Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Button thinks Indian Grand Prix showed F1 needs tyre thrills

Jenson Button thinks the lack of excitement in the Indian Grand Prix proves that Formula 1 has benefited from Pirelli's efforts to spice up the sport

Although Pirelli has attempted to ensure dramatic racing by engineering high degradation levels into its tyres since it returned to f1 in 2010, in India the rubber proved long-lasting - leading to a relatively uneventful one-stop race.

Button's McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton said he revelled in this, as he was able to push all race without worrying about tyre conservation.

AUTOSPORT analysis: Indian GP a warning from the past

But Button said he felt sorry for the fans after India.

"I think it's more enjoyable when you have more stops, because there's more overtaking, more fights, different people on different strategies," he argued.

"I think for the viewer it's better when there's more degradation."

He is adamant that the best drivers have still shone through despite tyre management becoming more significant.

"You always end up with the right end result in the championship with the better teams at the front," Button said. "But it has mixed it up a lot and I think that's a good thing."

The 2009 world champion's only concern is that results could become too random when the tyres perplex teams. Button put his mid-2012 slump down to issues getting the best out of the Pirellis.

"I think next year there will be a lot of degradation from the tyres as well," he said.

"Hopefully it will be easier to understand, because I think that's been the frustrating thing for most, trying to understand what makes them work and what doesn't."

Button did admit that being able to go flat out to the finish in India was enjoyable. He set the fastest race lap on the final tour.

"I must admit the end of the race on the prime tyre was great fun because you really could be really aggressive with the car," he said.

"Normally when you get a bit of oversteer you damage the tyre and it's gone for a lap. You could be aggressive with it at the last race and it was nice from that point of view.

"But in terms of racing I think it's better when there's more degradation."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Lewis Hamilton not disheartened by Mercedes's current form
Next article Sergio Perez sure he will get equal treatment at McLaren

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe