2006 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
BUDAPEST - RACE
BUTTON SECURES FIRST WIN FOR THE HONDA RACING F1
TEAM
The Honda Racing F1 Team today achieved its first grand prix
victory after Jenson Button took the chequered flag in P1
for the first time in his career and for the first win of
Honda's third generation of Formula One competition.
There were emotional scenes in the team's garage after Jenson
brought a superb drive in the Hungarian Grand Prix to the
conclusion that he has been striving for since his F1 career
began in 2000.
JENSON BUTTON
"Wow! What a day! This is such an amazing moment for
me and one that I have worked my whole motor racing career
for. I always had faith that we would achieve our objective
together and this victory is testimony to that belief. There
are so many people to thank right now - everybody in the team,
Honda Motor Company, our partners and, of course, all the
fans. I would also like to pay a very special tribute to my
family who helped me start out on the path to victory. To
win such a tough and challenging race from 14th place on the
grid is incredible for me and all the more important because
I know I won on merit today. No one can dispute that today
the Honda Racing F1 Team got everything right."
TAKEO FUKUI - President and CEO of Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd.
"We are absolutely delighted with this victory today.
We have been aiming for victory from the first race of this
year, and to have finally reached our goal at the 13th race
of the season makes us extremely happy. The drivers and all
the members of the team have worked very hard and done a truly
outstanding job. Today we share with all our fans the thrill
of victory. Tomorrow we will once again be hard at work to
achieve yet more Formula One World Championship wins. I would
like to express my gratitude to all our fans for their continuing
support. Thank you."
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I am truly happy for Jenson and the Honda Racing F1
Team today. It was a shame for me that we had the wrong tyres
at the start or we could have both been on the podium. A huge
effort from the team this weekend and we hope to carry that
forward for future wins."
NICK FRY - Chief Executive Officer
"There are hardly words to describe this moment. It is
an historic day for Honda and the most incredible occasion
for the whole team, its associates and fans all over the world.
Everyone has worked so hard for so long to savour the taste
of victory. Jenson has remained positive, as has the whole
team, and I am immensely proud of everyone today, especially
as the CEO of Honda Motor Company, Takeo Fukui, was here in
Hungary to receive the trophy on our behalf. Now that we have
reached this important milestone, we know we have what it
takes to go on and do it again and again."
GIL DE FERRAN - Sporting Director
"This will always be an unforgettable day for the whole
Honda team! This fantastic result is the culmination of several
years of hard work, dedication and relentless pursuit of perfection
by the many members of our team, and on this day everything
came right. For Jenson, winning a race was just a matter of
time and on a day like today where conditions were incredibly
difficult gave him the perfect setting to show the world a
talent and class that all of us in the team knew he had all
along. Jenson drove the perfect race from start to finish;
he was fast and flawless throughout. Needless to say this
race was very hard to manage from a strategic standpoint,
right from the start when we struggled with what tyres to
start the race on. With Rubens we decided to start on extreme
wets and Jenson with wets which paid off early on for Rubens,
but we had to pit him only after a few laps. The key part
of the race came after Jenson caught up to the leader and
we decided to split the last stint since we doubted the wets
were going to be the right tyre for the conditions at the
end but they certainly were when he came in for the second
time on lap 46. In the end first and fourth is just reward
for the whole team, not to mention Jenson and Rubens who have
kept faith and focused through all the hard work. Turkey can't
come soon enough!"
RACE STATS
Drivers Car No. Chassis Race Result
Rubens Barrichello 11 RA106-01 P4 Fastest lap 01:24.678
Jenson Button 12 RA106-05 P1 Fastest lap 01:25.143
Weather Overcast with intermittent rain
Temperatures Air: 17-21°C Track: 19-29°C
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