Jenson Button insists he can continue winning run in Monaco *Spoiler*

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/brawngp/5309988/Jenson-Button-insists-he-can-continue-winning-run-in-Monaco.html

Jenson Button may have managed just one points-finish in nine years of racing around Monaco's hallowed street circuit, but only a fool would back against him bucking that trend when Formula One returns to its well-heeled roots next week.

By Tom Cary
Last Updated: 3:52PM BST 12 May 2009


Another faultless drive gave the Englishman his fourth victory in five grands prix at the Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday and, with every passing week, the 29-year-old appears more and more assured of himself.

The stunned look that accompanied his victories in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur has long since been replaced by one of steely determination, hidden behind his usual relaxed demeanour. Each win, each race strategy vindicated, gives him the confidence that he can go on to bigger and better things.


Brawn GP's Jenson Button claims pole position for Malaysian Grand PrixWhich is just as well, because although he calls the principality home, Monaco has never been very accommodating where Button is concerned. He has retired twice, missed the race in 2003 when a 180mph crash in practice curtailed his race weekend, and again in 2005 as he was serving a two-race ban after an illegal fuel tank was discovered on his BAR.

Such is Button's confidence, however, that he has no hesitation in talking up his chances in the sport's blue riband event next weekend.

"I go there full of confidence I can have a good weekend," he said. "For sure it's not going to be a boring Monaco Grand Prix. There are going to be a lot of very competitive people, and I think you will see a very exciting qualifying and an interesting race."

Button made a particular point in the build-up to Barcelona of saying that he would not be resting on his laurels. Frequently lauded as the smoothest of drivers, Button promised to be more "aggressive" with his action around the high-speed corners in Catalonia and was justifiably proud of himself in the aftermath.

"I had always been a little bit too cautious around circuits like Barcelona, so I had to change my style a little to make it work," he said. "Monaco is a circuit where, again, maybe I need to change my style a bit. You do need to be a bit more aggressive there, although you've obviously got the barriers as your limiting factor.

"As long as you stay off those you're fine, but you can't *****foot round Monaco, so it's going to be a challenge, and one I am looking forward to."

"There's no point hanging back and expecting it to happen. We need to be very aggressive and we need to get everything out of the car at every race we go to. It sound boring to keep on saying it, but it's just the way it is."

Button's nearest challenger is his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, who turns 37 on the eve of the next race.

The Brazilian was a picture of frustration in Sunday's post-race press conference as he tried to fathom how he had thrown away the race lead and briefly hinted that his race strategy may have been compromised. Team principal Ross Brawn dismissed that suggestion out of hand but added that he was enjoying the flourishing and sportsmanlike rivalry between the two. "Any driver who gets beaten and who is not unhappy is not a driver that I want at my team," he said.

Meanwhile, Red Bull are the first independent team to announce that they will not enter the 2010 championship unless the proposed two-tier system is scrapped. The Formula One Teams Association will sit down with FIA president Max Mosley some time before next week's race in Monaco to try to thrash out a compromise.



Go Button!