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Jenson Button and his NSX (UK Article)
- Thread starter Honda F1 Racing
- Start date
Nice read. Thanks! 
Good find. Wonder how he got the front wheel of the ground? :S
-Rob
-Rob
Sweet.
Very nice, great article, all the way until it says Jenson's NSX type R !!
It's NOT !! (His or a type R)
It's NOT !! (His or a type R)
Is that a B.A.R. code on the hood??????
Cool mod! :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:
Fly Jenson Fly.....still a bridesmaid.
Cool mod! :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:
Fly Jenson Fly.....still a bridesmaid.
the discription saying that the blue one is a typeR, but I don't see the red badge and recaro seats, nor the white rims...
The description is wrong. Some of us have seen the car in person. I thought his Dad smashed the yellow one.
Good find, thanks. It was a great read. :smile:
I've always wondered what JB's "R" looked like because as far as I know, he's only had a yellow and a blue NSX. When he visited Honda a few years back and test drove the NSX-R, he liked it so much that Honda pulled some strings to have one NSX-R imported specially into the UK for him (this was before it was legalized for sale there). I've yet to see a proper picture of his NSX-R. Even at Goodwood, the press wrote that JB's NSX-R was on display, but it was that same yellow one his dad beats up on all the time. Maybe the UK people know more about it?
Maybe the UK people know more about it?
There was a pull out special section in Autosport last year that contained a JB interview and questions from fans around the world. A person from the USA asked if Honda had approached JB yet on the next generation NSX and JB said something to the effect of, "No, unfortunately not, but if and when they do, I'll be more than happy to assist with the development. The NSX is a great sports car even after all these years, but could use some updates to become even better!"
Even if Honda does ask for his input in the next-gen NSX, "tuned by Button," doesn't have the same ring as "tuned by Senna" did for the original NSX :smile:
I agree, Honda needs to start winning. We might not even see a new NSX if they don't get some Constructor's Championships under their belt soon!
Even if Honda does ask for his input in the next-gen NSX, "tuned by Button," doesn't have the same ring as "tuned by Senna" did for the original NSX :smile:
I agree, Honda needs to start winning. We might not even see a new NSX if they don't get some Constructor's Championships under their belt soon!
Honda F1 Racing said:
That question was from me!!! COOL! Does anyone have a copy of this article? I unfortunately did not get a copy.
Here was my email to the author. Two out of the three questions I asked were NSX related.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Ask Jenson
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 19:20:58 -0700
From: [ Conrad Siao ] <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Hi, this is Conrad Siao.
Questions for Jenson:
1.) In Barcelona, do you feel like you had a realistic chance of winning
the race if you qualified on the front row?
2.) How do you feel the Honda NSX-R compares to other supercars out today?
3.) Is Honda using you to develop their NSX replacement supercar?
Thanks for your time.
--Conrad
:biggrin: Wow, that's pretty cool!!! It's even cooler that they picked a Prime member's questions. I have that copy of Autosport with the pull out section somewhere. Once I find it, I'll try to scan it up and email you a copy. It might take awhile though, my wife and I are in the middle of moving into our new house and everything is boxed up.
POWERED by HONDA said:That question was from me!!! COOL! Does anyone have a copy of this article? I unfortunately did not get a copy.
Here was my email to the author. Two out of the three questions I asked were NSX related.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Ask Jenson
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 19:20:58 -0700
From: [ Conrad Siao ] <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Hi, this is Conrad Siao.
Questions for Jenson:
1.) In Barcelona, do you feel like you had a realistic chance of winning
the race if you qualified on the front row?
2.) How do you feel the Honda NSX-R compares to other supercars out today?
3.) Is Honda using you to develop their NSX replacement supercar?
Thanks for your time.
--Conrad
Honda F1 Racing said:
j14nsx said:
Honda F1 Racing said:
Yeah, doesn't have the same ring to it with Button instead of Senna. Well, from reading BARF1 Website, it felt like director Nick Fry brough Ruben Barrichello in to see if he can win the first race for them, even though Jenson is their long term hope.... Doesn't matter who win the first race, just need to heppen soon.
