Button answers the F1 paddock's questions

After surviving 16 years in the Formula 1 viper pit, you'd expect to have acquired a few enemies. There would be a scar or three, surely, from knives inserted between the shoulder blades. You'd want to make sure you could still count all the fingers on your hands after innumerable handshakes of questionable integrity.

You'd have grown a hardened shell, unseen but impenetrable and ever-present, to guard against unwelcome interaction. And most certainly, after 284 grands prix and counting, you would expect your enthusiasm to have dimmed somewhat. Yet despite having essayed an enviably long and competitive F1 career, none of this applies to Jenson Button.

Though undoubtedly now an elder statesman in a driver cadre that includes such eager pups as 18-year-old Max Verstappen, Button remains sharp, focused, hungry... all the myriad attributes needed to make up the package of a complete grand prix driver.

In F1 terms he has become something of a national treasure - a respected presence so integral to the championship's proceedings, it seems almost unimaginable that a grand prix could start without him.

And, as F1 Racing discovered in preparing for this 'They Ask The Questions' interview, JB also has an awful lot of friends in F1. Rarely - in fact, never, in our experience - have paddock peers been so keen to participate in one of these bespoke Q&As, created by asking them what question they would like to put to Jenson.

He carries his position graciously, still putting energy into media time, for example, when many might long ago have become bored with such duties. Enjoy, then, his honest answers to this peer-group interrogation. For there is, after all, only one Jenson Alexander Lyons Button.

You've been team-mate to both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. How do they differ? Who is better? David Coulthard

[A groan from Jenson] Read the papers! [Laughter from a bushy-bearded McLaren press aide]. I answered this question yesterday!

F1 Racing: You seemed to say that Alonso was a tougher fight...

JB: In a race situation, Fernando is very consistent. Lewis can be unbelievably quick, but on another day you'd wonder where he was. Maybe he has more experience now. Maybe Lewis is a different driver today. It is three years since we raced together [Button and Hamilton were McLaren team-mates from 2010-2012].

Would you have liked me to be your team boss? Claire Williams

Would you have liked me to be your driver?!

F1R: I'd say from that she probably would...

JB: It sounds like it, is what I'd say to that.

What tips do you have for running a marathon for the over 50s? Graeme Lowdon

He knows them all because I've told him already! We had lunch after the London Marathon, and a few beers, and we had a good chat then about him getting quicker and coming training and all sorts. It's good that he's going for it.

Do you remember breaking your ribs karting in Genk? And meeting me? Max Verstappen

[Long pause] I remember breaking my ribs... I think it was the end of 2006. He would have been eight! Funnily enough, I was going through pictures yesterday and I came up with some from those days.

And the scary thing is, that was nine years ago and it feels like yesterday. I went out and Robin Frijns was driving as well. We had a little play around, but the problem was that in the kart I had, the seat wasn't deep enough so I did break my ribs, yes.

But I had a great time - I really enjoyed driving again because I hadn't driven a kart since '98, '99. But the injury meant I couldn't test the F1 car all winter. Actually, that didn't really matter [the 2007 Honda was deeply uncompetitive, scoring only six points].

What did you find in the bed when you bought that motorhome off me in 2003? Mika Salo

Nothing! The only thing I did find was that there was no Harley Davidson on it... he had a Harley sprayed the same colours as the motorhome. That motorhome ended up being my manager's, so it has done the rounds. But it's a great old bus. I loved it. And, for me, that sort of living around a grand prix weekend is the way it's got to be.

F1R: Is it still in circulation?

JB: It's somewhere, yes. Around motorsport. I'm surprised more drivers don't do it. It's just mega at European races. Old school. It feels like karting again.

What's your favourite drink? Daniil Kvyat

I love a spicy margarita - a spicy margarita is what I like.

Diamonds are forever? Martin Brundle

[There's silence... then Jenson smiles. Clearly Brundle's reference is to something about which nothing will be said. Button offers only the following, cryptic comment...] Diamonds... diamonds are forever... He's a diamond geezer.

It's a private joke. Diamonds are important in life... and feeling like a diamond is important.

What was your first memory of karting? Allan McNish

[Still laughing from previous question] When I was seven years old, Dad bought me a kart. We were next to a pub car park and it was empty because it was in the morning.

So I drove round it, which was great. I loved the feeling of it and getting used to the pedals, but I got bored ever so quickly. He took me to an airfield and we spent half a day there... I got bored.

So he took me to a circuit, which I loved, but again I got bored in a day. And then he put me in for my first race and I won it. I loved it and I was hooked. That was it. It was competition - it wasn't driving a kart. It never is. It's never driving a car; it's the competition that's exciting.

F1R: Is that why you're so into triathlon?

JB: Yes. Definitely. It's about doing a better job than everyone else.

F1R: Had you pestered him to get a kart? Or did he just get it for you?

JB: No. Not at all. I was so young. I didn't have a clue what a kart was.

