Button assures that “the atmosphere is fantastic” with Hamilton at McLaren

For several weeks, the atmosphere within the McLaren team has been “monitored” daily by the media, much like an octogenarian’s heart might be by their doctors. The affair of Lewis Hamilton’s tweets in Belgium had opened Pandora’s box, with the sweet harmony between the two British champions taking a significant hit when the 2008 world champion complained about the absence of a supposedly more efficient rear wing to justify the gap between him and Jenson Button in qualifying.

This was followed by Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Mercedes, which openly raised the question of the impact it would have on team relations by the end of the season. Thus, the fact that Jenson Button didn’t follow his teammate on Twitter, initially a storm in a teacup, gained momentum when Lewis Hamilton complained about it on social media, giving the impression that the atmosphere at Woking was indeed not in the best state.

In South Korea, it was a game of bowling that contributed to the internal newsletter of the McLaren team: « I booked sixteen bowling lanes for Saturday night, but something else came up, so the guys couldn’t come. They already had a commitment. They went running with Jenson Button or something like that, » shared the native of Stevenage this weekend. It’s hard to find a better way to fuel rumors of a deteriorating atmosphere between Lewis Hamilton and his team, even as McLaren continues to face disappointments on the track since the announcement of his departure.

Questioned in the Guardian about the atmosphere at McLaren, Jenson Button assures that there is no need for controversy: « It’s incredible how people have strong opinions about this team when none of it is true. The atmosphere is fantastic in the team. From what I can see, Lewis is focused and wants to win races. Nothing has changed, it’s just the viewpoint of a few people with a large audience. »

And the 2009 world champion added: « The team gives everything it can to Lewis because he can win races, just like me. The team cares about the drivers but also about winning. There won’t be the slightest change in this team in the way we race. […] We are not close friends. We work together and have a good working relationship. »

The native of Frome believes, however, that his colleague is making a mistake by leaving McLaren: « He chose to follow his own path at the end of the year. It’s his decision, although I don’t think it’s the right one. » For his part, Lewis Hamilton confided this weekend that he knew this decision would not be unanimously accepted: « Of course, there will be people who are happy that I’m leaving and others who will be unhappy. Some will be sad, others will be supportive. That’s the way things are. »

The fact remains that we must remember that in 2006, the mechanics at Renault drew mustaches on Fernando Alonso’s portrait that adorned his stand, which didn’t prevent the Spaniard from being crowned that same year and then being welcomed as the prodigal son in 2008.