Honda F1 Racing said:
From what I read, the NSX R is so stripped that the door side impact beam is removed, also both air bags were optional on the car, so if they export the car, all that stuff have to be added. When they brought over the Type S version as the Zanardi edition, the weight saving was about 50lbs, not 150 like the JDM model. If you watch the Best Motoring videos, the JDM NSX S/R often does 1/4 mile in mid 12's, which is half a second faster than the US model.
Honda F1 Racing said:
It's OK, I'm not having a go at you or anything. However no-one has ever seen or heard about Button having an NSXR. I did see a TV interview when he began at Honda. He was asked what kind of car he has, and it was a Ferrari, he added that he has to sell it, becuase Honda won't let him have a Ferrari, and then he gets given an NSX. If Button wanted his own I'm sure he would of got one by himself.
How much you can read magazine articles as fact, and how much is just hype and corporate wheeling and dealing. Of course Button has to say the NSXR is great etc, it was all done at a time when Honda were considering bringing it to the UK. F1 drivers are sometimes little more than corporate bitches that have to play the game.
Done research into importing an R, asked both Japanese importers, Honda UK and Litchfield who currently import the Integra R. The NSXR would fail emissions and by all their accounts, very difficult to import. Honda must of indeed pulled a few strings. They certainly didn't want to go to the effort for us but strangely enough WOULD import the special £250k NSXR which my dad got a phone call for from a London dealership. Obviously it would be more worth their while...
-Rob
-Rob
I found the Autosport article.
It's located here:
http://www.autosport-atlas.com/article.asp?id=38409
The NSX is mentioned twice. =)
I'm going to copy and paste just in case that website goes away.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jenson answers your questions This is not our interview - it's your interview. In a sport where the superstars are separated from their fans by huge wire fences, it is not very often that the public has a chance to get up close and personal with a grand prix driver. So, when Autosport and our website autosport.com put out a request for some questions for Jenson Button in the build-up to the British Grand Prix, you all nearly jammed up our server. We compiled the best and got our JB to speak…
You must be having the time of your life right now. Exactly how does it feel to be an F1 driver - is it just about the racing, or are you hooked on the whole life? Chris Green, UK
JB: I'm having a fantastic time in Formula 1 at the moment. It's been a terrific season so far; having so many podiums in the first half of the year is just what I dreamed of last year. I'm very happy but I'm also working very, very hard. It hasn't just happened - we have worked for it. I've done a lot of training and spent a lot of time with the engineers and with the guys back in the factory as well. I'm a little bit tired as well, though; I can't wait to have a little break.
What fitness training do you do?
Tarik Mokbel, Malaysia
JB: I do a lot of cardiovascular work when we get the chance, plus upper-body work, shoulders and neck - you get a lot of pounding up there during a race. The g-forces can reach up to 5g in some corners and 5.5g under braking.
In your motorsport career, who has been the best team-mate and why? Christopher Tong, UK
JB: Best team-mate? That's a tough one because they've all been very different. But they have all been very competitive - as most F1 drivers are. The two Italians were very quick - Jarno Trulli was very quick in qualifying and Giancarlo Fisichella was very quick in the races. Jacques Villeneuve was also good in the race and good technically, while Takuma Sato has done a great job. Those things make it very difficult to single out one person because I have always had very good team-mates.
Some say you are not aggressive enough as a driver both in defending your position and also when trying to overtake. What would your response be to those people?
Linda Blythe, UK
JB: I think you could have said that in the past, although it's always very difficult to defend your position against someone who is in a better car. I think this year I've been able to overtake very well, better than most. Some of that comes from the car, definitely, but some of it comes from confidence.
Which statement do you have most affinity with: ‘F1 must be the technical pinnacle of motorsport even if it means the racing can be processional'; or ‘the racing spectacle is all important even if it means F1 cars have to be dumbed down'? Is there some way you can have both? If so, what changes do you think are needed?
Paul Aston, UK
JB: You have got to have both. To have both would be the perfect scenario and that is something the FIA is working towards, so in a couple of years we might have that. The racing for me is still very exciting. I know I'm biased, but it's also exciting for spectators - we have seen some great racing this year, which has been fantastic to watch.
