Saturday, August 14, 2004
Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News CoverageButton sees more Ferrari domination in Hungary
Sat 14 August, 2004 17:39
By Gary Emmerson
BUDAPEST, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello will race off into the distance in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button predicted on Saturday.
Briton Button was once again unable to bring a halt to Ferrari's dominance in qualifying and he immediately conceded the race to the world champion.
"Ferrari look too strong to do anything about," said Button, who will be behind the scarlet cars after qualifying fourth on the grid with his BAR team mate Takuma Sato third.
"I think the Ferraris are going to pull away at the start and destroy the whole field. There's no chance really," he added.
Button scored the best result of his career in the German Grand Prix three weeks ago, finished second having started from 13th on the grid, but Schumacher was again out of reach.
The German six-times world champion is targeting a record 12th win of the season at the Hungaroring, with a victory likely to be enough to hand Ferrari a sixth consecutive constructors' championship.
Schumacher was more than half-a-second quicker than third-placed Sato in qualifying at a circuit where he suffered the indignity of being lapped by Fernando Alonso last year as he finished a lowly eighth.
This year, Button sees nothing but a Ferrari one-two in Sunday's race.
"I think during the race they are going to be as quick as they always are," he said. "If you look at their consistency they are half a second, minimum, quicker than us, maybe even a second.
"I didn't think they'd be anywhere near as quick as they are. Wherever they go they are the quickest. It's disappointing we weren't able to be closer to them here."
Button, mired in a contractual dispute with BAR over his potential move to Williams in 2005, and Sato will face a battle for a place on the podium with Alonso immediately behind them on the grid.
"If I can make a good start from fifth position then I think I can have an interesting race," the Renault driver said.
Spaniard Alonso became the youngest ever Grand Prix winner with his success in Budapest 12 months ago
Sat 14 August, 2004 17:39
By Gary Emmerson
BUDAPEST, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello will race off into the distance in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button predicted on Saturday.
Briton Button was once again unable to bring a halt to Ferrari's dominance in qualifying and he immediately conceded the race to the world champion.
"Ferrari look too strong to do anything about," said Button, who will be behind the scarlet cars after qualifying fourth on the grid with his BAR team mate Takuma Sato third.
"I think the Ferraris are going to pull away at the start and destroy the whole field. There's no chance really," he added.
Button scored the best result of his career in the German Grand Prix three weeks ago, finished second having started from 13th on the grid, but Schumacher was again out of reach.
The German six-times world champion is targeting a record 12th win of the season at the Hungaroring, with a victory likely to be enough to hand Ferrari a sixth consecutive constructors' championship.
Schumacher was more than half-a-second quicker than third-placed Sato in qualifying at a circuit where he suffered the indignity of being lapped by Fernando Alonso last year as he finished a lowly eighth.
This year, Button sees nothing but a Ferrari one-two in Sunday's race.
"I think during the race they are going to be as quick as they always are," he said. "If you look at their consistency they are half a second, minimum, quicker than us, maybe even a second.
"I didn't think they'd be anywhere near as quick as they are. Wherever they go they are the quickest. It's disappointing we weren't able to be closer to them here."
Button, mired in a contractual dispute with BAR over his potential move to Williams in 2005, and Sato will face a battle for a place on the podium with Alonso immediately behind them on the grid.
"If I can make a good start from fifth position then I think I can have an interesting race," the Renault driver said.
Spaniard Alonso became the youngest ever Grand Prix winner with his success in Budapest 12 months ago
