Button clarifies 'Formula Desperate' comments

Jenson Button has clarified his comments about young drivers in formula one. Heading into the Austrian grand prix weekend, a Brazilian outlet quoted the F1 veteran as saying young drivers in the sport today make the category seem like 'Formula Desperate'. "They are very erratic. It's like they are driving in 'Formula Desperate' -- they look like they're always so desperate," he reportedly told UOL Esporte.

Arriving at the Red Bull Ring, however, the 36-year-old slammed the report and the journalist and denied the 'Formula Desperate' quote. "Some journalists do not deserve to be journalists", Button said on Twitter. The Portuguese-language journalist, however, confronted Button at the Red Bull Ring with the audio recording of the original quote.

UOL Esporte then quoted the McLaren-Honda driver as clarifying: "Young drivers today do not spend enough time in the minor categories and end up taking certain behaviours to formula one. A lot of pressure is put on them to get it right from the first year," he added.

However, Button - who signed his first F1 contract as a 19-year-old in 2000 - added: "But when you get the opportunity as a 17-year-old to go into formula one, of course you would say yes. I would as well. I would say I am even an example of a driver who was not ready when he arrived in F1," he concluded. (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

Test calendar

See full test schedule

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
6 - Mar 8
Australia
13 - Mar 15
China
27 - Mar 29
Japan
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
1 - May 3
United States of America
22 - May 24
Canada
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
12 - Jun 14
Spain
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
10 - Apr 12
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
5 - Jun 7
Monaco Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team McLaren
  • Points 37
  • Podiums 0
  • Grand Prix 41
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Jan 19 1980 (46)
  • Place of b. Frome, Somerset, GB
  • Weight 72 kg
  • Length 1.82 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar