2017.06.06

Former F1 champion Button makes first test-runs in the NSX-GT at Suzuka! "The GT500 machine is like a little F1"

On June 6th, under fair skies at Suzuka Circuit, the first day of SUPER GT tire manufacturer tests was held. Taking part in these tests as driver of the No. 16 MOTUL MUGEN NSX-GT testing its Yokohama tires was F1 driver Jenson Button, who announced the other day that he will be taking part in round six of the 2017 AUTOBACS SUPER GT, the 46th SUZUKA 1000km race.

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of press conference questions and answers

At the press conference held after the morning test session, Jenson Button, Honda’s Motor Sport Division General Manager, Masashi Yamamoto, and TEAM MUGEN’ director Nagataka Tezuka were asked to answer questions from the press.

 

 

Jenson Button

“I am honored to be back here at Suzuka again. I have many unforgettable memories from here, like my win in the 2011 Japanese GP. I am also glad to be able to drive the SUPER GT NSX-GT car again. I am grateful to Director Yamamoto and everyone at Honda for giving me this opportunity.
I have heard from my friend James Rossiter (No. 36 au TOM'S LC500), who I sometimes train with, about what a wonderful competition SUPER GT is, and for some time I have been following its races and watching movies of them. There are many passing scenes that you don’t see in F1 and the races are exciting from beginning to end. Also, I think it has the world’s fastest GT cars, carmaker and tire maker competition that make it a very challenging championship, so I am looking forward to competing in it.
There are also a good number of drivers I know in it besides Rossiter, like Heikki (Kovalainen, No. 1 DENSO KOBELCO SARD LC500), and Ronnie Quintarelli (No. 23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R) who I have known since our Kart days, so I am looking forward to competing in the Suzuka 1000km.
I didn’t get to drive very much in the morning session, but I got a very good impression of the NSX-GT. The GT500 machines have a lot of down-force and are very fast. It felt like a small F1 car. From here on, I want to quickly get a good grasp of the machine’s characteristics so I can contribute to the team. Actually, this is my first challenge ever to drive a racing car with a roof and the diver’s seat positioned to one side. It is also my first time driving on a team with two teammates driving the same car. But, it is a big help for me because I can get advice from both of them.
I hear that there are many loyal and devoted SUPER GT fans, and I hope there will be fans coming to cheer me on in the Suzuka 1000km. So, I am looking forward to meeting them. But, as long as I am going to be racing, I want to go for the win. In order to show my appreciation to the fans and the many people I am grateful to, I will do my best to prepare well and run the best race I can in the Suzuka 1000km.”

 

 

Masashi Yamamoto /
General Manager of Motor Sports Division, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

“When I had dinner with Mr. Button last year, he told me he was interested in the SUPER GT GT500 machines. So, I got him to drive our test car at the Honda Racing THANKS DAY last year. It turned out to indeed be more interesting than he had thought, so I thought it might be possible for him to drive in the Suzuka 1000km race. That was the start of it all. In other words, it was originally an idea that we got excited about while drinking (laughter).
Of course, another aspect is that I wanted a world-class driver like this former F1 champion, who is still very much active, like driving the other day at the Monaco GP, to get him in the GT car and working with the team to see what feedback he can give us. The other day, for example, while we were adjusting the seat for him, he already noticed some things that we used as new reference. Our other two drivers for the No. 16 car are also outstanding, but I think there will be things that they can learn [from Mr. Button] too, and there will be things that will make the team stronger as well. I believe that this is the first time that an F1 champion will be driving in SUPER GT, so I am grateful to Mr. Button for making this decision.”

 

Nagataka Tezuka / TEAM MUGEN Director

“I was really surprised when I learned that this plan [to have Mr. Button drive] had been decided. But, I and the team also felt some pressure knowing that we would have an F1 champion driving for us.
In this morning’s session, he only drove about ten laps, but he has already given us some positive gains. We find that his perspective concerning his impressions of the tires and the car are different than those of our two [regular] drivers, and it makes us realize anew what a world champion is. Based on this, I want to see us on the team to think about new approaches. We will be running again this afternoon and tomorrow, and I am looking forward to what Mr. Button can do.
How we will use him in the Suzuka 1000km qualifying and the race won’t be decided until we see the weather and other conditions. But, we will be looking for ways to use his skills that will be good for the team. However, even in today’s conditions (with few GT300 class cars) he said that it will be difficult passing the GT300 cars. So, I want to have him drive for us this afternoon and tomorrow so that he can learn as much as possible about driving in a SUPER GT race.”

 

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