Tough in the fast lane

IMAGINE the tough life that Jenson Button must lead.

When your job description entails driving an incredibly sophisticated, blindingly-fast car around race tracks right across the world, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

All that driving. Plus, there is the deafening sound of champagne corks popping on luxury yachts moored in party capitals like St Tropez and the constant attention of supermodels to deal with. It may sound great, but they bring pressures of their own.

I sympathise with poor old Jenson. Those of us who work at the Chronicle have to deal with similar difficulties.

So it was great to see the Brit overcome such adversity to become Formula One world champion.

The likeable 29-year-old drove a very brave and intelligent race in Brazil to pick up his crown with a race to spare, sparking wild celebrations among his Brawn GP team.

Button had been criticised in the build-up to the race, with some questioning his ability to produce top form when it really matters in what was perceived as a weak drivers’ championship.

But considering he was out of a job when Honda pulled out of the sport in December, the turnaround since those dark days has been amazing. Over 16 races, nobody has been better and Button deserves all the acclaim — and attention — he can get his hands on.


DAVID Haye says he is looking forward to his WBA heavyweight title fight against Nikolay Valuev, which takes place in Nuremberg, Germany, on November 7.

Standing at over seven feet and clocking in at 23 stone, Valuev — who looks like something an unsuspecting crew might find on an abandoned spaceship in a Hollywood sci-fi horror film — is said to be a cultured and articulate man who writes verse for his wife.

Pugilism and poetry have come together before. Oscar Wilde famously boxed while studying at Trinity College, Dublin. But I doubt Wilde could manage three kilos of meat in a week. Valuev claims to scoff that amount — just under the average weight of a new-born baby — every day. Rather Haye than me.