An observation I've made of Button

I never really noticed this about Button before, maybe because he's been towards the back of the grid for the past few years, but wow.. This guy is very, very humble and modest.

I always figured Jenson to be a happy, nice guy because he's always smiling and giving pretty decent interviews, but the way he is playing down everything and seemingly denying to believe that he (and Brawn) could surprise us all by the end of the season really says a lot.

Anyone else notice this? Everyone else talks up their chances, some even looking quite arrogant in doing so... But ol' Jenson? He seems to be the complete opposite.


Good on him.

You'll get that when you are at the bottom of the grid for 2 seasons.

He's always been a good lad though.

nothing teaches a guy humility like a couple of seasons going backwards and few months spent thinking the dream is over ;)

Originally posted by UPRC
I never really noticed this about Button before, maybe because he's been towards the back of the grid for the past few years, but wow.. This guy is very, very humble and modest.

I always figured Jenson to be a happy, nice guy because he's always smiling and giving pretty decent interviews, but the way he is playing down everything and seemingly denying to believe that he (and Brawn) could surprise us all by the end of the season really says a lot.

Anyone else notice this? Everyone else talks up their chances, some even looking quite arrogant in doing so... But ol' Jenson? He seems to be the complete opposite.


Good on him.

Jenson was a bit bullish in his first season (2000), but then he started right away with a then strong Williams Team, and also the British press hyped him as the next big thing after Damon and Nigel.

Luckily for his character development it didn´t pan out that way (so far) and now he has enough stability to be a world star but remain his humble and lovely self.
Maybe Lewis needs some seasons down the grid as well....

I bet it would be quite easy to interview him in such a way as to make him come across arrogant.

For instance, in an interview recently he said something like:

"I don't need to prove myself to anyone, I know I'm good"

Imagine if that line was attributed to someone else, and how the Headline may have been different?

Or what about when he took a Civic Type-R around Nurburgring, pulled up and said "That was a piece of piss!"

Or what about him being quizzed by Brundle on the grid before the race? He first two answers were very abrupt and sharp. Probably for good reason, I don't care, the point is all the drivers are human, they're no different to you, don't play the tabloid hero/villain game.

I genuinly like Button. Ever since his no bullshit Clarkson interview on Top Gear. When asked if he'd give up all money and lifestyle for a GP win (this was pre Hungary 06), you could see his eyes well up slightly as he said he would.

My point is, don't judge a person you've never interacted with socially, by what tabloids say. I'm saying this here, with Button as someone I like, so as to be consistant, as I've said the same thing of Hamilton interviews.

Tabloids like to type-cast their subjects in to reactionary niches. At the moment, the fairytale niche is want people want and sells papers/gets website hits. Maybe this niche will change if Button starts dominating, and the fickle mob will follow ;)

Oh, I don't judge a driver's personality by what the tabloids quote from them. I always go by their live interviews on TV when someone like Peter Windsor (of all people) unexpectedly corner them on the grid.

Or even during the press conferences.

I like him a lot. We're similar ages, and I could see why he was going off the rails a bit earlier in his career. I remember him in FF and F3.

And I can forgive him the face fuzz. What's going on there

Originally posted by UPRC
Oh, I don't judge a driver's personality by what the tabloids quote from them. I always go by their live interviews on TV when someone like Peter Windsor (of all people) unexpectedly corner them on the grid.

Or even during the press conferences.

It's easy to be the nicest guy in the world when everything is going your way and you're feeling high.

Button wasn't as warm when Brundle pounced on him on the grid. (For probably obvious reasons, but that ISN'T the point)

It's just PR.

I really bet Button is a smashing bloke. I think he is. But don't buy the media face from any of these drivers. You don't know them.

Originally posted by RoutariEnjinu
I bet it would be quite easy to interview him in such a way as to make him come across arrogant.

For instance, in an interview recently he said something like:

"I don't need to prove myself to anyone, I know I'm good"

Imagine if that line was attributed to someone else, and how the Headline may have been different?

Is this what you mean?
A slightly different meaning to that implied in your "quote".


Q. Do you feel this season that you have a chance to finally prove yourself?

JB: I have got nothing to prove to anyone. I go out there to race for myself and the team, and I won today which is fantastic. We will then go to the next race and hopefully we can do the same – but we are not thinking about the championship at the moment.

Originally posted by Blackdog



Is this what you mean?
A slightly different meaning to that implied in your "quote".


