23/03/2010
NEWS STORY
This weekend, Jenson Button returns to the Melbourne track where his championship bid got off to such a fantastic start last season. A year later and the Englishman is, at best, hoping for a podium.
The victory at Albert Park last year came just weeks after the Brawn made its testing debut at Barcelona, dominating the timesheets straight out of the box. Following his win in Australia, the Englishman went on to win five of the next six races, setting himself up nicely for the title.
However, ahead of this year's Australian Grand Prix, the reining world champion, now with a new team, is cautious, admitting that if he is being realistic a podium is the best that he might hope for.
Days after McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton claimed that the Red Bulls are "ridiculously quick", Button agrees. "I think Red Bulls are very strong, I think the Ferraris are very strong, and then it's probably us," he told Reuters. "But I'm hoping with the circuit change and a few little updates we'll be closer to them and maybe challenging them here.
"The first race for us was difficult," he admits. "I don't think the car suited Bahrain too well. I think it will suit this circuit better. It's a lower downforce circuit so we have to wait and see. "A podium would be fantastic here. I think that has to be the aim. I think it's a possibility and you've got to set your sights pretty high."
Reflecting on last year, when he and his teammate, Rubens Barrichello, brought the Brawns home in first and second, one of the true Formula One fairytales of the modern era, the Englishman said: "It's great coming back here, because this is where it all started last season. This is where my first pole of the season was and my first win. It was a very emotional moment last year and hopefully we can have something similar this year.
"It's going to be a very competitive season," he continued, "but the aim has to be, to be world champion. I need to be in a position that I have a car that can be competitive enough to fight for race wins, and then it's more or less down to me."
Once again, the race will end at twilight, as Bernie Ecclestone strives to get as many Europeans watching the event as possible - not an easy prospect if the race is anything like as processional as the season opener - and Button is not entirely happy.
"It sounds petty, but it's not. It can be dangerous if you've got the sun in your eyes and you can't see where you're going. But I'd rather be racing in the day, even a twilight race for me, I'd rather that than the night-time.
"Out in front's probably not such a bad place to be, so hopefully we can put ourselves in the same place and won't have to worry."