• 2010 Season

Button rubbishes Ecclestone's shortcut idea

ESPNF1 Staff
January 17, 2010 « Paul di Resta closing in on Force India test contract | »
Bernie Ecclestone wants to see shortcuts introduced to make races more exciting © Sutton Images
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Jenson Button is against Bernie Ecclestone's idea to introduce shortcuts at grand prix to spice up the racing.

Ecclestone wants to see cut-throughs at circuits that drivers could use five times per race to gain track position. "You wouldn't get stuck behind a slower car," he explained last week. "It would be great for TV. I've tried to push the teams on this because I don't think the efforts to increase overtaking are working, but they haven't gone for it."

Speaking at the Autosport International Show, Button said that the idea would be unworkable on safety grounds.

"I suppose if you are the only person who knows about [the shortcut] then it is a great idea," he said. "We struggle seeing anyway out of the sides of the cars, because the cockpit is built up high for safety reasons. So if there is a car coming at an angle, it can be very dangerous. It's probably not one of his better ideas. Bernie has a lot of very, very good ideas, and that is not one of the best ideas that Bernie has come up with."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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