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Written by Eddie Jordan
Eddie Jordan: Jenson, just a few questions on the eve of your last-ever raceJenson Button: Last ever F1 race. I"m taking a sabbatical, that"s what it says in the contract, but I was always going into this race thinking it was my last. If in six months I want to race, I"ve got the opportunity to race in 2018, but the reason I wanted to retire in the first place is that I didn"t want to race next year but I"ve got the nice option if I do.EJ: Let"s cast our minds back before you were in F1. Was there an icon, someone who really inspired you?JB: I loved Alain Prost as a driver, he was my hero, but I was obviously very young when I watched him race. My inspiration was definitely Michael [Schumacher]. Actually being on the grid with him in 2000 was pretty awesome.EJ: Has that changed in the past 16 years?JB: My icon? It"s difficult. I"ve got a lot of respect for people in this sport. But I"d have to say my hero is still Alain Prost. I"ve spent a lot of time with Alain as well, cycling. And the first time I really drove an F1 car in anger, it was in his car. So, I"ve got a lot of great memories from that. I still want to sit down with him and ask why he retired. I don"t know the reason for that, because it seemed very early in his career.EJ: Are you thinking of racing in any other forms of motorsport. IndyCars, NASCAR?JB: Neither of them. Definitely rallycross, whether it"s in America or it"s the World Championship one day I would love to race in that. Next year I"ll definitely race in rallycross in some form, and test the cars.EJ: Le Mans?JB: I"d love to do Le Mans. But it"s finding the right opportunities, the right drive and making sure I"m racing when the sport is in a good place. It"s sad that Audi"s left. That"s one competitor gone, which is very sad, and I don"t know how long Porsche is going to be around for either. So it"s a tricky one, I"d also like to race in Super GT, at Suzuka, which I"m going to do hopefully next year and who knows what else.EJ: Who do you think was your toughest competitor?JB: You always look at your teammate. In qualifying, it"s probably Lewis. In a race situation, Fernando is the most difficult to beat if you have a great race, Fernando is right on your ass, and you don"t know how he"s still there. And if he has a great race, he"s in front of you. It"s like he"s always there, you can"t get rid of him.EJ: Was Canada your best-ever race?JB: I think it"s the race I"ll be remembered for. But, not my best race because I made a lot of mistakes. Best race, probably Spa 2012 or Suzuka 2011.EJ: And your worst?JB: Last weekend in Brazil.EJ: Which driver is your tip for glory?JB: Ricky Bobby - Daniel Ricciardo. Max is an amazing talent, and he will, I"m sure, be fighting for the World Championship one day, but I love the way that Daniel Ricciardo has upped his game this year. He"s the older driver, more experienced driver, but he hasn"t cracked under pressure, and I really like that about him. And he"s a good guy as well.EJ: Of the years, and even prior to the years that you"ve been racing, what is the era that you think has the most magic to it?JB: For me, the Noughties. So 2004, 2005 the V10s. But also the downforce of the cars, the way they looked, the tyre war. That was awesome, I loved that, and the refuelling. I know it was dangerous, but it was fun.EJ: Did you have a little chuckle to yourself when you passed Vettel in Canada?JB: Yeah, not a little one, a big one. The best thing was, it was like eight corners to go, and it was so bloody wet, off line you were just s***ting yourself the whole way around, like AAAAAAAHHHHHH. I"m leading from last! A great day.EJ: What do you think of Flavio Briatore?JB: Is that an actual question? I drove for him in 2001/2002, he"s obviously a very good businessman, but we never got on while I was working with him. He pushed me really hard, and he said at the Monaco GP, he thought I was looking for an apartment rather than driving the car. Which I didn"t like, and it obviously didn"t help my attitude towards him. But to be fair, we get on much better now.EJ: Bernie. Good guy or bad guy?JB: Does anyone really know Bernie? It"s tricky, my Dad seemed to know Bernie really well, knew him from before F1, before I was born back in the East London days. I"ve always got on really well with Bernie, he"s helped the sport immensely over the years. Whether you like him or not, he"s done a massive amount for this sport.
