Suzuka, Japan Jenson Button indicated the spot, almost cheerfully. "Just when you get to the 130R," he said, referring to the famously quick left-hand corner at the Suzuka circuit, named after its radius, "behind there is the karting track. Best in the world. That's where I had my biggest shunt ever."
And he recounted the story, again with such geniality it was hard to believe the scars that remained have only recently healed.Ƞ
"It was 1996 and I was racing in Formula A," Button said. "I was following James Courtney quite closely, his engine seized, he spun round and I hit him, then I got hit, the car flipped and the fuel tank went into my knackers. A lot of pain. I was crawling away grabbing clumps of grass to try to pull myself clear of the circuit. It was a bit emotional." He stopped, distracted. "I love this place. Every circuit is the greatest here — the kart circuit, the F1 circuit..."
Yes, but Jenson, stay on point; 1996, you were crawling away through the grass, your danglers in bits, what happened next?
"Oh, nothing special. Plenty of painkillers, hospital, and I do remember I woke up to spaghetti with tomato sauce and lettuce for breakfast, which was a bit strange. Came back the next day and finished third. The kart was a bit of a mess, and pain-wise it was the worst I have known, more so than the F1 crash in Monaco, although not as much G-force," he recalled.
"So a bit sore and I had a scar on the inside of my thigh that stayed for about 10 years. It's gone now. Actually, thinking about it, I won the next day and got a trophy because it was a one-off World Cup event, but then they took it away because they said I jumped the start. Jumped the start! I went off 34th. I said, Oh, come on, not third. How about second, at least give me one position, please? But they wouldn't. There you go."
Rain factor
It is fair to say something else has got Button by the undercrackers this weekend in Japan, and it is the Red Bull cars piloted by Sebastian Vettel and, particularly, Mark Webber.
Heavy rain is likely to play havoc with the Japanese Grand Prix over the next two days, but as expected, the Red Bulls were super fast in Friday's practice session on a dry surface.
Button positively bristled when it was suggested that, 25 points behind Webber and fifth in the standings, he was merely hanging in there in the bid to retain his title.Ƞ
"That's the rudest thing you've ever said to me," Button shot back. "Get out. Hanging on? It could be 10 points, mate, if I podium and he doesn't, with three races to go. Maybe less.
"I was leading by about 14 points at this stage last year and every race I'd be asked, have you blown it now? Every race, the story was, Jenson throws it away. You can't win.
"Yes, if Mark is consistent he will be difficult to beat. The problem he has is that, including Felipe Massa's Ferrari, there are six guys who are competitive, so if you don't have a good race it could be a case of coming sixth, not second, and that concedes 15 points to the winner. There are a lot of talented drivers in F1 and when you feel under pressure you make mistakes," he said.
"I'm not going to pretend I'm better off than Mark, but I've experienced it from his side and it gets very tense," he said.
"Myself, Lewis, Fernando [Alonso], we have all won a championship, so maybe we're under less stress. I know I feel a lot more relaxed this year. I remember how I felt about now, being the leader. Every driver hopes to be in a car competitive enough to fight for the world championship and then you get there, and you're never 100 per cent sure the opportunity will come again," he added.
Sense of drama
"You become so aware of needing to take that chance with both hands that just thinking about your situation becomes stressful. Mark is very strong mentally, but this is different. It is a new position for him, so we'll see how he copes."
Last year at Silverstone, Button even claimed he did not care about winning, and Webber echoed that by maintaining he was not the favourite, despite having 11 points on Alonso in second place.
Suzuka, he insisted, was just another car race. But the real sense of drama about this circuit is mirrored in today's event and the air that what happens next will be important.Ƞ
"The weather is going to be a bit strange," Webber admitted, "but I'd rather have a car that is quick in the dry than one that only works if it rains. I won't change my intentions. I'm still looking to go very, very fast. Just finishing is not enough, but I do have a bit more scope than the others. The best way I can put it is that I'll leave no change on the table. I'm leading with four races to go. That means nothing. The time to be leading is when the last race has finished," he said.
Alonso said that the unique nature of this championship — there are five drivers who can still win it, and six who have a decent chance of winning individual races — is messing with heads.
The Suzuka factor should not be discounted, either. It is not just the weather that might give an outsider a punter's chance in Japan, but the fact the circuit presents a challenge unique in modern motor sport.
"You don't talk about one corner at Suzuka," he explained. "People say turn two is important, but so are turn, three, four, five, six and seven, because get it wrong in one of them and your flow goes."
