Jenson Button looked forward to the Formula One season with a lump in his throat and a spring in his step on Monday after an emotional first day of testing with his new Brawn GP team.
The Briton, whose Grand Prix career appeared to have come crashing to a halt last December when Honda announced they were pulling out and selling his team, told reporters that he felt like he was starting over again.
The Brawn team made its debut on a Formula One testing track on Monday with Button setting the fourth quickest time at the Circuit de Catalunya.
It was team’s first full test since Ross Brawn announced last week that he had bought out the former Honda team, clearing the way for a full lineup of 20 cars at the Australian Grand Prix later this month.
Button showed that the new BGP 001 car will be competitive, clocking a best time of 1 minute, 21.140 seconds after 82 laps. BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld was fastest in 1:20.338, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Toyota’s Jarno Trulli also besting the Brown car.
“It’s a very different situation now than what it was a year ago, but that doesn’t mean anything to me because I want to race,” he added. “What would I do sat at home? There’s nothing out there for me at the moment. I’m 29 years old, still a kid in my eyes, and I’ve still a lot to prove in Formula One.”
Button, whose sole win came with Honda in Hungary in 2006, scored just three points last year in a dismal season for the Japanese manufacturer.
The new ownership allowed Button to dream of far more rewarding times ahead.
“I wouldn’t say that in the last few years it all went a little bit stale but when something happens like that it’s like ‘wow!’ and it does become a fresh start,” he said of the rescue deal.
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