Button back at crash site with podium ambitions
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jenson Button returns to the scene of the biggest accident of his career this weekend, intending to fight his way back on to the Formula One podium.
Jenson Button returns to the scene of the biggest accident of his career this weekend, intending to fight his way back on to the Formula One podium.
Button was forced to miss last season's Monaco Grand Prix with a head injury after he suffered a frightening high-speed accident on the twisty, Armco-lined streets of the Principality. The Englishman was dazed by the impact and doctors refused to allow him to race, sending him to hospital instead.
He returns to Monaco, looking to get back on the podium trail after a mistake in qualifying in Spain last time out ruined his chances of taking his BAR-Honda to a fourth consecutive rostrum finish.
However, after the pre-race optimism of an end to Ferrari's and Michael Schumacher's winning streak in Spain came to nothing, Button is not expecting to outperform the German.
He said: "Ferrari obviously remain the dominant force, but it would be nice to get a good result and get back on the podium, especially after the accident I had here last year. All in all, I'm really looking forward to it."
Monaco is notoriously tricky in a Formula One car, with steel barriers punishing even the slightest error. Button admits he will need to temper his aggression in the first practice sessions as he gets used to the track again, while he hopes BAR's tester, Anthony Davidson, can help him with the car's set-up.
"Monaco is different to any other circuit," he said. "There are big barriers all the way around and it is very fast - it also seems faster to drive because the barriers are so much closer to the track.
"There is no margin for error and that's why you normally see people building up to a good lap time - some taking longer than others. It's obviously going to be very important to get plenty of mileage on the car and so hopefully Anthony will be able to do plenty of laps during [today's] running. It's a circuit I enjoy and I think that we are going to be very strong there."
Button's team principal, David Richards, also has a podium finish in his sights for this weekend. Richards has transformed the fortunes of BAR in the past year, but he acknowledges that their new-found status as a major player in Formula One has come with added pressures.
"This time last year, we might well have considered a two-car points finish in Barcelona to be a good result, so it's a measure of how far we've come that we all left Spain feeling slightly disappointed," he said.
"None the less, a solid result for both drivers enabled us to maintain third in the constructors' standings and Jenson remains third in the drivers' championship, so we are on target against our season objectives.
"There is no doubt that we now feel we belong on the podium and Monaco will be no exception."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments