“Going to Be Mayhem Out There” – Returning F1 Champion Reveals Nature Could Lead to Chicago’s Doom

Worrying opinions regarding the Chicago Street Course are abundant throughout the NASCAR world. Fearful of the street circuit’s unforgiving layout, NASCAR has been slammed for its street circuit path by drivers and crew chiefs alike. With little to no runoff areas, narrow corners, and bumpy manhole-ridden surfaces, the Chicago Street Course is anxiety-inducing to even veteran NASCAR drivers. 

Joining in on the concerns relating to the Chicago Street Course, returning F1 champion, Jenson Button has made a scary speculation.

Jenson Button concerned about track conditions in Chicago 

Former F1 world champion and Jimmie Johnson’s teammate at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, Jenson Button competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. Driving the #15 Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, Button will be joining the Grant Park 220 for his second Cup Series race of the 2023 season. Appearing for a pre-race chat with media personnel in Chicago, the 2009 F1 world champion shared his thoughts on racing at the street course.

Having raced at street courses in Monaco and Singapore earlier, this will be Button’s first street circuit race in a stock car. Although excited about the upcoming race, Button was concerned as the weather forecast for the weekend speculated rain and thunderstorms. During the course of the pre-race presser in Chicago, Jenson Button was asked if the track would change differently under wet conditions and will adjustments be the same if there is rain.

Replying to the question, Button said, “Everything gets more difficult when it rains – on any track, but especially a street course. One: Because, I don’t know the last time it rained here, and the oils from a road car which will be on the track. You won’t really have an issue with it in the dry, but as soon as it rains, it becomes slick.”

Further adding to the already growing concerns, Button felt rain could spell doom for drivers at the street circuit. “Racing in the wet… it’ll be nuts. It’ll be pretty crazy. Totally up for it. Most of the guys wouldn’t have driven on street courses, and most of the guys wouldn’t have raced in the wet. So, it’s going to be mayhem out there – but in a good and positive way. A little bit nuts… Like a sprinkling of nuts, whereas in the wet, it’s going to be a shower of nuts”, said Jenson Button.

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As Jenson Button’s concerns come to light, there seems to be a lot in common the former F1 champ shares with Kyle Busch regarding the Chicago circuit’s slippery conditions.

“Rough, bumpy, slippery”: Kyle Busch speaks on the Chicago Street Course

Earlier, NASCAR veteran Kyle Busch had voiced his concerns regarding the challenging track surface. Busch had earlier experienced the Chicago racetrack on NASCAR’s iRacing platform. Displeased with the track conditions, the Richard Childress Racing driver dissected the flaws of the Chicago Street Course.

“It’s really rough. It’s bumpy. It’s slippery…around the Bean on the left-hander, that’s really, really slippery and there’s a huge bump going through (turn) nine before you get into (turn) 10. The wall in (turn) eight before you go around the left-hander is, to me, really narrow over there”, said Busch.

Be it concerning or controversial, NASCAR’s foray into its maiden street course will surely be a historic spectacle.

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