Jenson Button ready to prove doubters wrong

Button today ploughed his way through the snow and ice to pay his first official visit to the McLaren Technology Centre since joining the Woking-based team at the start of the year.

Taking the first steps to defending the world title he won last year, Button had a seat fitting and spent time in the simulator.

Button now has just over two months to the start of the new season to acquaint himself with a new team and to prepare himself for the challenge of going up against a new team-mate in Lewis Hamilton.

There are many, including doyens of the sport such as Sir Jackie Stewart, who have derided Button's decision to join McLaren, in particular for going head to head with a driver who is ingrained into the team.

This week former Ferrari star Eddie Irvine claimed Button "will be murdered" by 2008 world champion Hamilton, who is effectively de facto number one at McLaren, even if the team categorically state otherwise.

Yet far from being irritated or annoyed by the jibes when a wheel has yet to turn in anger, Button is cool and calm, believing such comments actually work in his favour.

"It makes my life a lot easier because I'm in a much more relaxed position than people telling me I'm going to destroy my team-mate," said Button.

"I can just focus on doing the best job I can and getting the best out of myself and the best out of the team.

"In a way, I don't think it's a negative. Maybe it's a positive. It helps you relax and focus on doing the important stuff.

"For me, it's to concentrate on improving the car and improving myself, and I'm not one for answering back, there's no point.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I might not agree with it, but everyone is entitled to it.

"The important thing is I'm confident in my ability, so I don't feel I need to prove anything to anyone.

"I am here initially for myself and also for McLaren. People's comments don't change anything.
"The only way anything will be changed is on the circuit this season."

Button insists despite winning the title just over two months ago, his motivation to retain it is extraordinarily high, primarily due to breaking away from Brawn GP where he has spent the last seven years in its various guises.

Into his seat at the team that has since been taken over by Mercedes has stepped seven-times champion Schumacher after a three-year hiatus.

Encouraged by the man who helped him to those titles, and who was the guiding light behind Button's success, Schumacher joins forces again with team principal Ross Brawn.

Yet at the age of 41 there are those who doubt Schumacher will be the same driver as he was in his early 30s when he swept all aside during his time at Ferrari.

Button, however, is fully expecting Schumacher to be on the pace from the word go when the curtain raises on the first race in Bahrain in mid-March.

"First of all I think his return is amazing for the sport," assessed Button, who turns 30 in 11 days' time.

"Having four world champions racing (Fernando Alonso included), and one of them who has achieved more than anyone else in the sport, is great.

"It's an unusual decision by Michael, but he's obviously got his reasons, having three years out of the sport and coming back in.

"I think it's really good, and you have to say fair play to Ross for getting him on board.

"I don't think there are many team principals or owners that would be able to get Michael in their car.

"So it's great having him back on the grid, and I look forward to the challenge this year with him.
"I'm sure it's going to take a couple of tests for him to get back in the groove, but he'll be there for the first race, I know that for certain."