Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Button vows to focus on future, not past

Jenson Button says it is time to forget about his 2009 title success and focus on what he can achieve with McLaren in 2010

The reigning world champion unveiled McLaren's new MP4-25 with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton in an event at sponsor Vodafone's headquarters this morning, and said he was now looking to the future rather than resting on last season's glory.

"After last year you think about what you have achieved and it goes through your mind - the road to becoming world champion," said Button, "but after that you soon start forgetting because you are concentrating on 2010 and the new challenge.

"I've been to a few events and award ceremonies and they bring back memories. To see number one on the car here is special, but we need to forget about last year. It will always be in the back of my mind, but we need to start focusing on the future and this is the future."

He admitted he was highly impressed with McLaren's latest design.

"It looks pretty amazing, stood here looking at it," said Button. "I cannot wait to take a step back and have a better look. I always thought Vodafone McLaren Mercedes put a car together properly and meticulously. For me it looks great."

Button said he already felt at home in the team, having left the title-winning Brawn team to join McLaren in a shock move shortly after the end of his triumphant 2009 season.

"It has been a very busy January and a very good January, you never know what to expect going into a new team," he said. "You have your opinion from the outside but you never know what the atmosphere is inside the team.

"I am pleasantly surprised, I feel I have become part of this team in this short period. It's been a good few days spent at the factory.

"The good thing is the start of 2009 was a difficult period for them, and it gives them hunger to have a good 2010 - you can see that in everyone at the factory. People say it has been the busiest winter ever but they don't care.

"It is all going along very smoothly and January is great, but I cannot wait for February to start as we get to drive this car."

Hamilton added that he was delighted to be working with Button at McLaren this year.

"His career has been fantastic, I've known him and his dad for quite some time," said Hamilton. "I won my first ever British [karting] championship on John's engines years ago and I wanted to follow in Jenson's first steps - so to be in same team as him, and both having won a championship, is great.

"I look forward to working with JB, and hopefully we can push the team onwards to both championships this year."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article McLaren launches radical new MP4-25
Next article Hamilton: New car completely different

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe