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Button promises to impress home fans at Silverstone

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-27 15:26

LONDON: Jenson Button has promised to put on a show for his growing army of fans at his other home Grand Prix in Britain next month after winning in Monaco at the weekend.

With a 16-point advantage following five wins in six races for newcomers Brawn GP, the Monaco resident is now assured of leading the Formula One championship to Silverstone on June 21.

"I always love the British Grand Prix, it's obviously my proper home grand prix," he said after his pole to flag victory on Sunday.

"Turning up there leading the championship, it's going to be a nice feeling and hopefully I'll put on a good show in front of the home crowd."

Button's compatriot Lewis Hamilton won at Silverstone last year on the way to taking the world championship and Button is on course to emulate him.

Related readings:  Button masters Monaco for fifth win in six races  Button stretches title lead

Hamilton, last year's winner in Monaco but now 42 points adrift, told reporters on Sunday that his money was on Button taking the title but the Brawn driver refused to take anything for granted.

"You are sort of putting a bit of negative energy in there and saying its mine to lose," he said when asked about people saying he had it in the bag. "I wouldn't put it like that.

"I am 16 points in the lead and I have more of an advantage than others to win the championship. But it is all to play for. It's not mine to lose for sure. I am doing the best I can and at the moment that is good enough."

Schumacher comparison

Team owner Ross Brawn helped Michael Schumacher win the first five races of the 2004 season as Ferrari technical director when the German's teammate was Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, now Button's partner.

Brawn said Button was showing some of the same qualities that had made seven times champion Schumacher stand out.

"There was a bit in the race where Jenson was coming up to a group that were racing each other and we were talking on the pit wall and saying maybe he should ease the pace back a bit and not get mixed up in it," Brawn told reporters.

"And he came on the radio almost simultaneously and said 'Look guys, I don't want to get involved in that, what's going on in front, I'm going to ease back a bit'. So he's gaining in that mental capacity to do things as well as driving the car.

"You have to remember that Rubens is a tremendous reference," added Brawn.

"Rubens has had his occasions when he beat Michael and Michael was a pretty strong reference so the fact that Jenson has won these races with Rubens in the team sets the standard. I think he is doing exceptionally well."

Brawn said his outfit, who took over from departed Honda, was "a small boutique team" compared to Ferrari.

"It will probably be more difficult for us to keep it (the run of success) going in some ways but everybody is achieving more than you might expect," he added. "We've got the heart of a big team, even if we are a small team."

Reuters