Breaking news
Formula 1
Button: "Diverse" Yamamoto worthy of F1 race seat
Jenson Button feels Naoki Yamamoto is talented enough to race in Formula 1 after winning the Super GT championship with him in 2018.
Rachit Thukral
Published: Dec 2, 2018, 9:15 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Kunimitsu Honda teammates clinched the 2018 GT500 title at Motegi last month, defeating TOM’S Lexus pair Nick Cassidy and Ryo Hirakawa in a tense showdown.
Yamamoto also won this year’s Super Formula title, becoming the first driver in 14 years to be crowned champion in Japan’s two premier series in a single calendar year.
Button, having worked closely with Yamamoto through the year, believes the 30-year-old’s ability to be quick in both single-seaters and GT cars means he is ready to handle the pressure of F1.
“I personally feel this guy should be in F1,” the 2009 F1 champion said. “Whether he wants to or not, that’s my opinion.
“Seeing what he’s achieved in Super Formula, which I think has been a very good proving ground for Formula, if you look at [Pierre] Gasly and also Stoffel [Vandoorne] and many other drivers. But also his diversity in his driving.
"So [he's] champion in Super Formula, champion in Super GT. The wealth of experience from different types of racing all of this helps when you find yourself under pressure at the top.”
Champion Naoki Yamamoto, Mugen
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
Yamamoto’s twin successes in Super Formula and Super GT has allowed him to reach the 40-point threshold required for a superlicense.
Although there have been no public discussions about handing Yamamoto a race seat, Honda is known to be weighing up an F1 practice outing for the 30-year-old.
Button backed Yamamoto for such a run, saying “this opportunity doesn’t come often for many people”.
“The early advice [to Yamamoto] is if you get the opportunity to have a go in a Formula 1 car, you have to take it,” he said. “You really do.
“Even if you don’t think you are going to get a race seat or [you are] happy with the way you are racing, you should always give it a go because this opportunity doesn’t come very often for many people.
“Especially now it’s getting more and more difficult. If you get the opportunity to drive those beasts, you have to do it. It’s something worth trying.”
Yamamoto says he was initially reluctant about an F1 run, citing his age and lack of experience of racing in Europe, but has since changed his mind.
He was invited by Honda to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he got a close view of the action from the Toro Rosso garage.
"Even if I get the opportunity to drive, there are things like age [that act as hurdles]”, Yamamoto said.
"It was my original idea that I thought that I should not drive [even if there was a chance], that I should not raise my hand."
"I talked with Honda, I talked with my family and I consulted senior drivers [within Honda]. I could not come to a conclusion alone, so I asked various people [about it] and I reconfirmed my feelings.
"As a result, I think now that I do not want to let go of this opportunity."
Additional reporting by Tomohiro Yoshita
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ricciardo says goodbye with farewell Red Bull visit
Next article Motorsport stars set for 2018 Autosport Awards ceremony
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Rachit Thukral
Toyota answers critics who doubted it could win in WEC’s competitive Hypercar era
WEC
WEC
Barcelona
14 h
Toyota answers critics who doubted it could win in WEC’s competitive Hypercar era
Why Alex Marquez hasn't been able to replicate his 2025 MotoGP form
MotoGP
MotoGP 15 h
Why Alex Marquez hasn't been able to replicate his 2025 MotoGP form
More from
Jenson Button
The greatest F1 campaigns with no wins
Formula 1
The greatest F1 campaigns with no wins
Fernando Alonso earns Michael Schumacher comparison from Jenson Button
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Fernando Alonso earns Michael Schumacher comparison from Jenson Button
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Formula 1
Formula 1
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
More from
Team Kunimitsu
Yamamoto released from hospital two months on from Sugo crash
Super GT
Super GT
Yamamoto released from hospital two months on from Sugo crash
Makino to sit out Suzuka qualifying after Motegi crash
Super GT
Super GT
Suzuka II
Makino to sit out Suzuka qualifying after Motegi crash
Honda’s Yamamoto admits he was “lacklustre” at Fuji
Super GT
Super GT
Fuji
Honda’s Yamamoto admits he was “lacklustre” at Fuji
Latest news
Barcelona set to host IndyCar race in 2027 under multi-year deal
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 10 h
Barcelona set to host IndyCar race in 2027 under multi-year deal
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
12 h
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
Heart of Racing rules Valkyrie GTP step next year ‘too soon’ for IMSA standout Barrichello
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 12 h
Heart of Racing rules Valkyrie GTP step next year ‘too soon’ for IMSA standout Barrichello
Sergio Perez: Debut Cadillac season "without a doubt one of my best years"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
12 h
Sergio Perez: Debut Cadillac season "without a doubt one of my best years"
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe