F1 News: McLaren’s Jenson Button not ready to help teammate Lewis Hamilton in the championship run
Jenson Button is finding it very hard to abandon his championship hopes and support his McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Button’s chances are now incredibly slim as he is in fifth place in the title chase and is 42 points behind the championship leader Fernando Alonso (sitting comfortably with 231 points) with just 2 races remaining. Immediately
after the race, Button said that his championship defence was over but he has changed his mind ever since.
“I don't stand by that now. You don't win world championships by conceding defeat before it is all over. You have seen today how things can change. If mathematically I couldn't win the championship then, yes, I would help Lewis,”
he told a television channel on Sunday evening.
Team boss Martin Whitmarsh said that he would not issue any team orders but expects Button to help his teammate, who is just 21 points off from the championship leader, voluntarily.
“For us, the strategy is clear. We don't really have to say anything to our drivers. Jenson will offer his help to Hamilton voluntarily, because he knows that we have treated him fairly throughout the year. And because he knows
that he will win now only with a miracle,” Whitmarsh is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
After looking at their rivals Red Bull, Martin Whitmarsh said that Mark Webber (at the second spot in the standings with 220 points) should get preferential treatment over Sebastian Vettel as well, but he did not expect anything
like that from Red Bull.
“Logic dictates that all the eggs are now put in the Webber basket. But this team's heart beats for Vettel. There has been so much unrest that I am not expecting a clear statement from them,” he said.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was not prepared to support just one driver and it is quite logical as both of their drivers are still active in the championship run. Vettel is just 25 points behind the leader while Button is 42
points adrift. Horner hopes to keep pushing both drivers and hope for the best possible result for his team.
However, he thinks that McLaren’s situation is completely different and he believes that Button is obviously out of the running now. Horner stated that it is a bit of a no brainer now since there are just 50 points available in
the last 2 races. Therefore, it would be better if McLaren just stick to one driver if they want to win the 2010 Drivers’ title.
Tags: