By FIA
March 4 2005

Q: Jenson, this time last year we saw what we thought last year was a slightly different Jenson Button, you’d taken steps forward. Have you done the same thing again? Jenson Button: I don’t really know. I’ve just been doing the best possible job I’ve been able to do in testing. I think everything’s run reasonably smoothly as far as winter testing goes, so yeah, I’m happy to be back in Melbourne and looking forward to the first race.

Q: Are there particular areas that you have been concentrating on in preparation for this season?

JB: No, it’s the normal areas really. It’s the same every year. I think with experience you might learn a little more what you have to do, but no, it’s pretty similar to last year. Obviously we had a good year last year and so we’re just building on that at the moment. As I said, it’s been a pretty good winter testing, a few little issues but I think we’ve shown how strong we are as a team and got through them and we’re looking pretty good for the first race.

Q: Obviously there’s been a lot of talk about tyre management, how vital is that going to be this season. What are your own feelings about that?

JB: It’s something we worked on a lot over the winter. I’ve been doing a lot of long runs to see what the tyres are doing and yeah, it’s going to be a very different race for everyone. It’s not going to be three or four sprints. It’s going to be an endurance race, really.

Q: Do you feel your style of driving is good for that?

JB: Hopefully. We will have to wait and see, but it should work well.

Q: Have you gone through the drivers and said ‘well, he’s not going to be very good on tyres etc.’ Have you done that?

JB: It’s very difficult to say. It’s difficult to know what people’s tyres are like after a race. We don’t get that much information so we’ve just got to wait and see.

Questions from the floor:

Q (Chris Lowne - Motorsport News) A question for all the drivers -- apart from the cars, the biggest change this year is qualifying. Are you comfortable with the complexities of the split session and, frankly, is this what F1 should be about. It was not that long ago that you guys came up to a crescendo late on a Saturday afternoon and fought out pole position, but this aggregating it -- are you comfortable with it as drivers?

JB: It is going to be quite interesting as everyone says because on Saturday we are going to be running with low fuel on new tyres and then on Sunday morning coming straight from that to running fuel and old tyres and it will be interesting. From the fans point of view, we don’t know so it will be interesting to see what the reactions are.

Q (Dan Knutson - National Speedsport News) Jenson, last year you guys were basically second best. Looking at the three teams in front of you, plus Renault, who do you think will be your biggest competition this year?

JB: Looking at testing, the McLarens and the Renaults look very quick. But what can you tell from testing? It is very difficult and we are not going to know after qualifying on Saturday I think to see who has got the one lap pace and then after the race to see who has got good consistency. We have to wait and see, don’t want to say too much.

Q: What drives you to be so much fitter?

JB: I think you feel better in yourself if you are fitter, helps you mentally as well. But I don’t know where the limit is.