Q. Do you feel this season that you have a chance to finally prove yourself?

JB: I have got nothing to prove to anyone. I go out there to race for myself and the team, and I won today which is fantastic. We will then go to the next race and hopefully we can do the same – but we are not thinking about the championship at the moment.

It was the question below that one from memory. When the press was trying to mine for the story they already want to run with.

IE 'in your face critics'

EDIT: Here you go:

"[...] I am not racing to prove anything to anyone. I know I am good and now I have a competitive car [...]"

I hope you have the maturity and intelligence to see my point. This is not a dig at Button in ANY way shape or form. I like him. I want to see him do well. It's a dig at fanboyism/hero worship/the press/the mob etc

However the fact the press tried again with the question just shows how twisted they are, and how they already have their story. Just like they do with 'arrogant' Hamilton, 'cold miserable' Kimi or 'whinging' Alonso.

Don't believe it for a second. You can bet your arse if a photographer took a selection of pictures of Kimi, and wanted to chose one to go with a conservative interview, they'd pic the one that most fits the stereotype they have made for him. Same with Alonso. In British press, all Alonso pics are of him looking like he's moaning. It's bullshit. I bet he's a sound bloke too.

Where is that "Jenson Makes Me Sick" video when you need it...

Sorry, I should have read the whole interview.

I take your point and quite agree with you.


edit : @ RE.

I remember Button getting a lot of stick from people earlier in his career. He was a bit gauche and prone to say daft things in interviews. Nowadays he is - has been for several years - a great guy, at ease and humorous. He's simply had a chance to grow up; people are too hard on young drivers who've not had much experience of life and yet are expected to handle barrages of questions, many of which are asked solely to provoke inappropriate responses.

Originally posted by engel
nothing teaches a guy humility like a couple of seasons going backwards and few months spent thinking the dream is over ;)

Isn't this also the same guy that used some fancy lawyering to get out of a Williams contract (or someone) to go to Honda, only to think he made a mistake, and tried to use some fancy lawyering to return to Williams?

I don't remember the full story or care to bother...

But I just remember thinking I was surprised they let him take his helmet off outside of the car. He should leave it on at all times if his mental capacity is so diminished...

Originally posted by Tolyngee


Isn't this also the same guy that used some fancy lawyering to get out of a Williams contract (or someone) to go to Honda, only to think he made a mistake, and tried to use some fancy lawyering to return to Williams?

I don't remember the full story or care to bother...

But I just remember thinking I was surprised they let him take his helmet off outside of the car. He should leave it on at all times if his mental capacity is so diminished...

He signed a contract to go to Williams but BAR claimed they had an option on him that they were taking up - BAR won out and he stayed with them for 2006 while signing a two year contract with Williams for after that. He then decided he wanted to stay at Honda (as it had become) after 06 and it ended up with Honda having to pay 10-20million (probably) to buy out his Williams contract.

I remember in 2006 at silverstone on the saturday after the GP2 race had finished. We left the track to go back to our camp site. Whilst walking down the road who should come towards us on a moped but Jenson Button. As he was coming towards us we all said best of luck for tomorrow.

He stopped his moped and thanked us for the good wishes, asked where we were watching from and hoped we would enjoy the race the following day and have a good day.

Then at the Festival of speed the same year I also had a chance to chat to his father John Button. The guy was so down to earth and friendly, even making jokes about how poor the season has been up until that point (this was pre-hungary 2006).

Two things ill never forget. Ive followed his career since his formula ford days and hoped one day he would get a good chance with a good car.

Originally posted by engel
nothing teaches a guy humility like a couple of seasons going backwards and few months spent thinking the dream is over ;)

...but if one thing comes close, it's being lauded as the great british hope by sycophantic ITV production, only to be dropped in a second the minute Lewis Hamilton starts winning races. Suddenly in '07 all the pre-race focus was on Lewis, and the only time Jenson saw a microphone was as he trudged back to the pits with singed overalls. I'd think that would be pretty humbling if you were the type to develop F1-driver ego.

Originally posted by wewantourdarbyback
He signed a contract to go to Williams but BAR claimed they had an option on him that they were taking up - BAR won out and he stayed with them for 2006 while signing a two year contract with Williams for after that. He then decided he wanted to stay at Honda (as it had become) after 06 and it ended up with Honda having to pay 10-20million (probably) to buy out his Williams contract.

I remember it being a lot more dramatic than that...

But, with the cars dominating the field now, maybe Honda's the ones that need helmets after dropping the team...

Oops, almost forgot, Lil Bitch is his teammate... Obviously Honda already has their helmets...