Ayrton Senna handled the mental, psychological and personal challenges of his experience and success in F1 by his interest in spirituality, and that became a source of fascination for his fans. Do you have any interest in spirituality, and is it something you draw strength from?
John Glese, USA
JB: No. I think each to their own, definitely. Whatever helps you, really, and gives you confidence in what you do. I'm not interested in that in the slightest.
Jenson, I watched you racing at Brands Hatch three times during your Formula Ford season and there was a definite sense of momentum building up in your racing career. At what point did you first feel that you could definitely make it all the way to F1?
Tony Stark, UK
JB: When you're racing in karts and cars you know your natural ability is there and you have got a lot of confidence in yourself, but to jump into an F1 car is always very difficult. So you are never 100 percent certain - it's not because you're not quick enough or you don't want it enough. It's not just down to you, it's the people outside who are capable of seeing you in action.
Do you have any heroes in other sports?
Chris Constantine, UK
JB: I have a hero in cycling and a hero in rowing. Lance Armstrong; it is not just what he's been through - battling cancer - but also because he's a fantastic athlete and a terrific cyclist. The amount of work he puts into his job is unbelievable. The other one is James Cracknell in rowing who is a friend of mine. I know the amount of training he does and it is non-stop. We have a busy schedule, but nothing like cycling or rowing. It must be very difficult.
Given your music-industry contacts through your girlfriend Louise, do you think you will ever record and release a single?
Ross Clement, London
JB: I am a fantastic singer! Especially when I've been drinking! No, not really. I was trying singing the other week actually with some friends in the back of a car. We had the radio on full blast and there were some classic songs on. We managed one song and then we couldn't sing any more because we'd hurt our throats too much. Technically I don't think I am any good.
Describe how your driving style and technique have developed and improved since entering Formula 1 - what are you doing differently now that makes you faster?
Gary Phillips, Australia
JB: A lot of it is before you get in the car. A lot of the technical working and understanding the mechanical side of the car is very important. And there is also feeling the car - feeling what it's doing and how you can improve it. Driving, I have always tried to be as smooth as I can - that is very important. But then people think you like understeer because smooth means you don't like a twitchy rear, but I think you just have to have a very good balance on the car. The way that F1 cars are these days, it's good to have a little bit of oversteer so there is definitely a balance there of being smooth and having a twitchy car - and I think I've found that. I am confident in the machinery I'm driving.
Is Honda using you to develop its NSX replacement supercar?
Conrad Siao, USA
JB: They are not, but I wish they would. I think I could really lend a hand there and it would be pretty exciting for me. It's just having the time to do it.
What are your favourite places to go on the grand prix calendar?
Matthew Wane, Australia
JB: Montreal is always a great one; a very nice setting and a fantastic city. Melbourne is a great way to start the season because the city is beautiful and has top restaurants. In terms of circuits it would have to be Silverstone. I love the place and the fans also.
Can you tell us where you were when you heard Sir Frank Williams wanted you to drive for him in 2000?
Maarten Overdijk, the Netherlands
JB: I was in a press-conference room above the garages of Barcelona circuit.
Could you quote some words you and Jacques Villeneuve used while you were discussing your first ‘issues' at BAR?
Zoltan Karpathy, UK
JB: I can't remember - and no that isn't what I said!
If you were to pick a track that suits your driving skills best, which would it be and why?
JB: The circuits I enjoy most are flowing circuits with high-speed corners, such as Silverstone with Becketts, or Suzuka or Spa-Francorchamps. They are the circuits I really get a rush from, an adrenaline rush, but I don't think there is a circuit that particularly suits my style. Your style should suit every circuit really.
If Formula 1 was a one-make championship, who do you think would get the most pole positions and who do you think would win the most races?
Gary Somers, USA
JB: You couldn't possibly name anyone because it's very difficult to judge how good someone's equipment is at the moment, or what they would be doing in a one-make series. Michael Schumacher is winning everything at the moment, but he is in the best car. I know he's a fantastic driver, but you can only do so much.
Do you feel there should be a bigger gap in the scoring system between first and second places to encourage people to try harder?
