Martin Whitmarsh: “I trust the drivers…”

Martin Whitmarsh says he’s confident that Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton can race each other safely after the pair exchanged places several times in the Hungarian GP.

Although they collided in Canada they have raced without problems on many other occasions over the past two seasons.

“It’s happened a few times this year and last year,” said Whitmarsh. “And it’s tough, but I trust the drivers. They’ve bumped and scraped each other a few times, and they trust each other. They’re going to race each other and clearly that’s how it is. They’re there to race each other, they get no instruction, I think it’s great television. It’s good for the team spirit to see two drivers racing in that way.”

Meanwhile Whitmarsh praised Button for his afternoon’s work: “A fantastic job by Jenson in those conditions. It was easy to make a mistake, easy to get it wrong, but I think he didn’t put a foot wrong and really deserved that win. He just drove, a great, great race. For a 200^th GP, to win it in those conditions, is great. He’s proven several times already that in these changeable conditions he can read it, he can feel it, he can get it right.”

He also lauded Hamilton for not being downbeat despite a busy afternoon that included a penalty and some decisions that didn’t work out.

“He stayed calm, came back, overtook two cars, came fourth, and got some valuable points. He’s conducted himself very well after the race. He’s been probed provocatively by various members of the media, who wanted some reaction about his penalty, but I think he stayed calm. He’s been mentally strong this weekend and just done a fantastic job.”