How did you feel when you were first told you'd got the Williams drive? Herbie Blash

Very emotional. I was obviously with Frank when he told me, and it was 20 minutes before I was announced to the world as an F1 driver alongside Ralf Schumacher.

And he said [Button puts on a Frank Williams voice]: "Jenson, we have decided to go with you to race for us next year." Then Ralf came in. He was whinging that he hadn't been picked up from the hotel and that if he wasn't picked up the next time he wouldn't come to the circuit, and I was like: 'Oh my god.'

Frank said: "Ralf, Jenson is going to be driving alongside you next year." Ralf said: "Yes, I know he is."

Then I went outside and saw my dad and both of us burst into tears. I called my mum and I got her answerphone - it's the only time I think I've ever got her answerphone, and she was gutted. It was an unbelievably emotional day.

The funniest thing was, after that we didn't really do any testing before the first race. And it snowed for two days right after the announcement. I was still only 19 and I had driven three Formula 1 cars [Button had tested for Prost Grand Prix and McLaren]. I know that's not so young any more, but I remember having my birthday while we were testing.

Technically I had no idea what I was doing. Engineering-wise I was terrible, but I think they realised that although I had no experience of racing F1 cars I could learn quickly.

Why haven't you retired? Andy Stevenson

[Twinkling] Because I'm bloody good still! Because I'm shit-hot still! Cos I love it and I love racing and I have belief in this team.

If I didn't, I would have stopped. And obviously I did think about stopping. But I do have belief in this team and I think that we can still do some good things in the future together.

How much fitter were you in 2004 compared with now? Carlos Sainz Jr

He means it the other way around... I'm a lot fitter now. Maybe he means how much fitter did you have to be, because of the downforce and grip. You had to be fitter then, definitely. I think I would have had a big advantage in 2004 if I had been at the fitness level I'm at now. I would have been much more competitive in races.

F1R: Your fitness really would have made that much more of a difference?

JB: Yeah, because some drivers just weren't fit enough. You could see it after the race when they got out of the car; they would faint when they got on the podium. These days that doesn't happen because the cars are way too easy to drive in terms of fitness.

So generally I am a lot fitter now because I like training. And I feel I'm good at doing triathlons. I work hard at it and I can get some pretty good results: I've qualified for the world championships, which is wicked.

Have you got another F1 world championship in you? Johnny Herbert

Definitely, or else I wouldn't bother being here. I don't know if it will happen - who knows? - everything has to go your way. But I definitely feel like I haven't slowed down since 2009. I've gained experience and I'm a better driver.

Do you feel you've been robbed of the chance to challenge for a second title? Damon Hill

A lot of drivers could say they were robbed of the chance, but, you know, my aim coming into F1 was to win the world championship and I've done that. We would all love to win more championships, but you've got to be in the right situation at the right time.

Fernando Alonso has supposedly been the best driver in the world for so many years, but he hasn't won the world championship since 2006. That's more than nine years ago. So it's about being in the right situation at the right time.

Personally, I don't like jumping around teams too much. It's important to be a part of a team, part of a family, and to grow with that family. And if it comes good for you, you feel like you've had a big involvement. Like Brawn. Maybe if I had jumped around a bit more I'd have had more chances. But maybe not.

Are you a lightweight? How much is too much to drink? Lewis Hamilton

I can definitely drink more than him! That's all I do know and that's all that matters. And I've never crashed a road car.

How many cars do you own? Valtteri Bottas

[Long pause as he mentally counts his collection. Steven Tee, F1 Racing's chief photographer titters: "It's obviously more than one isn't it?"] About 15. I probably own 15 cars that are 'mine' - cars that I don't buy for selling.

But we have other cars, Richard and me [Richard Goddard is Button's long-time manager], that we share for investment purposes. But those 15 are my cars.

F1R: Can you single one out as a favourite?

JB: That's really difficult. The P1 is obviously pretty amazing. And the F40 is stunning... it's got relatively high mileage - 11,000 miles - but it's mint. I've seen cars with 1800 miles that are terrible. It's really looked after. And I love my 1956 Vee Dub campervan - it's a real stunner.

I've got my dad's Ferrari 550. I love his Corvette '57. There's a 1970 Pontiac GTO: that was my wedding car - really cool. And a car that means a lot to me for other reasons that I don't really want to say, probably my biggest investment, is a 275 Ferrari GTS. It's a cabriolet and absolutely stunning. It's black with a camel-colour leather interior. I've just bought it and haven't actually seen it yet, as I don't have it yet in Monaco. That one is very special.

You are such a good man. A gentleman. How do you maintain this? Felipe Massa

I can't put it all down to myself. I would have to put it down to my friends and family. Who put me in my place - always! You've got to have good friends. All my friends are from school or my karting days from when I was eight or nine years old.

My two best friends at my wedding I met when I was nine and 10, and that was through karting. So, friends from so many years. But then I have also met friends from over the years that I feel I have a real connection with.

It's so important to have people around you who you care about and love. It keeps you the person you are and doesn't let you take off and become something that you shouldn't be.