Mike Aston, UK
JB: No, because I haven't won yet! Yeah, I think there should be. The problem is now that if you are in second and you are behind the leader and you know you have to do a do-or-die move to overtake, then - although you would love to win - if you wanted the championship you probably wouldn't try. Eight points is only two points less than a win, so finishing second in five races is better than winning three and crashing out of two, so it's not worth it.
How does it feel to be a lead driver for the first time in your F1 career?
Erik de Bourbon, USA
JB: I am only a lead driver in the way I have got more experience, but we both have a lot of input into the team and we give a lot of feedback. Not just Takuma Sato and myself, but also [test driver] Anthony Davidson. That is the great thing; we are all very experienced now in F1, we can really feel the car and it's important to have all three cars involved.
Jarno Trulli won his first race at Monaco. Considering you outraced him at Renault in 2002, did that disappoint you?
Charlie Pellow, UK
JB: No, because he drove a great race. He had driven very well all weekend, he had qualified on pole position and he won, but there were lots of incidents in the race that perhaps should not have happened and if some of them hadn't then maybe we would have had more of a chance of winning.
Who would you prefer as a team-mate: a really brilliant driver with an unfriendly manner or just someone with average skill and a really nice personality?
Felicia Wijaya, UK
JB: I just want a driver who is competitive; it doesn't matter about their personality.
Jonny Wilkinson has a distinct strategy - you can see that he goes through the same routine every time he kicks for goal, and that is clearly a crucial part of his success. Do you have a similar means of repeating success over and over again?
Andy Chapman, UK
JB: I always try to stick to the same schedule before races and qualifying. I will have a rest and then a physio will wake me up, give me a massage, warm up all my muscles and then I'll do a bit of boxing to warm my reactions up as well. I go through that, but I don't sit there looking like I'm about to go to the toilet. I haven't tried that one and I don't think it will work for me - although it obviously works for Jonny.
If you weren't a race driver, what would you wish your career to be?
Remil Pono, Phillipines
JB: I've never thought about it really - but it would have to be something really crazy because I get bored very quickly.
Are you a car nut, and what do you normally drive on the road?
Andrew Duff, UK
JB: I am a car nut; I love cars. Not just F1 cars, I love road cars as well - and not just to drive them quickly - I like the look of some road cars too. What do I drive on the road? I drive an NSX, supplied by Honda, which is a lot of fun. It's a proper little racing car really - it was great in its day and it still is now.
You've always had a reputation for being stylish in Formula 1. Do you have a personal hair stylist? Also, do you visit a particular salon to get your haircut or does Louise do it for you at home?
Giles Panton, UK
JB: Hair stylist? Have you seen my hair? I used to have longer hair, which I liked, but I cut it because somebody told me to! I want my hair to grow back because I miss having long hair. But I don't have a stylist, no. I try to style it myself but it never seems to work out very well.
Would you take me on in a TKM kart race?
Ian Walmsley, UK
JB: Probably not in a TKM kart race, no, but if I had the opportunity I would take anyone on in a kart, as long as I'd had enough practice. I haven't driven a kart since I won the European championship, and that was about seven years ago.
Do you remember my mum's cooked breakfasts in my old camper van? And do you still cut around the yolk when you're eating a fried egg?
Niki Richardson, UK
JB: Oh my god - that is scary. Yeah, I do remember. I can't remember actually eating the eggs, which shows how good my memory is, but I still love egg sandwiches. They are the way to go, especially with brown sauce. That was back in about 1993; my father used to do his engines and we used to hang around together when we were in the UK. But when I went racing in Europe I didn't see him much. We used to go down and have a fantastic breakfast - great eggs!
I get the feeling that many drivers would choose to jump ship to the best possible drive out there and don't care the least bit about what a manufacturer has done or their spirit of competition. What does it mean for you personally to drive for Honda?
Alex Liu, China
JB: There is a lot of history, obviously, with Honda, but the best bit for me is not the history, but how hard and how much they want to win the championship - and how much they listen as well. That is very important for the drivers because we try to help the engineers with the engine, and it has shown over the last few months when I ask something about the engine and I get some good feedback straight away.
