Daredevil Button ready for action

Jenson Button has vowed to take a high-risk approach as he looks to return with a bang by ending his podium drought in this weekend’s European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

The 25-year-old has been on the sidelines for the past two races in Spain and Monaco as a result of BAR-Honda’s ban but he is raring to go and determined to prove once again he can cut it at the front of the grid.

Button and BAR have no points on the board after six races and with a championship battle not on the cards, they are planning an all-or-nothing strategy to finally claim their first-ever win.

Button said: “We’ll try anything within the limits of safety. We are not here to challenge for the championship, we are here to challenge for race wins.

“It’s always been the aim anyway, the ban hasn’t changed our views or our ideas on what we should be doing this year. We knew how good the car was working, we were very positive we would be strong.

“I want to do it for us more than anyone else. Having not scored any points so far this season doesn’t make us look good.

“I want to get a podium – wouldn’t it be awesome? Starting down the grid – we are not to going to be top three in qualifying – I think our race pace will be good.

“It’s not to prove to anyone that we are capable of doing it, it’s for ourselves really, to see the guys’ faces afterwards. We’ve all worked so hard.”

Button revealed a clear-the-air meeting with BAR’s top brass after learning of their two-race ban helped keep the team motivated despite five weeks between races.

“We had a talk after Barcelona, all the drivers were there, Nick Fry, Gil de Ferran, Honda – everyone was there to talk about it,” he said.

“We all got into one room and we had a good chat to make sure everyone wasn’t too down.

“Everyone has been really upbeat. They are looking forward to showing everyone we do deserve to be at the front. It’s been quite exciting, seeing how positive they have been at the factory.”

Button’s return to the grid has been welcomed by championshp leader Fernando Alonso, who is also plotting a risky strategy as he looks to return to winning ways.

The Renault driver has been eclipsed by McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen in the last two races but far from sitting back and protecting his 22-point championship lead, the Spaniard is planning to take a gamble.

He said: “The car is good and I don’t think there is any reason why we should not be competitive here. It’s all okay, I have no worries.

“We took a risk in Monaco to win the race and that is a good example of how we are not thinking of the championship.

“Sometimes you can win and sometimes not, when you cannot win the best thing is second and if you cannot be second the best thing is third and so on. You have to manage the situations.

“McLaren won the last two but we won the first four so the car should be good enough to be quick here this weekend.”

Alonso welcomes BAR’s return to action and hopes more teams can join Renault and McLaren at the front to help spread the points around in the championship chase.

He added: “We only saw one good race from them, that was Imola. The first three they were not too quick and in Imola they had the [weight] problem.

“If the races are like the first three they will not be in a position to win but if they are like Imola there will be a good fight.

“It’s one more team in the first positions and maybe this helps us even more because if it can be between us, Renault, Ferrari and BAR it is probably even better.”