Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button expressed clear frustration when asked about his former McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton during the 2011 Indian Grand Prix. The British drivers competed together from 2010 to 2012, often battling fiercely on track for race victories and championships. Despite their rivalry, they maintained a professional relationship outside racing.
Hamilton managed to outperform Button in two of those three years, but Button had the upper hand during the 2011 season, ultimately finishing second in the championship. Both drivers contributed to securing second place in the Constructors’ Championship for McLaren in 2010 and 2011.
During the post-race press conference in India, when questioned about a collision involving Hamilton and Felipe Massa, Button noticeably lost patience, saying:
“I don’t give a f***. If you want to do an interview with me, about me, that’s fine, but I don’t want to be asked about Lewis again. It’s doing my head in.”
In that race, Hamilton started in second place but dropped positions, while Button improved his standing and finished just behind race winner Sebastian Vettel.
Jenson Button Reflects on Hamilton’s Public Showing of Team Telemetry
In his reflections shared from the book Life to the Limit, Jenson Button commented on an incident where Lewis Hamilton posted team telemetry data on social media. Button clarified that Hamilton’s actions were aimed at expressing frustration with McLaren management rather than targeting him personally.
Button said in an interview excerpt published by The Daily Telegraph:
“Quite what was in his thinking, I couldn’t say. Certainly, any displeasure he was showing was aimed at the team, not me, but I ended up being collateral damage because you don’t make telemetry public. You just don’t. The screen grab showed the kind of things you work hard to keep hidden from your rivals. I made my feelings known about that.”
“But at the same time, I knew it wasn’t personal. Bit dumb, maybe. But not an ‘I hate Jenson’ thing so much as an ‘I’m fed up with McLaren’ thing.”
Tensions During 2012 Spa Race and Impact on Their Relationship
The rivalry between Button and Hamilton also flared during the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Hamilton openly disapproved of McLaren’s decision to run different rear wing setups between the two drivers. Hamilton retired from the race after a severe first-lap crash caused by Romain Grosjean, while Button went on to claim victory.
These on- and off-track incidents highlighted the strain within the McLaren team during this intense competitive period between the British drivers. Though their rivalry pushed each other to greater heights on the circuit, moments like these revealed underlying frustrations.
Significance of Their Competitive Relationship
The rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button during their McLaren years remains a notable chapter in recent F1 history. Their competition not only influenced race outcomes and championship battles but also shaped the dynamics within one of the sport’s top teams. Button’s candid responses underline the personal toll that constant comparisons and probing questions can have on drivers.
As both continue to reflect on their careers, this rivalry underscores the complexities athletes face balancing intense competition with professional respect behind the scenes.