I adore F1, but have always wanted to know whether the drivers ever regard the sport as just being their job or whether they still get caught up in the hysteria the F1 circus creates at circuits and in living rooms around the world.
Patrick Spiller, UK
JB: I love it. It is weird because I don't think of it as F1, I just love racing and trying to win. And racing against the best drivers in the world has always been my dream. I love what I do, but it is still a hobby and I suspect I will get bored before I can't drive quickly anymore. But that time is a long way off.
Does Louise sing in the shower and do you take your earplugs home?
James McLachlan, UK
JB: I definitely don't take earplugs home - she is an amazing singer. She left me a message the other day and she was singing to me. That was the best feeling - when your missus sings to you down the phone and it sounds good!
It's located here:
http://www.autosport-atlas.com/article.asp?id=38409
The NSX is mentioned twice. =)
I'm going to copy and paste just in case that website goes away.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jenson answers your questions This is not our interview - it's your interview. In a sport where the superstars are separated from their fans by huge wire fences, it is not very often that the public has a chance to get up close and personal with a grand prix driver. So, when Autosport and our website autosport.com put out a request for some questions for Jenson Button in the build-up to the British Grand Prix, you all nearly jammed up our server. We compiled the best and got our JB to speak…
You must be having the time of your life right now. Exactly how does it feel to be an F1 driver - is it just about the racing, or are you hooked on the whole life? Chris Green, UK
JB: I'm having a fantastic time in Formula 1 at the moment. It's been a terrific season so far; having so many podiums in the first half of the year is just what I dreamed of last year. I'm very happy but I'm also working very, very hard. It hasn't just happened - we have worked for it. I've done a lot of training and spent a lot of time with the engineers and with the guys back in the factory as well. I'm a little bit tired as well, though; I can't wait to have a little break.
What fitness training do you do?
Tarik Mokbel, Malaysia
JB: I do a lot of cardiovascular work when we get the chance, plus upper-body work, shoulders and neck - you get a lot of pounding up there during a race. The g-forces can reach up to 5g in some corners and 5.5g under braking.
In your motorsport career, who has been the best team-mate and why? Christopher Tong, UK
JB: Best team-mate? That's a tough one because they've all been very different. But they have all been very competitive - as most F1 drivers are. The two Italians were very quick - Jarno Trulli was very quick in qualifying and Giancarlo Fisichella was very quick in the races. Jacques Villeneuve was also good in the race and good technically, while Takuma Sato has done a great job. Those things make it very difficult to single out one person because I have always had very good team-mates.
Some say you are not aggressive enough as a driver both in defending your position and also when trying to overtake. What would your response be to those people?
Linda Blythe, UK
JB: I think you could have said that in the past, although it's always very difficult to defend your position against someone who is in a better car. I think this year I've been able to overtake very well, better than most. Some of that comes from the car, definitely, but some of it comes from confidence.
Which statement do you have most affinity with: ‘F1 must be the technical pinnacle of motorsport even if it means the racing can be processional'; or ‘the racing spectacle is all important even if it means F1 cars have to be dumbed down'? Is there some way you can have both? If so, what changes do you think are needed?
Paul Aston, UK
JB: You have got to have both. To have both would be the perfect scenario and that is something the FIA is working towards, so in a couple of years we might have that. The racing for me is still very exciting. I know I'm biased, but it's also exciting for spectators - we have seen some great racing this year, which has been fantastic to watch.
Ayrton Senna handled the mental, psychological and personal challenges of his experience and success in F1 by his interest in spirituality, and that became a source of fascination for his fans. Do you have any interest in spirituality, and is it something you draw strength from?
John Glese, USA
JB: No. I think each to their own, definitely. Whatever helps you, really, and gives you confidence in what you do. I'm not interested in that in the slightest.
Jenson, I watched you racing at Brands Hatch three times during your Formula Ford season and there was a definite sense of momentum building up in your racing career. At what point did you first feel that you could definitely make it all the way to F1?
