Jenson Button has promised Red Bull that they will have a fight on their hands to take the world championship from his grasp this year.
The Englishman left Silverstone with his lead in the world championship dented, having been outclassed by the Red Bull pair. And despite suggestions that the RB5 is now the class of the field, Button promised he would not play the percentage game, but fight for wins in order to make life as difficult as possible for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
“I lost three points to Rubens here, so I have got a 23 points lead to Rubens which is still quite a lot to be fair,” Button said as he reflected on the result of the British Grand Prix.
“Rubens is driving the same car as me, so I can try and keep him in check. Vettel is the one where you don’t really know where their performance is going to be, so it is important for us to be fighting for wins.
“We cannot settle for third or fourth place. I need to be fighting for wins, and they are challengers. I had a 32 point lead coming here and you can never be comfortable enough to think that we can just cruise home.
He played down those suggestions that Red Bull’s car was now quicker overall than his own Brawn, and said that the nature of Silverstone had exaggerated his rivals’ advantage.
“They were very quick here, and I am sure they are going to be competitive at other races; I just don’t think they will have the advantage that they had here.”