When even Jenson Button describes a race as confusing you know it has been unusually eventful. The Englishman, now in his 12th season in Formula One, is known for his smooth driving style and his race awareness; his ability to react to the changing situation in front of him.
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Celebrations: Jenson Button was delighted to finish second behind Sebastien Vettel (left) in Malaysia Photo: EPA |
Some would say it compensates for a lack of blistering one-lap pace.
A good example of Button's more refined approach is his debut win for McLaren in Australia last year when he made the snap decision to switch tyres early in the race, a move that paid off handsomely.
No wonder the Briton was hugely encouraged by what happened in Malaysia on Sunday. Fifty-five pit stops, drivers constantly switching positions and tyres requiring careful ownership. Button found it “confusing” but so did everyone else. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it would have been “an air traffic controller’s nightmare if you were tuned into the strategy channel”.
These sorts of races suit Button. With the new Pirelli tyres — and the drivers’ ability to handle them over a race weekend — set to become the overriding priority this year, Button’s smooth style and calculated approach could leave him well placed to profit.
“A lot of it is about getting the strategy right, which is up to the team, but also the driver,” Button said. “He has to know what strategy he is on and understand the tyres and push them to the limit for a set period of time.”
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