23/04/2006
NEWS STORY
Jenson Button is visit his team's Brackley factory on Monday, and attempt to motivate his colleagues following a frustrating San Marino Grand Prix which saw the Japanese outfit's drivers finish a disappointing seventh and tenth, despite having started second and third.
The Englishman's race was a catalogue of disasters including a wheel nut problem during the first pit stop, and a breakdown in communications during the second which resulted in the Englishman being 'released' too early, heading off with the fuel rig still attached to the car, and a number of crew members knocked over in the ensuing melee.
The incident came twenty-four hours after Renault technical director, Pat Symonds, accused Honda of making a number of fundamental mistakes this season.
"I'm going into the factory and hopefully everyone's going to be there so we can have a little chat about the way things are going so far this year," Button told reporters at Imola following today's race.
"It will be sort of a motivational speech," he added. "I'm sure everyone needs it. Hopefully it will make the difference.
"We have made mistakes," admitted the Englishman, "but it's not from being slack or not trying hard enough. We need to say what our problems are and it's no use pointing the finger at one person because for sure it won't happen again.
"The guy feels terrible already," he added, referring to chief mechanic, Alistair Gibson, the guy in charge of the lollipop, "and he doesn't deserve to feel that bad."
Last week, in a report for The Sunday Express, Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid, claimed that the Japanese giant has spent "more than £100m" in its efforts to guide the Englishman to championship success. While Symond's comments will have done little to ease the frustration.