Jenson Button draws on his own championship year in 2009 to warn Oscar Piastri about the mental pressure that comes with a championship battle. The World Championship leader finished only fifth in Austin, far behind his rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
“It’s a tough situation he’s in,” Button tells Sky Sports. “The car isn’t performing as he’d hoped, certainly not like it was at the start of the year. Back then, the car was so strong — they were unbeatable. Now you’re falling behind, and personally, you start thinking more and more about the world championship.” According to the Brit, that’s where the danger lies. “You’re just trying not to lose points, to avoid mistakes — and that’s when those mistakes creep in.”
Peace and Calm
Button speaks from experience: in 2009, he had a strong start to the season with Brawn GP, but found it increasingly difficult as the year progressed. He won six of the first seven races, but then failed to secure another victory. “I’ll be honest, I made too many mistakes when I was fighting for my world championship at the end of the season; I put too much pressure on myself and didn’t handle it well.” The Brit eventually beat his teammate Rubens Barrichello and secured the title — thanks in part to the comfortable lead he had built up early in the season.
According to Button, that’s why good guidance is crucial at this stage. “Hopefully, Oscar has learned from the mistakes of others and from himself. He’s being mentored by Mark Webber, who has also gone through tough periods and is now helping him stay positive in this situation.”
