Button chasing easy life in Germany

Jenson Button admits that he needs to qualify better in Germany than he has in the recent F1 races.

Jenson Button has acknowledged that he needs to sort out his qualifying woes if he is to remain in the thick of the Formula One world title battle as the season heads to the Hockenheim this weekend.

Although the German Grand Prix venue hasn't always been kind to the McLaren driver, his form this season and suggests that he should be a frontrunner - as long as he can avoid the sort of the setback that he suffered on home soil, where he failed to make the cut for the Q3. Although he came through the field to turn 14th on the grid into fourth at the flag, Button admits that he cannot expect that to be happen at every race, and has vowed to get on top of the problem this weekend.

“After two disappointments in qualifying at Valencia and Silverstone, my aim for this weekend must be to make life easier for myself on the Saturday afternoon, so that I can maximise my performance on the Sunday without needing to play catch-up during the race," he said, after watching team-mate Lewis Hamilton extend his advantage at the head of the championship standings with twelve points at Silverstone.

Button's cause was not helped by McLaren's decision to ditch its 'blown diffuser' after Friday practice, and the Briton is hoping for better results from the system this time around as McLaren continues to battle with Red Bull.

A veteran of both the unique old Hockenheim layout and the more technical and modern variation, Button is looking forward to getting back on the track and taking the fight to Hamilton, as well as to Red Bull duo Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

“I enjoyed racing at the Hockenheim," the Briton claimed, "I miss the long, flat-out, straights that made up the circuit at the start of my F1 career - that was pretty unique - but the current track is better for the spectators and has shown itself to be a very good place for both racing and overtaking.

“My most memorable experience must be back in 2004, when I qualified 13th and raced through the field to finish in second – not too dissimilar to my race at Silverstone last week!"