Exclusive – Jordan backs Button for Silverstone success

Eddie Jordan has backed Jenson Button to celebrate his 200th Grand Prix in style this weekend – by finally clinching victory at Silverstone.

Button has never made the podium in his home race but Jordan believes the expected wet conditions will favour the McLaren ace.

The Brit secured a brilliant last lap victory in the rain-affected Montreal GP last month and Jordan, speaking to the Sports Breakfast, said: “It’s Button weather this weekend. He has a great way of just knowing and finding where the best grip is on a track.

“He’s not the quickest guy in the box at the moment but he showed in Canada that when it comes to thinking and working his way around the track and finding what the ultimate goal is - winning the race - he can still do it. That would be a big, big result for Britain.”

Button’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton has been linked with a move to rivals Red Bull in recent weeks and Jordan has warned McLaren they could lose the 2008 world champion if they don’t up their game.

“McLaren need to be careful because, if they don’t provide him a with a competitive car, he will be gone,” added Jordan.

Hamilton has also come in for criticism for his driving style after a number of collisions this year but Jordan rates the 25-year-old the best British driver of modern times.

He added: "Nigel Mansell was a self-made man and he had the best mind about going about is business. Nobody could compete with his mindset. He had great belief in himself. Was he the best driver? Probably not.

"I think Lewis Hamilton looks probably one of the strongest. I don't want to talk about the Jackie Stewart's or Jim Clark's because that was a completely different era. I want to talk abut more modern times.

"Damon Hill was world champion, as was Nigel Mansell, but I'd have to probably go with Lewis Hamilton. He is the most exciting, he does get the job done. Yes, he does make mistakes but he is very human and he is everything that a young driver wants to be.

"He's aggressive, he's strong, he's quick, he can win and he can get pole positions. He can do everything in my book and I don't think we've seen the end of him yet."