Q & A with Jenson Button

Now he is just looking at picking up as many points as possible to leave Suzuka with a healthy lead.

AUTOSPORT caught up with the Briton after qualifying.

Q. Formula 1 has an amazing way of producing things doesn't it?

Jenson Button: Yes, today was a pretty manic day qualifying. Three red flags - it is pretty unusual to see that. Some of that is because of the way the circuit layout is, and some of it was because we only had practice this morning - so everyone was gunning for a good lap. One mistake around here and you are in the barriers. It has mixed things up a bit, and I am starting further back than I would have liked.

Q. How had qualifying gone for you?

JB: Q1 and Q2 went very well, the car felt very good. We were struggling to get front wing on the car. I had a lot of understeer. We put a lot of front wing on the car and it didn't improve, which was very strange. We are looking at the data now, and there is a possibility that we went a little bit too far, as you can do. And then in Q3, when we had fuel on board, the balance went the other way and I had a very twitchy rear end in the first sector which cost me a lot of time - and it is a sector we have been struggling on all weekend compared to the quick cars.

So I qualified down in seventh, which was okay - although a bit disappointing. I had Rubens just in front of me, which is pretty much where I wanted him, even though it would have been nice if he was behind. But there you go.

Q. And what happened with the yellow flag situation?

JB: We got a five place penalty for not slowing sufficiently under the yellow flag. From my point of view I did the right thing. I took avoiding action and when I saw the yellow flag, it was just before where the incident was with the front wing. I moved to one side. I thought, for me, it was unsafe to lift off because there could have been a car behind and you also don't want to be moving across the circuit at high speed and lifting. Then, as soon as I passed the front wing I saw the green flag down the circuit, so I knew it was clear - and kept my foot in. That was it.

The regulations say that you have to slow down enough and you have to lift off the throttle, which I didn't do. So I got penalised. I respect their decision, but for me at that moment in time it was the best thing to do in that one second to make my decision. But I respect the decision. I am down in 12th, Rubens is just in front in 10th, and there are a couple of slow downs in front of him. So it is going to be an exciting race for us I think, the first few laps.

Trying to sort out a strategy from here where we have low fuel and the cars in front have 25 kg more fuel than us, which is a lot of laps - 10 laps - makes tomorrow's race very difficult. For us, tomorrow is an important day. We have to try and pick up some points, and even if it is one or two points those points could be very, very important going into the next two races.

Vettel is starting in pole, and if he wins the race it puts him in the chase and he is back in the championship hunt. And they are very, very quick around here the Red Bulls. They have been stonkingly quick around here all day, so if Hamilton does not get him off the line I think Vettel will walk it. But we will make the best out of the situation we are in.

Q. When you went through the yellow flag incident, were you aware at the time that it may come back to haunt you?

JB: You don't think about it at the time. Your instincts are to find your way through the situation as safely as possible. That is what I did. I saw the yellow flag, I could see the front wing on the circuit and I drove around it. Having a little lift just to please the stewards did not come to my mind. For me, if I lifted it could have made all sorts of things happen behind, especially since I was on the straight which is high speed. I saw the green flag after the incident and I carried on. That is the way it is. Fair enough. Four cars have been moved back and I am starting down in 12th.

Q. You seem quite philosophical about it, is that because your team-mate and your nearest challenger has got an identical punishment?

JB: Yes, for sure. The regulations say you need to slow the car down, and that is fair enough. Same as Rubens, same as Alonso and same as Sutil - we all tried to get out of it beforehand, but lifted off in the wrong area. But it is both of us have the issue, both of us move back five places. The problems is [Sebastian] Vettel. The Red Bulls being alone out in front, they are very, very fast. And I can't really see anyone touching them in the race. There is a good chance they are going to get 10 points, and it would be good if we could get a couple as 10 points is a lot. Rubens is 15 points behind me if we don't score points.

Q. How much are you concerned about Vettel after the way things have gone today?

JB: Well, this is one of those frustrating days. But it is what it is. I cannot change his race outcome, I can only change mine. And me getting as many points as possible is important. I hope we have a good day tomorrow.

Q. How much have you been considering what you need to do to win the world championship?

JB: Not really. With Rubens, we are in the same cars, so we might run very difficult set-ups but I know the car should be just as quick. With Sebastian you never know. The Red Bull is a car that is very good on this type of circuit. It is not just high speed corners, it is very quick change of direction and you have that from Turn 1 up to Turn 7 - and it is taking seven tenths out of me there. Then we take a bit back on the slower speed corners. It is the change of direction at high speed that we struggle with. But we have just got to make the best out of what we have and get some points, which is what we were doing until we got our penalty. We are 10th and 12th now, and we will fight for every single point out there. Every single point at this stage could be very important for the championship.

Q. When you are out there in the race tomorrow, will you be worrying about Vettel is up to, or will you only be worried about Rubens?

JB: This won't be the only race that gives me the world championship if I am going to win it. It is every single race from here on in. If I finish five points in front of Rubens I can still win the championship, but that is not something I am concentrating on. In a straightforward race, Vettel is going to score a lot of points here. We are going to circuits that will suit our car a lot more - Brazil, which is more low speed corners, but especially Abu Dhabi. Nobody has been there yet, which is exciting to me, and it is a circuit that is very low speed - so it should suit our car. It is very exciting and very tense, but this is a moment I should be enjoying, which I am. It is great for F1 obviously seeing Vettel at the front and us back in 10th and 12th.

Q. So you are not looking at it as though just five more points on Rubens and you are champion?

JB: No, because from 12th on the grid it is going to be very difficult anyway. It is about just doing the best job we can tomorrow. And when we get to the chequered flag, we will see where we are. I would obviously like to beat Rubens in the race to get some points out of him, and that has to be the aim tomorrow.

Q. Do you not allow yourself to think that tomorrow you could be world champion?

JB: It possibly could happen tomorrow, but that is not the way I am looking at it. I am looking at it as any other race - as it is. It is another race. If I was able to win the championship, something would seriously have to go wrong with the other drivers - so I am not expecting it. I go into tomorrow just looking forward to scoring points and finishing as high as I can.

Q. So do you push thoughts of being champion to the back of your mind?

JB: The thought doesn't creep in. I am asked the question by yourself and a few other people, but over the race weekend I don't think about it. There is no need to think about it. I am here to race this weekend and do the best job I can as I have done in every race I have gone into. That is what I need to do. When we are strong capitalise on it, and when we are not we just need to do the best job we can.

Q. What has Ross Brawn been saying to you about how to approach the next few races?

JB: Ross knows the season has been very up and down for all of us. It has been a very difficult season for everyone. Both the Red Bulls and Brawn have been quick one race and then slow the next. For everyone involved it is very stressful. It is non-stop - you are always trying to improve the car and improve every aspect of the team. But as you say, Ross has been in this situation before, so he knows what to do, and he also knows that you do have to have bad days, mistakes or bad luck, and we just need to sort ourselves out tomorrow and get a few points. They could be important for the world championship.

Q. He also knows that you've had qualifying days like today and bounced back on race day - like in Singapore?

JB: I was back in 12th before the start of the race in Singapore, but I had a lot of fuel on board, which is not the case now. I've got cars in front of me with 25 kg more fuel on board, and if I cannot pass them then that is the end of the race. It will be quite an aggressive race I think from Rubens and myself - we have Sutil in the mix there with low fuel, and Fisichella behind me with KERS which is a little frustrating. But I am looking forward to it, it should be a fun race.