Button blasts media for rift claims

15/10/2012

Jenson Button has hit out at sections of the media which continue to suggest that the atmosphere at Woking has deteriorated since Lewis Hamilton announced his move to Mercedes.

While the announcement on September 28 ended one saga, that of for whom the Englishman would drive next season, it kick started another, one in which the 2008 world champion's every move, and that of his team, is seen as evidence of the total breakdown of the relationship.

Retirement from the Singapore Grand Prix, tweets, a team dinner ahead of the Korean race and even talk of Hamilton not yet having spoken to Ron Dennis or fellow team members of his move, have all been reported as proof that the love affair is over.

However, one person who has clearly had enough of what could be seen as an attempt to deliberately destabilise the Woking outfit is Jenson Button, the Englishman launching an uncharacteristic attack on the media.

While some claim that Hamilton's problems during yesterday's Grand Prix were a further sign of McLaren giving up on the 27-year-old and instead focussing on his teammate, Button told the Guardian: "The team will give Lewis everything they can because Lewis can give the team chances of winning races, as I can. The team care about the drivers, but also they care about winning. There will not be any change in this team at all in the way we go racing with two drivers."

"It is amazing how opinionated people are with this team and none of it is true," he continued. "The atmosphere in the team is fantastic. As far as I can see with Lewis, he is focused and wants to win races. Nothing has changed, it is just the view of a few people with a wide audience and they need to get their facts straight."

However, the 2009 champion admitted that, personally, he feels his teammate has made the wrong decision. "He has chosen to go his own way at the end of the year. It is his decision, although I personally don't think it is the right decision.

"We are not close friends," he added. "We work together and have a good working relationship. If we think there is something wrong with the car we will work on it.