Jenson Button heads for Monaco hills as McLaren get ready to rumble

Jenson Button may not be capable of repeating his 2009 victory in Monaco when Formula One returns to the streets and its most evocative venue on Sunday, but even though he is 31 years old there will not be a fitter driver in the field of 24. On Tuesday, Button will be taking a bike ride. Except that this will be no ordinary bike ride. It will be a four-hour endurance test on the half ironman course just outside Monaco. "There are three tough climbs," he said. "It will be a fun event. I'm trying to get a few of the guys out, like Alexander Wurz [the former Williams driver] and Mark [Webber] is thinking about it." Monaco represents a sentimental journey for Button, who lived here before he moved to Guernsey. "It'll be nice going back. I do like Monaco. It's a fun place to be but I never really felt at home. I wanted a house and a garden and never had that there. Monaco is your back garden." Button won the race in his championship-winning season two years ago but he has less-happy memories of last year's grand prix, when he had to retire after only two laps, his engine failing because a radiator cover had been left on. "I sat on a boat and watched the race. Hopefully I'll spend more time in the race this year. It [the cover] was a mistake and we won't do that again. The car was pretty good last year and we know how to set up a car around Monaco." McLaren also won at Monaco in 2007 (Fernando Alonso) and 2008 (Lewis Hamilton), and Button feels the circuit represents a chance for the team to end Red Bull's hegemony. "Last year the Red Bulls were quick there and they are going to be quick again. With two experienced drivers around the circuit they are going to be tough to beat, but we will do what we can. "There won't be any overtaking in Monaco, even with DRS [drag reduction systems], unless you are on completely different strategies or different tyres. Strategies will be interesting. I doubt if it will be a one-stop race. "We have a chance to out-drive them and out-think them. Monaco is going to be a proper thinking race … looking after tyres … a tricky one. Thursday and Saturday will be so important, gaining information and learning how they work. Sunday is going to be a long afternoon on the super-soft tyre." Button believes his team can take some impetus from Barcelona, where they finished second and third. "Looking forward, Sebastian [Vettel] does have a big lead and he won in Barcelona, but he had a McLaren on his arse and I finished ahead of the other Red Bull, the guy who started in pole. It's not all bad. With a few more improvements like we had in Spain I can see us fighting them for a win. "In reality, I don't think we are going to be able to fight them in qualifying for a little while but Monaco might be an exception because it's a very unique circuit." And if Button does win again he will celebrate by sprinting down the pit straight, just as he did in 2009 after he parked in the wrong place following the race. "Definitely, 100%. I'll take my helmet off next time, though. I'd probably get told off because they know I'd be doing it on purpose. That's the way to celebrate winning in Monaco. If you win Monaco you've got to enjoy that because it's such a special race, such a difficult one to win. "I parked in the wrong place, which was embarrassing, but as I was running down the straight I was thinking, 'This isn't embarrassing. I've just won the race. They are all here to see me.' It was a really special feeling. "Even when you are leading here it's so easy to make a mistake and put it in the wall, as [Ayrton] Senna found out a long time ago when he had a massive lead. Monaco is up there with your home grand prix – but I haven't won that one yet."