The Hindu : No fear after crash, says Button

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 02, 2003

Sport

Sport - Racing : Motor

No fear after crash, says Button

MONACO June 1. Jenson Button can remember little about the crash that forced him to miss today's Monaco Grand Prix but the Briton has no fear about stepping back into a Formula One car.

``I've never really had a big accident in F-1 but it doesn't scare me at all, which is great,'' the BAR driver said, standing in the bustle of the shaded pit lane before the race as mechanics worked around him.

``You never know if it will but it didn't scare me at all in this one. I'm looking forward to getting back in the car but I also don't want to be silly about it,'' he added.

``I want to go through all the training regime first and make sure everything's good. I don't want to get back into the car and hurt myself. We have to make sure everything's okay before I do that.''

Button was knocked unconscious in a crash on Saturday that was frighteningly reminiscent of one suffered in 1994 by Austrian Karl Wendlinger, who ended up in a coma for days. The Briton roared out of the tunnel at around 290kmph before hitting the barrier, slewing across the track and slamming into the tyre wall sideways in free practice. He was tended to in the car for 10 minutes before being taken to hospital, where he remained overnight.

``I remember the car going a bit sideways to start with and then I remember being totally out of control and hitting the inside barriers,'' he said. ``It didn't feel like it was hard and then I can remember seeing the wall coming towards me. After that I was a little bit lost.

``After I hit the wall I was unconscious, I don't know for how long. I sort of came round and they (the rescue team) had already cut (through the seat) up to my arm, I might have been awake but I can't really remember.

``I was speaking to (FIA medical head) Sid Watkins and he was saying that I was talking but I wasn't making any sense,'' said Button. ``I said what's different? I mean, that's me all over.

``I didn't have a clue where I was. I was just looking down and my legs were hurting.''

Button, third in Thursday's first qualifying, said he was disappointed not to start the seventh round of the championship but he would have other chances.

``It is disappointing but then again if I'm not well for the race I don't want to race because I could be a danger to myself and everyone else,'' he said.

``I had concussion yesterday and they kept me in overnight because of that.

``I'd love to race here and everything's gone so well here this weekend, apart from the accident.

``It just gets better and better every race, but I'm 23 and this is just one race in my career. There's a lot more better races to come.''

Button is due to test with BAR at Monza in Italy next week but he was unsure whether that would be possible, intending to stay in Monaco for a couple of days instead to work out in the gym of the Hermitage hotel.

``I'm not sure if I'll be testing next week. I'll definitely be in Canada (the next race), 100 percent,'' he said. — Reuters

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