Jenson Button’s second Grand Prix audio diary reveals how he won pole position in Malaysia despite a heavy cockpit control box slamming into his ankles every time he braked.
Like the Australia diary, it’s posted on YouTube but is an audio file not a video – so do not adjust your sets when nothing moves.
He tells how he was in a positive mood arriving from his previous victory in Australia: “Malaysia and Sepang is a circuit I’ve enjoyed driving in the past, so I couldn’t wait to get out there and see how we stood.”
After early set-up problems, the team gave him a car he was very happy with: “I got to qualifying, started qualifying, and realised I had more pace than I expected compared to the other competitors.
“The only problem was, I had one of the control boxes in the car come loose, and it’s a heavy lump – weighs half to one kilo – and the problem is you’re braking at five Gs and that thing was moving and hitting me in the ankles, in the Achilles heel when I hit the brakes.
“It was a big shock first time it happened, coming on to my last quali lap in Q3, so I was a bit cautious under braking on some corners but was able to clinch the pole still.”
He says he had been hoping for a dry race, but describes his poor start, his recovery, and coping with the rain before concluding: “So, you know, won the race, supposedly by 22 seconds, so very happy.
“Half points, which is a pity, but it’s the best we could have done in difficult circumstances and I’m chuffed to bits, chuffed for everyone. Two poles, two wins – it couldn’t have been a better start to the season.”