Button celebrates 200th GP with a win
Jenson Button has won the second Grand Prix for McLaren in 8 days, making it a fantastic week before heading into the summer break. Button kept his head cool and drove a great race in tricky conditions. Lewis Hamilton chose the wrong tyre when rain fell and lost the possibility to win himself.
Jenson Button, MP4-26A-04:
Started: 3rd
Finished: 1st
Fastest lap: 1m23.937s (+0.522s, 6th)
Pitstops: Three: laps 11, 27 and 43 (Int-Op-Op-Pri)
“I want to say a big, big thank you to the team today. The car worked a treat in all conditions, and we made all the right strategy calls. We deserved this win and it felt great to stand alongside my race engineer Dave [Robson] on the occasion of his first appearance on the podium.
“The race was a brilliantly eventful one. I had a good battle with Lewis when we were running one-two. We were both driving on the limit and the gap ebbed and flowed, depending on the traffic. It was good fun and I was sorry that we weren’t standing up there on the podium together at the end of it all.
“This was the perfect way to celebrate my 200th Grand Prix, and the team can enter the summer break with a spring in its step. We know we have a good car, so let’s enjoy our holidays and come back even stronger at Spa-Francorchamps. I’m excited about that race already.”
Lewis Hamilton, MP4-26A-03:
Started: 2nd
Finished: 4th
Fastest lap: 1m23.661s (2nd)
Pitstops: Five: laps 12, 26, 40, 52 and 54 (Int-Op-Op-Op-Int-Pri) plus one drive-through
“Big congratulations to Jenson. He pushed me hard and he deserved to win the race. I felt sorry for the team that we didn’t get a one-two, but at least one of us got the victory.
“The car felt very good to drive today. I think the cooler conditions helped us, but the team has done a fantastic job to get us where we are. We’ve now won two races in the space of a week, which is a great way to enter the summer break.
“I’m disappointed in myself for spinning. I had to do a doughnut to get myself facing the right way and that forced Paul [di Resta] onto the grass, which is why I got the drive-through penalty. I’ve apologised to Paul and I’ll put the penalty behind me and move on to the next race.”
Martin Whitmarsh, Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes:
“What a way for Jenson to celebrate his 200th Grand Prix! Just brilliant! Fantastic!
“Those were very, very difficult conditions this afternoon, and it was easy to get it wrong, but Jenson drove a great race. His measured yet combative drive was a testament to how naturally smooth and smart he is on the racetrack, and he really deserved this win.
“Lewis was in the pits six times this afternoon and he got his drive-through penalty for putting Paul on the grass. He’ll be disappointed because he’d like to have been standing on the top step of the podium alongside Lewis, but he accepted his penalty well. He kept his cool and overtook another couple of cars as a result. His resulting fourth place gave him – and us – 12 valuable world championship points.
“This was McLaren’s 10th win in Hungary – a record – and it comes on the back of Lewis’s win in Germany last weekend. We’ve won three of the past five Grands Prix, and have scored 119 world championship points over the same period.
“The team can now take a well-deserved break before attacking the second half of the season.”
