Button about Alonso: « A lot of bootlicking! »

By winning in Valencia, Fernando Alonso became the first driver to achieve a second victory in the highly competitive 2012 season. After a challenging start to the season for Scuderia Ferrari, Fernando Alonso not only took advantage of the European Grand Prix to reclaim the lead in the drivers’ standings but also to widen the gap to its greatest extent since March and the start of the season in Australia. This achievement led to a chorus of praise for the Bull of Asturias, including from Sebastian Vettel, who, when interviewed at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed, remarked that Alonso is one of the most complete drivers.

A voice rises, however, to put this chorus of praise into perspective: “There was a lot of bootlicking,” retorts Jenson Button in the columns of the British newspaper *The Express* when discussing the case of the Spaniard. “I don’t know what’s happening, it’s quite strange. Most Formula One drivers are incredibly talented and many will fight for titles in the future, but Fernando is one who stands out. He won his home Grand Prix when everything played in his favor. Sometimes, when you attempt the maneuvers he tried, it doesn’t work out and ends in the wall. Does his performance give you chills? No, he just did an amazing job, as did his team with the strategy. The ones who are scary are Red Bull. Sebastian’s pace was tremendous. He was on fire, and there was a huge pace difference with the rest of the pack. We hadn’t seen that for a while.”

The Englishman also recalls that, unlike what happens at McLaren, Fernando Alonso enjoys a privileged position compared to his teammate, Felipe Massa: « He worked for it. He really has his team behind him. I don’t blame him. He has a very good position but I don’t think he has different equipment from Felipe. He simply does a better job with what he’s been given and perhaps has had more influence, » the Briton comments.

But the native of Frome, who mentioned a few months ago that if Lewis Hamilton hadn’t been in Formula One, he would have really wanted to have Fernando [Alonso] as a teammate, nevertheless holds the Spaniard in high esteem: When you fight with him and beat him, it’s a special feeling. I respect him a lot because he’s not only very fast, his talents are more evident in racing than in qualifying, and he surrounds himself with the right people in the team. He’s an intelligent driver, which is why he’s dangerous, but I hope he’ll stop winning: he won at home and hopefully we can take over now, says Button on the eve of the British Grand Prix.

The 2009 World Champion, who has never won on his home turf, admits that if he were to win at Silverstone, like Alonso in Valencia, he would be very moved: « That’s what I felt when I won the title after so many years trying to have the right car, in the right team. It meant so much. I wouldn’t cry like a girl, but it would be very emotional. »