Button lands grid penalty for his next race after Wehrlein clash

By Adam Cooper
Published

Jenson Button’s return to McLaren in Monaco ended in frustration after the Briton collided with Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein toward the end of the race.

The pair clashed at the right hander before the tunnel, with Wehrlein escaping injury after his car rolled onto its side against the tire barrier. Button was subsequently given two penalty points on his license – and a three-place grid penalty, should be race again this year.

Button’s race had been spoiled when he got stuck behind Wehrlein when both men pitted for new tires at the end of he first lap, with the German needing an unsafe release, which earned him a 5-second penalty, to get ahead. He was on the same tires when Button hit him on lap 58.

“His tires were completely gone, they were from lap one,” said Button. “I know because I did the same thing, but I stopped and put a new set on. I had a lot more traction off the previous corner, because when these tires go on the marbles, they have no grip. I went up the inside. I thought I was a long way up the inside, and then I looked across and saw that he hadn’t seen me, so I tried to back out, but it was too late.

“The problem is with these cars you do struggle to see, but in the moment you don’t think the guy is not going to see me when you go up the inside, Anyway, the most thing is he got out. To see an F1 car go on its side, I’m sorry to see that.

“It was really slow speed, but that’s not the worry. Obviously you have tire barriers, and when the car tips out, so you never know. He got out of the car, I saw him a minute ago. He wasn’t too happy and a bit shaken up I think, but he’s fine. I gave it a go, and I thought it was a fair enough judgment.”

Summing up his weekend, Button said: “Today was a bit annoying, but as a racing driver it’s difficult to drive around at the back and not have a go. I had a go and it didn’t work out. I’m sorry for the team for even more damage this weekend. Obviously after Stoff’s crash in qualifying, and my accident now.  But yesterday was awesome, I loved yesterday. I have a lot of good memories.”