Tony Stark, UK
JB: When you're racing in karts and cars you know your natural ability is there and you have got a lot of confidence in yourself, but to jump into an F1 car is always very difficult. So you are never 100 percent certain - it's not because you're not quick enough or you don't want it enough. It's not just down to you, it's the people outside who are capable of seeing you in action.
Do you have any heroes in other sports?
Chris Constantine, UK
JB: I have a hero in cycling and a hero in rowing. Lance Armstrong; it is not just what he's been through - battling cancer - but also because he's a fantastic athlete and a terrific cyclist. The amount of work he puts into his job is unbelievable. The other one is James Cracknell in rowing who is a friend of mine. I know the amount of training he does and it is non-stop. We have a busy schedule, but nothing like cycling or rowing. It must be very difficult.
Given your music-industry contacts through your girlfriend Louise, do you think you will ever record and release a single?
Ross Clement, London
JB: I am a fantastic singer! Especially when I've been drinking! No, not really. I was trying singing the other week actually with some friends in the back of a car. We had the radio on full blast and there were some classic songs on. We managed one song and then we couldn't sing any more because we'd hurt our throats too much. Technically I don't think I am any good.
Describe how your driving style and technique have developed and improved since entering Formula 1 - what are you doing differently now that makes you faster?
Gary Phillips, Australia
JB: A lot of it is before you get in the car. A lot of the technical working and understanding the mechanical side of the car is very important. And there is also feeling the car - feeling what it's doing and how you can improve it. Driving, I have always tried to be as smooth as I can - that is very important. But then people think you like understeer because smooth means you don't like a twitchy rear, but I think you just have to have a very good balance on the car. The way that F1 cars are these days, it's good to have a little bit of oversteer so there is definitely a balance there of being smooth and having a twitchy car - and I think I've found that. I am confident in the machinery I'm driving.
Is Honda using you to develop its NSX replacement supercar?
Conrad Siao, USA
JB: They are not, but I wish they would. I think I could really lend a hand there and it would be pretty exciting for me. It's just having the time to do it.
What are your favourite places to go on the grand prix calendar?
Matthew Wane, Australia
JB: Montreal is always a great one; a very nice setting and a fantastic city. Melbourne is a great way to start the season because the city is beautiful and has top restaurants. In terms of circuits it would have to be Silverstone. I love the place and the fans also.
Can you tell us where you were when you heard Sir Frank Williams wanted you to drive for him in 2000?
Maarten Overdijk, the Netherlands
JB: I was in a press-conference room above the garages of Barcelona circuit.
Could you quote some words you and Jacques Villeneuve used while you were discussing your first ‘issues' at BAR?
Zoltan Karpathy, UK
JB: I can't remember - and no that isn't what I said!
If you were to pick a track that suits your driving skills best, which would it be and why?
JB: The circuits I enjoy most are flowing circuits with high-speed corners, such as Silverstone with Becketts, or Suzuka or Spa-Francorchamps. They are the circuits I really get a rush from, an adrenaline rush, but I don't think there is a circuit that particularly suits my style. Your style should suit every circuit really.
If Formula 1 was a one-make championship, who do you think would get the most pole positions and who do you think would win the most races?
Gary Somers, USA
JB: You couldn't possibly name anyone because it's very difficult to judge how good someone's equipment is at the moment, or what they would be doing in a one-make series. Michael Schumacher is winning everything at the moment, but he is in the best car. I know he's a fantastic driver, but you can only do so much.
Do you feel there should be a bigger gap in the scoring system between first and second places to encourage people to try harder?
Mike Aston, UK
JB: No, because I haven't won yet! Yeah, I think there should be. The problem is now that if you are in second and you are behind the leader and you know you have to do a do-or-die move to overtake, then - although you would love to win - if you wanted the championship you probably wouldn't try. Eight points is only two points less than a win, so finishing second in five races is better than winning three and crashing out of two, so it's not worth it.
How does it feel to be a lead driver for the first time in your F1 career?
Erik de Bourbon, USA
JB: I am only a lead driver in the way I have got more experience, but we both have a lot of input into the team and we give a lot of feedback. Not just Takuma Sato and myself, but also [test driver] Anthony Davidson. That is the great thing; we are all very experienced now in F1, we can really feel the car and it's important to have all three cars involved.
