By Phil Huff
December 5 2008

Jenson Button knew nothing of Honda’s shock decision to pull the plug on their Formula One team, telling staff at the Honda Racing F1 Team's Brackley factory that he was just as surprised, but said that he and the team need to remain positive through the turmoil.

"I found out at the same time as everyone did in the team, so it's just as much of a shock to me as it is to everyone else," explained Jenson to a group of team members. "The first couple of hours was the most painful but then after that I thought 'what's the point of being down?', trying to look at every reason for it.

"It's not going to change so we've just got to try and be positive," he continued. "I spoke to Ross [Brawn] and spoke to Richard [Goddard, his manager] and a few other people, and there are positives, but the thing is we need to stay positive in ourselves and as one team, because if we're not then who's going to be interested in taking it over.

"It's the kind of thing that will make us stronger or it's going to break us! One or the other!"

Button joined the team in 2003, when it was BAR Honda, and has remained there ever since, despite a couple of well publicised contract wrangling. He had recently signed a new contract with the team, potentially taking him through to 2012. It remains to be seen if any new owner will be required to take over the contract.