The 2009 Formula 1 world champion is running three Cup races this season in Rick Ware Racing’s #15 Ford with assistance from Stewart-Haas Racing, with his next Cup outing coming on 2 July in NASCAR’s first street race. He will also contest the 13 August round on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Button had an eventful debut in March at Circuit of the Americas, finishing 18th having been on track for a better performance before the race ended in a flurry of wreck-induced cautions. He also suffered from a bout of heat exhaustion in the event.
Earlier this month, Button raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours in a modified Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 run by Hendrick Motorsports, as an invitational entry under Garage 56 rules.
Reflecting on his COTA experience, Button admitted that he thought “for half the race” that he didn't want to return before changing his mind and relishing the wheel-to-wheel action.
“I definitely enjoyed that, and it’s something you do miss in single-seaters, especially in Formula 1 because the amount of downforce you have, there isn’t so much wheel-to-wheel action,” he said.
“I feel I had more wheel-to-wheel action in the first lap of the race at COTA than I do in a whole grand prix.
“So, loads of emotions – positive and negative – at COTA. Does it make me want to do it more? Yeah.”
Button believes the narrower confines of the 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course will lesson some of the wild manoeuvres that blighted the COTA race.
“I do think that the racing will be a little bit calmer at Chicago, and if not in the first start, people will start packing up a little bit and being a bit more respectful of the circuit,” he said.
Source: Autosport