24/07/2016
NEWS STORY
Not one to outwardly lose his cool, Jenson Button was noticeably angry following today's Grand Prix.
For once it wasn't the shortcomings of the McLaren-Honda package rather the radio rules, which, in partnership with said McLaren-Honda package, robbed him of any hope of a points finish.
On the fifth lap of the race the Briton warned his crew that his brake pedal was dropping to the floor when pressed. The team advised the Briton; "do not shift, we have lost hydraulic pressure", for which he was immediately handed a drive-through under the new crackdown on radio communications.
Having already dropped to last position as a result of a pit stop during which he was advised of the issue, the Briton was incensed, not only by the penalty but by the fact he believed the call on brakes to be a safety issue as opposed to performance.
"So the brake pedal going to the floor is not classed as a safety issue?" said Button over the radio for all the world to hear. "Interesting, I think Charlie (Whiting) needs to read up on what is safe and what isn't."
Subsequently becoming the only retirement of the day, having suffered an oil leak, Button's mood had not improved.
"It's a stupid regulation," he told reporters. "I completely understand that drivers should not be fed information that helps us drive the car, I'm totally with that because I think it's wrong that we are told every corner where our team mate is quicker or slower than us, and fuel saving should be down to us and so much should be down to us. But when it's a safety concern, the brake pedal going to the floor, you shouldn't get penalised for stopping an accident but we did today.
"There are certain things I like with drivers not being allowed to ask how quick their teammate is, or whether they should rub their arse on certain corners or pick their nose," he continued, "but for me I think it's pathetic that you get penalised for stopping an incident.
Asked whether the Grand Prix Drivers' Association should voice an opinion, he said: "It's not for the GPDA to make the call it's for Formula 1 to realise their mistakes.
"Formula One has realised it's mistakes in terms of where the cars are right now," he continued, "next year I think the regulations are really exciting but this rule... it shouldn't need the drivers to speak out, it's common sense. That's something which is obviously missing at some points when these regulations are written."
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