Button won't push to seal title in Japan
By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, September 29th 2009, 09:09 GMT
Jenson ButtonJenson Button says he will not change his approach in order to try to seal the championship at the first attempt in the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.
The British driver is 15 points ahead of Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello with just three races remaining, and he could wrap up the title if he finishes five points ahead of the Brazilian at Suzuka.
But Button insists he is not thinking of that, and says he will approach the weekend as normal and hope the circumstances play in his favour.
"It's another race," said Button, who finished fifth in last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix. "People say that if I finish five points in front of Rubens I can win the championship.
"I know that's a fact, for sure. But my aim is to win the world championship and I'm not going to take any unusual risks.
"I'm just going to drive like I have been and hopefully that will be enough."
The Briton, who has not won since the Turkish Grand Prix, admitted that with a such a competitive field it was vital to try and maximise each weekend, even if it meant scoring just a couple of points.
"If you look at the last few races you could say it is, but anything can happen," he said. "It's just an unusual year where there's so many cars that are competitive whatever the conditions. There are so many different possibilities of teams being quick.
"So it makes it very difficult when it comes to strategy and we know we have to beat the Red Bulls, but that's why you see us sometimes at the front fighting for wins and other races we are not.
"But the important thing is to make the most out of the good times, but also the difficult times. When it's difficult you need to pick the points up and that's what I have been trying to do."
Button, however, admitted he was feeling very positive for the Suzuka race after having managed to score a good points haul in Singapore despite having a difficult weekend.
"It was not my best day or as a team it wasn't our best day, so to come away with four points, and lost one point to Vettel and gain one to Rubens I feel like it was a positive weekend, for sure. Going to Japan I'm very positive and looking forward to a good weekend," he said.
He added: "I love it. I think everyone loves Suzuka, and that's the problem. I wish they didn't. But it's a circuit I've enjoyed in the past and where I've gone well, so it's nice to be back there."
And the championship leader also downplayed Red Bull's form at the Singapore Grand Prix, saying the Milton Keynes squad was not that much quicker than his own team.
"I don't think that's the case. In qualifying obviously Rubens had a crash and it meant they weren't on the front row, but their pace in the race wasn't very good. I don't think Sebastian would have won the race either.
"They weren't as quick as we might have thought. Their race pace wasn't as good as others."
Gone all Kryten on your asses.