Jarno Trulli won his first race at Monaco. Considering you outraced him at Renault in 2002, did that disappoint you?
Charlie Pellow, UK
JB: No, because he drove a great race. He had driven very well all weekend, he had qualified on pole position and he won, but there were lots of incidents in the race that perhaps should not have happened and if some of them hadn't then maybe we would have had more of a chance of winning.
Who would you prefer as a team-mate: a really brilliant driver with an unfriendly manner or just someone with average skill and a really nice personality?
Felicia Wijaya, UK
JB: I just want a driver who is competitive; it doesn't matter about their personality.
Jonny Wilkinson has a distinct strategy - you can see that he goes through the same routine every time he kicks for goal, and that is clearly a crucial part of his success. Do you have a similar means of repeating success over and over again?
Andy Chapman, UK
JB: I always try to stick to the same schedule before races and qualifying. I will have a rest and then a physio will wake me up, give me a massage, warm up all my muscles and then I'll do a bit of boxing to warm my reactions up as well. I go through that, but I don't sit there looking like I'm about to go to the toilet. I haven't tried that one and I don't think it will work for me - although it obviously works for Jonny.
If you weren't a race driver, what would you wish your career to be?
Remil Pono, Phillipines
JB: I've never thought about it really - but it would have to be something really crazy because I get bored very quickly.
Are you a car nut, and what do you normally drive on the road?
Andrew Duff, UK
JB: I am a car nut; I love cars. Not just F1 cars, I love road cars as well - and not just to drive them quickly - I like the look of some road cars too. What do I drive on the road? I drive an NSX, supplied by Honda, which is a lot of fun. It's a proper little racing car really - it was great in its day and it still is now.
You've always had a reputation for being stylish in Formula 1. Do you have a personal hair stylist? Also, do you visit a particular salon to get your haircut or does Louise do it for you at home?
Giles Panton, UK
JB: Hair stylist? Have you seen my hair? I used to have longer hair, which I liked, but I cut it because somebody told me to! I want my hair to grow back because I miss having long hair. But I don't have a stylist, no. I try to style it myself but it never seems to work out very well.
Would you take me on in a TKM kart race?
Ian Walmsley, UK
JB: Probably not in a TKM kart race, no, but if I had the opportunity I would take anyone on in a kart, as long as I'd had enough practice. I haven't driven a kart since I won the European championship, and that was about seven years ago.
Do you remember my mum's cooked breakfasts in my old camper van? And do you still cut around the yolk when you're eating a fried egg?
Niki Richardson, UK
JB: Oh my god - that is scary. Yeah, I do remember. I can't remember actually eating the eggs, which shows how good my memory is, but I still love egg sandwiches. They are the way to go, especially with brown sauce. That was back in about 1993; my father used to do his engines and we used to hang around together when we were in the UK. But when I went racing in Europe I didn't see him much. We used to go down and have a fantastic breakfast - great eggs!
I get the feeling that many drivers would choose to jump ship to the best possible drive out there and don't care the least bit about what a manufacturer has done or their spirit of competition. What does it mean for you personally to drive for Honda?
Alex Liu, China
JB: There is a lot of history, obviously, with Honda, but the best bit for me is not the history, but how hard and how much they want to win the championship - and how much they listen as well. That is very important for the drivers because we try to help the engineers with the engine, and it has shown over the last few months when I ask something about the engine and I get some good feedback straight away.
I adore F1, but have always wanted to know whether the drivers ever regard the sport as just being their job or whether they still get caught up in the hysteria the F1 circus creates at circuits and in living rooms around the world.
Patrick Spiller, UK
JB: I love it. It is weird because I don't think of it as F1, I just love racing and trying to win. And racing against the best drivers in the world has always been my dream. I love what I do, but it is still a hobby and I suspect I will get bored before I can't drive quickly anymore. But that time is a long way off.
Does Louise sing in the shower and do you take your earplugs home?
James McLachlan, UK
JB: I definitely don't take earplugs home - she is an amazing singer. She left me a message the other day and she was singing to me. That was the best feeling - when your missus sings to you down the phone and it sounds good!
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