Date written: 30 Nov 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 5953
Eddie Jordan: Jenson, just a few questions on the eve of your last-ever raceJenson Button: Last ever F1 race. I"m taking a sabbatical, that"s what it says in the contract, but I was always going into this race thinking it was my last. If in six months I want to race, I"ve got the opportunity to race in 2018, but the reason I wanted to retire in the first place is that I didn"t want to race next year but I"ve got the nice option if I do.EJ: Let"s cast our minds back before you were in F1. Was there an icon, someone who really inspired you?JB: I loved Alain Prost as a driver, he was my hero, but I was obviously very young when I watched him race. My inspiration was definitely Michael [Schumacher]. Actually being on the grid with him in 2000 was pretty awesome.EJ: Has that changed in the past 16 years?JB: My icon? It"s difficult. I"ve got a lot of respect for people in this sport. But I"d have to say my hero is still Alain Prost. I"ve spent a lot of time with Alain as well, cycling. And the first time I really drove an F1 car in anger, it was in his car. So, I"ve got a lot of great memories from that. I still want to sit down with him and ask why he retired. I don"t know the reason for that, because it seemed very early in his career.EJ: Are you thinking of racing in any other forms of motorsport. IndyCars, NASCAR?JB: Neither of them. Definitely rallycross, whether it"s in America or it"s the World Championship one day I would love to race in that. Next year I"ll definitely race in rallycross in some form, and test the cars.EJ: Le Mans?JB: I"d love to do Le Mans. But it"s finding the right opportunities, the right drive and making sure I"m racing when the sport is in a good place. It"s sad that Audi"s left. That"s one competitor gone, which is very sad, and I don"t know how long Porsche is going to be around for either. So it"s a tricky one, I"d also like to race in Super GT, at Suzuka, which I"m going to do hopefully next year and who knows what else.EJ: Who do you think was your toughest competitor?JB: You always look at your teammate. In qualifying, it"s probably Lewis. In a race situation, Fernando is the most difficult to beat if you have a great race, Fernando is right on your ass, and you don"t know how he"s still there. And if he has a great race, he"s in front of you. It"s like he"s always there, you can"t get rid of him.EJ: Was Canada your best-ever race?JB: I think it"s the race I"ll be remembered for. But, not my best race because I made a lot of mistakes. Best race, probably Spa 2012 or Suzuka 2011.EJ: And your worst?JB: Last weekend in Brazil.EJ: Which driver is your tip for glory?JB: Ricky Bobby - Daniel Ricciardo. Max is an amazing talent, and he will, I"m sure, be fighting for the World Championship one day, but I love the way that Daniel Ricciardo has upped his game this year. He"s the older driver, more experienced driver, but he hasn"t cracked under pressure, and I really like that about him. And he"s a good guy as well.EJ: Of the years, and even prior to the years that you"ve been racing, what is the era that you think has the most magic to it?JB: For me, the Noughties. So 2004, 2005 the V10s. But also the downforce of the cars, the way they looked, the tyre war. That was awesome, I loved that, and the refuelling. I know it was dangerous, but it was fun.EJ: Did you have a little chuckle to yourself when you passed Vettel in Canada?JB: Yeah, not a little one, a big one. The best thing was, it was like eight corners to go, and it was so bloody wet, off line you were just s***ting yourself the whole way around, like AAAAAAAHHHHHH. I"m leading from last! A great day.EJ: What do you think of Flavio Briatore?JB: Is that an actual question? I drove for him in 2001/2002, he"s obviously a very good businessman, but we never got on while I was working with him. He pushed me really hard, and he said at the Monaco GP, he thought I was looking for an apartment rather than driving the car. Which I didn"t like, and it obviously didn"t help my attitude towards him. But to be fair, we get on much better now.EJ: Bernie. Good guy or bad guy?JB: Does anyone really know Bernie? It"s tricky, my Dad seemed to know Bernie really well, knew him from before F1, before I was born back in the East London days. I"ve always got on really well with Bernie, he"s helped the sport immensely over the years. Whether you like him or not, he"s done a massive amount for this sport.
Date written: 30 Nov 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 5953
