Jenson Button has clarified his comments about young drivers in formula one.
Heading into the Austrian grand prix weekend, a Brazilian outlet quoted the F1 veteran as saying young drivers in the sport today make the category seem like ’Formula Desperate’.
"They are very erratic. It’s like they are driving in ’Formula Desperate’ — they look like they’re always so desperate," he reportedly told UOL Esporte.
Arriving at the Red Bull Ring, however, the 36-year-old slammed the report and the journalist and denied the ’Formula Desperate’ quote.
"Some journalists do not deserve to be journalists", Button said on Twitter.
The Portuguese-language journalist, however, confronted Button at the Red Bull Ring with the audio recording of the original quote.
UOL Esporte then quoted the McLaren-Honda driver as clarifying: "Young drivers today do not spend enough time in the minor categories and end up taking certain behaviours to formula one.
"A lot of pressure is put on them to get it right from the first year," he added.
However, Button - who signed his first F1 contract as a 19-year-old in 2000 - added: "But when you get the opportunity as a 17-year-old to go into formula one, of course you would say yes. I would as well.
"I would say I am even an example of a driver who was not ready when he arrived in F1," he concluded.