Jenson Button has revealed the mental health cost of racing in Formula 1, a factor often glossed over in its high-pressure world.
F1 is aptly known as the piranha club, an environment where instant performance is expected, and failure to get up to speed can prove career ending.
The pinnacle of Motorsport, drivers are at the top of this tree, their every move watched, scrutinised and critiqued by teams and millions watching globally.
Button, a full-time driver from 2000 to 2016, won the drivers’ title in 2009 for Brawn GP, in what many dub to be a fairytale in modern sport.
Other seasons however, were more tough, particularly during the latter Honda years where he spent trundling around at the back.
The Briton revealed that Ross Brawn proved a critical influence for him, but held the belief that onus remains on drivers to fix performance problems.
“I think his calm attitude was great on tough days,” he said on the Beyond the Grid podcast.
“I don’t really think that anyone can make you a better racing driver. It’s down to yourself to sort out your demons.
“I think people can listen, and I think that’s what you need to do as a leader.”
“Listen to your driver’s problems, but don’t be too opinionated.”
Jenson Button details tightrope of mental stability in F1
Button also detailed how he grappled with losing more races to teammates or rivals, winning 15 Grand Prix in 315 starts, a win ratio of 4.9%.
“And it comes down to you lose more than you win.
“I spoke to Roger Federer last year about sport and the mental side of it, and he said, ‘Yeah, you’ve got to think I’m the most successful tennis player ever. And I lost 75% of my matches, and that’s a great record.’
“In F1, I raced 300 grands prix, and I won 15. So, I lost 285 races.
“Lewis Hamilton, extraordinary what he’s achieved, but he’s still lost a lot more than he’s won. And that is mentally why it’s tough in any sport because you lose more than you win.”
Button’s revelations highlight a part of F1 that is beginning to become more understood in the mainstream. However, drivers today face additional struggles, such as the impact of social media.
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