Originally posted by Orin
I remember Button getting a lot of stick from people earlier in his career. He was a bit gauche and prone to say daft things in interviews. Nowadays he is - has been for several years - a great guy, at ease and humorous. He's simply had a chance to grow up ; people are too hard on young drivers who've not had much experience of life and yet are expected to handle barrages of questions, many of which are asked solely to provoke inappropriate responses.

QFT

Jenson also understand what to say and what not to say in a press conference...

The last part of this video...

The fact that we are talking about a 29-year old surely has to help. He's been for a lot of seasons in F1 now. He's learnt the hard way that things in F1 doesn't always go the way you want, so he's grown up.

That's what I like of having older drivers winning races. I'm sure things would have gone way better for Hamilton and Alonso if they had been paired in, let's say, the 2012 season, as both will be a lot more mature by then. If you remember, Hakkinen and Schumacher had a lot of respect for each other, but by the time they started to race each other (1998) they were already closing to their 30s, and both (particularly Hakkinen, of course) had passed through hard times in F1.

A bit off-topic (and I don't want this thread to become another Alonso-Hamilton thread), but from what I've been reading from Alonso in this early part of the season, he's seemingly going through this very same process. He's being pretty optimistic and supportive of his team (compare it to the "there is still a lot of work to do with the car" before the 2007 season, when his McLaren was way more competitive than the Renault is right now). It comes from experience, as you get older you go through hard times and usually become a more relaxed person.

Ahh Montoya, how I miss that guy

Originally posted by Tolyngee

But I just remember thinking I was surprised they let him take his helmet off outside of the car. He should leave it on at all times if his mental capacity is so diminished...

He's not employed for his capabilities as a contract lawyer he's employed for his ability to drink* a car quickly.

*Duh! I mean drive!

Originally posted by Buttoneer
He's not employed for his capabilities as a contract lawyer he's employed for his ability to drink a car quickly.

Drink a car?

I wish he'd retire as he's better than AD or DC in the commentary box by a mile.

Originally posted by Clatter


Drink a car?

Freudian slip. Fancy a beer?

Originally posted by Buttoneer
Freudian slip. Fancy a beer?

I do now.

Originally posted by Alfisti
I wish he'd retire as he's better than AD or DC in the commentary box by a mile.

Davidson is fantastic in the commentary box, at least on the Five Live coverage. I don't think he bounced particularly well off James Allen though which I guess is all you've heard over there.

Originally posted by Tolyngee


Isn't this also the same guy that used some fancy lawyering to get out of a Williams contract (or someone) to go to Honda, only to think he made a mistake, and tried to use some fancy lawyering to return to Williams?

I don't remember the full story or care to bother...

But I just remember thinking I was surprised they let him take his helmet off outside of the car. He should leave it on at all times if his mental capacity is so diminished...

He changed his manager after those episodes and then things did quiet down. From what I read, his manager had a lot to do with what transpired back then.

By the end of the season everyone will think he's cocky. Enjoy the honeymoon.

Originally posted by pacwest
By the end of the season everyone will think he's cocky. Enjoy the honeymoon.

If he's already signed his Ferrari contract by then, they might be thinking more...

Speaking of Ferrari contracts, I've been out of the loop for a while...

Any more rumblings of Alonso going to Ferrari? Or did that officially die? I think I remember Kimi signing a long extension, but doesn't Massa only go 'til the end of this yr?

At last people realise what I've known for the last twelve years!

Button was always an alright sort - but his image did suffer during "Contractgate"

Originally posted by rayyu882
Jenson also understand what to say and what not to say in a press conference...

The last part of this video...

Fantastic monty !!!!! Oh how he is missed.
But yes back on topic, jenson has grown up, but he has always been a decent bloke.

Originally posted by Buttoneer
Freudian slip. Fancy a beer?

You paying?

Some other Jenson Button observations:

He's from Frome in Somerset

He has a silky smooth style

His career was almost over

Give him a month and a couple of wins and the English press will reverse their "new found" view. Have no fear ! Lots of ammunition for them to start getting their teeth into - for starters - his gorgeous girlfriend.

This week - on Saturday - Lewis was a lucky "has been" definitely NOT in the Mansell / Moss style. Come Sunday evening - that had all changed.

Originally posted by rogergbushell
Give him a month and a couple of wins and the English press will reverse their "new found" view. Have no fear ! Lots of ammunition for them to start getting their teeth into - for starters - his gorgeous girlfriend.

This week - on Saturday - Lewis was a lucky "has been" definitely NOT in the Mansell / Moss style. Come Sunday evening - that had all changed.

