Oct.15 (GMM) Jenson Button's push to prominence at McLaren has been a deliberate attempt to build the famous team around him.

Many commentators viewed the 2009 world champion's arrival last year to be the highly rated Lewis Hamilton's new teammate as akin to walking into "the lion's den".

But less than two seasons later, Button is poised to beat the beleaguered Hamilton in the drivers' standings and has signed a new multiple year contract.

The 31-year-old has also driven for Williams, Renault and Honda/Brawn, but it is his tenure at McLaren that is arguably attracting the highest plaudits.

Asked what the secret is, Button revealed: "It's a lesson I learned many years ago.

"If you look back at F1 there are certain drivers that would always try and build a team around them and it helped them," he is quoted by The Sun.

"Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost did that, but I suppose Michael Schumacher was the first one of our generation to really do that.

"It was not something I thought about myself when I was younger. But it's one thing I remember about David Richards when he was team principal at BAR.

"He said 'Jenson, you have very good speed, but other drivers out there do a much better job of surrounding themselves with the right people and really working at it with the team'. That definitely did stick with me," he explained.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version