BUDAPEST, Hungary — Jenson Button is confident Brawn GP can recover its winning form at the Hungarian Grand Prix after rival Red Bull’s recent performances cut into his once imposing lead in the Formula One standings.
Button picked up his first career F1 victory at the Hungaroring three years ago, but had to wait until this season to stand atop the podium again, having a career breakthrough by winning six of the first seven races.
But the 29-year-old Briton missed the podium in the last two races. Red Bull finished 1-2 at Silverstone and the Nuerburgring with teammates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber each getting a victory and a second to trim Button’s advantage after nine races.
The Brawn driver leads Vettel by 21 points and Webber by 22.5 with eight races remaining and a maximum 80 points still up for grabs.
“It’s not a race where I’m going in worried too much,” Button told the Associated Press after the German GP. “I’m going there thinking we do have a really good chance of winning. The Red Bulls are quick, they’ve made improvements, but I don’t think it’s as big as it looks at the moment.”
Brawn GP will have a new floor and aerodynamic upgrades at the calendar’s slowest track, where most teams will bring some kind of update since downforce is needed to deal with the slow speed corners.
Brawn GP is downplaying its recent struggles as a minor glitch in a season-long battle.
“It’s obviously made life more difficult, but you can’t win them all and you’re going to have difficulties in the season,” Button said. “Our car is still strong. It’s a circuit I enjoy very much and I think our car will like the circuit. And with the new aero updates, it should be good.”
Teammate Rubens Barrichello will also be looking to turn the page on Germany, where he raged at his team after a strategy decision cost him sixth. The 37-year-old Brazilian, who won here in 2002, dropped from second to fourth in the overall standings — 24 points off Button.
Red Bull management is staying cautious over its title chances.
“There’s a long way to go to catch up with Jenson Button,” team principal Christian Horner said. “There are no obvious weaknesses in our armory, but as a group we must continue to push ourselves in all areas all the time. Our drivers are both at the top of their game.”
Webber, who picked up his first career win after 132 races at Germany, was less diplomatic with Red Bull narrowing to within 19.5 points of Brawn GP in the constructors’ series.
“They are both still up for grabs, there is no question about it,” Webber said. “We probably never envisaged the season that we’re having. Let’s see how we go in the hot races and maybe it’s a bit more difficult for us.”
Following cool conditions at preceding tracks, Brawn GP will be looking forward to summer heat of Budapest, where track temperatures could reach 122 degrees. That could give Brawn GP a boost since it had problems warming the tires in the autumn-like cool at Germany.
Jaime Alguersuari is set to become the youngest driver to start an F1 race after Toro Rosso tabbed the 19-year-old Spaniard to replace Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, who was fired after a season and a half with Red Bull’s sister team.
Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr. will also be looking for a good result with his future under scrutiny.
Teammate Fernando Alonso, who picked up his first win here in 2003, believes the French team can challenge for the podium after a strong showing in Germany.
“I should have the same upgrades as Fernando in Hungary and I think I can be more competitive,” said Piquet Jr., who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Saturday.
McLaren and Ferrari will also be hoping to carry over their improved performances before switching their resources over to developing 2010 cars.
Defending F1 champion Lewis Hamilton won from the pole in 2007, while teammate Heikki Kovalainen took last year’s race when Felipe Massa’s Ferrari broke down with only three laps to race.
Practice begins on Friday before qualifying on Saturday for Sunday’s 70-lap race.
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