and a car-loving horse

Ed Gorman

Hello everybody. So we enter what feels like the final stretch as we head to Brazil. Normally this is it. And the pressure is massive...on the lead driver that is. Remember Lewis - he was like a man running through treacle and, by the end, he was champion but he looked defeated by the trauma of doing it. This time, of course, Jenson can go to Abu Dhabi still looking for the title but I hope he doesn't have to do that.

Whichever way you cut it, I don't think it can be argued that the Englishman has been feeling the pressure, especially in qualifying where mistakes have crept in on a regular basis. I would hate to see him have to finish it off in Abu Dhabi when he will have a gun to his head on a new circuit and where Sebastian could have nothing to lose (if matters go his way in Brazil). It's interesting, Rubens should be the beneficiary of Jenson's difficulties in Brazil, if he has them, but a few of us see Sebastian as the main threat now. Rubens could overheat in front of his own crowd couldn't he?

It's nice to see Kamui Kobayashi getting a run out in Brazil for Toyota. Whether he has a long term Formula One future is a moot point. I happen to know he is a dog-lover which puts him in an elite class within the paddock. I know Kimi has a dog or dogs, and Mark Webber owns two on which he dotes. I know this about Kobayashi because he has a Jack Russell terrier called Alfred which is something I have found hard to forget because we have a Jack Russell Yorkie cross called Alfred too. These small animals have big personalities and the hearts of lions...I enclose a picture of Alfred looking a bit depressed while watching the Japanese Grand Prix, (he's a big Jenson fan by the way)... 

 

On the subject of animals and Formula One, (long term bloggists on this site will remember we once had an interesting theme about cows grazing on the pitlane at Interlagos), I will share this equine story with you. It's not actually to do with Formula One but it's close and we are getting to the end of the season. My nephew, one Tom Symonds, is assistant trainer at Nicky Henderson's yard at Lambourn and they have got a lovely old horse there who has won all sorts of races and, in two months time, will go to Japan to try to carry off a $1.75 million purse on the flat (I hope he doesn't get jetlag).

Anyway I have always remembered this fellow because when I visited the yard earlier this year, he was standing out in a paddock all on his own like a statue, staring intently at the skyline. I asked Tom what the deal was and he said "oh, he loves watching the traffic on the road." True enough, every now and again a car would come into view on the ridge some distance away on the Wantage road. The horse studies them, apparently for hours, oblivious to everything else going on around him.

Well, would you know, this 12-year-old chestnut is a German-bred horse named after one of the greatest racing drivers of the pre-war era. The horse's name is Caracciola...I've since looked him up - the Mercedes Benz ace, that is, - and I am intrigued about where the name came from. Rudolf was obviously a hell of a driver in an era when racing was seriously dangerous and he had his fair share of crashes. For those who are not aware of his record, Caratsch, as he was affectionately known, won the European Drivers' Championship three times (1935,'37,'38) and won the German Grand Prix six times, amongst many other achievements in a variety of cars and disciplines.

By the way, if you follow horses, or if you don't, or if you occasionally like a bet for purely sentimental reasons, Caracciola, the 'orse, is running at the Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on December 5th. All I can say is I hope Tom gets a better hotel room than I had...