Did you feel proud, the day you beat me on a pushbike? Alex Wurz

Which time? I mean the list is quite long now isn't it, Alex? The first time I beat him on a pushbike - yeah, massively proud. That was a few years ago now. We have good bants. We cycle together quite a lot and we both have our own strengths. He's stronger on the flat; I'm stronger in the hills.

But yeah, it's really good cycling with someone like him. We did a ride together up the Col de Turini a couple of months ago, which was wicked. It was so cool just to be headed out there on our own.

We were out for ages. We got to the top of Turini, which is 1600m and we were like: 'We've only got our short-sleeved tops on!' So we stole these bin bags off some signs on the road and we put them on and cycled down with these bin bags on us. It was proper high-tech. He's a good lad and he's going to enjoy life away from racing sportscars. He's got a lot of good friends down here and hopefully he'll be able to cycle more often.

What was your favourite season? Ron Meadows

There have been many, to be fair. Many poor seasons, but many great seasons. He wants me to say 2009 [Button's world championship year with Brawn GP, during which Ron Meadows was team manager]. And obviously, emotionally, 2009 was through the roof.

In terms of my driving though, I would probably say 2011. Or possibly the last part of 2014. Or maybe 2015. Yeah, I think I've got better as a driver and have learned to deal with a car that maybe doesn't suit my style as much lately. So I think it's just about being 'fearless'.

I don't put as much pressure on myself any more. I am more relaxed in my skin and that's probably why.

What advice can you give for me to have a career as long as yours? Will Stevens

You always have to be willing to learn and put the time and effort in to learn, and never think that you know everything, because you never will. I'm still learning now, 16 years into the sport, and you obviously need to understand that just being quick is not enough.

You've got to build on your talent; you have to spend a lot of time working with engineers, putting a good team of people around you and making the team believe in you. But you also have to work with the sponsors and make them understand they need you in the team. There are so many areas you need to work on to have a long career in the sport.

I've learned a lot along the way, and it makes me smile when I think about how long my career has been and for what reasons.

What is the best nightspot in Tokyo? Jolyon Palmer

That's really difficult, actually. There aren't many great places, but we always seem to be able to make a good party in Tokyo. For me, the best place in Tokyo is Robataya, which is a restaurant that I go to every year over a grand prix, either before or after the weekend. And it's great food, a great atmosphere... for me that's what makes Tokyo.

I also went to a whisky bar with Ricky Bobby - Ricky Bobby is Daniel Ricciardo - which was really cool. It's just off Roppongi crossing. For me, the little places in Tokyo are more fun than the nightclubs.

What has been your best moment in racing so far? Andrew Shovlin

Again, there have been so many great moments over my racing career. Winning a grand prix is a totally different sort of emotion to winning a world championship. Winning a grand prix is just adrenaline through the roof.

It's the excitement of that particular moment in time, whereas a world championship is very different because you have been fighting for it for such a long time. When it actually happens, it's more of a relief than anything else. They are very different feelings.

The one thing I would say about winning a world championship is that the adrenaline isn't as high as winning a grand prix, but it's what you remember every time you wake up in the morning - that you have won a world championship and that you are a world champion. I go out racing now for wins and the adrenaline of 'hopefully one day I will win'. Then you have the possibility of winning a world championship. So they're very different things.

My favourite win so far? It was probably the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in 2011. That was a very emotional race. And also I crossed the finish line in front of Fernando and Sebastian [Vettel], two other world champions.

F1R: That's a decent podium...

JB: Yeah...

What do you think of the new toilets in the Brazilian GP paddock? Sebastian Vettel

[The question prompts a knowing laugh.] There's a reason for that one. I bumped into Seb in the toilets there, and we decided that Brazilians don't have such big dumps as Europeans - because the toilets just do not flush everything away. It's like, they're brand-new toilets, lovely and all, and they still have the same flushing mechanism. So it's much nicer. But they still don't flush a giant poo.

You run a lot, but how much can you lift? Daniel Ricciardo

I can lift him. He's tiny! I mean, the boy is ripped! I don't know how he's so ripped. The boy goes for looks, definitely. He's not a guy that trains for fitness. I could definitely lift him above my head. I might try that, actually...

At which point this year will you sit down with the management and discuss your future options? Eddie Jordan

Who knows? Live in the moment!

When will you next be back on the podium? Bob Fernley

Hopefully this year. I don't know when, but the aim is this year. I mean, it's a massive gain... we need to make massive gains from 2015, but we have to aim high and we have to aim for podiums at the very least.

F1R: Does that feel possible?

JB: I really don't know. There's a lot coming... a lot of improvements. I don't know if we'll be able to consistently fight for podiums, but there has to be a day when you fall into a lucky situation and it can happen.

The current issue of F1 Racing, now on sale, features a full preview of the 2016 season, including David Coulthard's views on all of the teams and drivers, all the information you need to know about the 21 grands prix, an in-depth analysis of round three of the Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battle, and a visit to Paris with Renault new boy Jolyon Palmer.