Formula One news

Massa: Button battling pressure for the title

2008 championship runner-up Felipe Massa believes that Jenson Button's main rival is pressure and not Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello with just five Grands Prix still to run this season. The Ferrari driver, who continues to recover from his Hungary accident, claims that the leading strain is beginning to affect the Englishman.

Pressure could lose Button the title, says Felipe Massa

Having won six of the opening seven races this year, Jenson Button and Brawn GP looked comfortable although, with over half of the season still remaining at that point, more recent races have proven that a turnaround from rivals was possible; although Ferrari and McLaren - winners in Hungary and Belgium - may be out of touch in the title race, Button can still lose crucial points to last year's contenders.

"Look at me - I came to Brazil (seven) points behind (Lewis Hamilton) and I almost won the championship," Ferrari's Massa recalled to The Guardian of last year's Interlagos finale. "That was one race. Rubens has five races to close in by 16 points - it's a big possibility but it depends on Jenson; if Jenson carries on in this bad way it will help Rubens a lot. In my opinion, Jenson has gone down because of the pressure, it's the only reason."

Retirement in Belgium was Button's first since the British Grand Prix of last year

Since his last win in Turkey, Frome's Button has notched up results of sixth, fifth, two seventh places and one retirement in the last five races. "At the start of the season everything was nice, everything was easy," Massa continued. "He was in a new team, winning six out of the first seven races - that's different to fighting hard for the championship.

"Now he has a different kind of pressure. In the earlier races he was almost half a second quicker than some teams; you win the race easily - and there is not so much pressure - but now we have races where things are more difficult. So, for me, the pressure has had a big impact on his mind and he needs to deal with it better. If he does not cope with the pressure he will not win the championship."

more news

• 28 Nov.
  • Lola ready to enter Formula 1
  • Raikkonen close to Citroen WRC deal
  • Tung looking for 'useful' test
• 27 Nov.
  • Montreal seals Formula One contract
  • GPUpdate TV: Domenicali - high hopes for 2010
  • Jerez test: The cast
  • Wurz plays down USF1 link
  • Renault to test Baguette, Tung and Di Grassi
  • Alonso makes second visit to Ferrari
  • Force India confirms Sutil and Liuzzi
  • All new teams now FOTA members
  • Sauber buys team back from BMW
  • De la Rosa pushing for race drive
  • Ecclestone: I won't buy Donington
  • Haug becomes part of F1 in Schools
  • Volkswagen to provide F1 engines?
• 26 Nov.
  • Alguersuari: 2010 contract is signed
  • Conway and Ericsson to test for Mercedes
  • 4 driver options left for Lotus
  • 'F1 in need of Schumacher return' - Verstappen
• 25 Nov.
  • 'Fantastic opportunity' - Di Resta on Force India test
  • Recap: N.Technology court bid fails
  • BMW testers excited about Jerez
  • Brawn disappointed with Button drives, ponders Lauda
  • Piquet to drive in Massa kart race
  • Brawn aero chief wins award
  • Gillett disappointed with government position
  • Mercedes hopes to confirm line-up by Christmas
• 24 Nov.
  • Briatore verdict expected in January
  • Donington still hopeful over F1 race
  • Montreal race confirmation imminent
  • Massa names drivers for karting event
  • Campos car passes FIA safety tests
  • Strong test could seal drive, says Mallya
  • Force India to test di Resta and Hildebrand
  • Courts to hear Briatore case
  • Silverstone GP deal forthcoming
• 23 Nov.
  • GPUpdate TV: Sam Michael - building on 2009
  • Theissen waiting on entry decision
  • Mercedes delighted with Rosberg confirmation

Homepage