I'm not so sure. Jenson's always been popular - in the British media at least - when he's driving well. 2004 was obviously a great year for him, as was the latter the half of 2006.

I went out to buy all of the papers yesterday and was surprised to see the Daily Mail calling him an 'Ex-Playboy', when on Saturday they called him a Playboy in their headline! Doesn't take long to win these people over...

jenson button is too soft, he was hyped as the next senna, but look at you now, 10 years and 2 gifted victories,
ppfffft, close the shop mate!!!

Originally posted by UPRC


I always figured Jenson to be a happy, nice guy because he's always smiling and giving pretty decent interviews, but the way he is playing down everything and seemingly denying to believe that he (and Brawn) could surprise us all by the end of the season really says a lot.

I'm not commenting on him as a person, but I think part of this relates to the propaganda the teams are putting out at the moment in the run-up to the court of appeal ruling on diffusers.

We have Massa saying things like 'Brawn are way ahead and will run away with it', JB saying 'Its not a done deal', Brawn saying they're not that far ahead etc.

Originally posted by jedi pimp
jenson button is too soft, he was hyped as the next senna, but look at you now, 10 years and 2 gifted victories,
ppfffft, close the shop mate!!!

I feel you're being a tad harsh! :
Patrick Head once likened him to Prost, not Senna. (why is it always Senna, sheesh!! )
2000-2008 is eight years, not ten!(you may recognise the difference when you yourself reach 10 years! )
Gifted victories?? Maybe the first one (but he was still the only one with the right tyres at the right time) but the only thing that could have lost him Melbourne was the saftey car! (car faliure aside) or maybe you mean "gifted" because he was "gifted" with the fastest car? Good luck with the backlash on that hypothesis!!!
Chill out, let the guy race. Judge him (if you must) at the end of the season, not the begining!

Tony.

I want to see JB fighting with Alonso and Hamilton for 1st -- that'd be something.

Hey Tony Montana

we check it out , than we gonna blow that forrking truck back to Colombia!

I've had the pleasure of paddock passes at Monza a couple of times as guest of Honda.

Two people impressed me in how they dealt with people - Alonso (who I saw spend a while chatting to fans and signing autographs while other drivers hid in their motorhomes), and Jenson Button.

I've met Jenson twice now and he comes across as a genuinely nice person. His success (and success for some of the team members I met) is thoroughly deserved and the nice thing is that I think they'll take nothing for granted and just enjoy the ride. Winning maybe everything, but I think there's a lot to be said for enjoying it on the way.

Yes kudos for developing his personality and becoming humble and likeable, but still remember him talking himself up as "brave" when he had to race with a hand pushing down the helmet that time when the strap was loose remember, and some other conceited things about his appearance etc.

But I guess it's the nature of F1 drivers to be into themselves, but Jenson is of course nothing compared to some others who are/were absolutely stuffed of themselves like f.i. Montoya who couldn't make a sentence or answer a question without first person pronouns every third word.

I've always like Jenson and the way he comes across. I'm happy now he has the chance of his career to really make a name for himself. His stock did go down around the time of the Williams/BAR mess, but since that concluded he seems to have been the consumate professional, and friendly and well spoken whenever I have heard him. Seems like he would be a great guy to go to the pub for a few drinks with.

Of course, don't forget his ribbing of Hamilton about a triathlon last season! Brilliant stuff.

Geat smooth drive (ala Prost) was marshalling when he was in FF and at FFFestival when he won and thought he was good.Also at FFFestival when a certain Danika? Patrick got on the podium in the final so am pleased to she her succeed. Just waiting for a wet race now to see if the Brawn is as good as it is in the dry if so then JB would be a good bet to win again

Button hyped up the 2007 and 2008 cars in the season's leading upto these cars, then he drove them and saw his prediction of victories were far from reality, he then shut up and he gets a good car.
He seems a nice guy though.

I've been following JB since 2000 and he's always been likeable.

Originally posted by netfetter
Geat smooth drive (ala Prost) was marshalling when he was in FF and at FFFestival when he won and thought he was good.Also at FFFestival when a certain Danika? Patrick got on the podium in the final so am pleased to she her succeed. Just waiting for a wet race now to see if the Brawn is as good as it is in the dry if so then JB would be a good bet to win again

That was the FFFestival where he punted off likeable Aussie Marcus Ambrose because he wasn't quick/good enough to actually pass him.

He can drive fast, but I thought then, and still think now, his Race skills are lacking.