F1 champion reveals "insecurity" that links Lewis Hamilton, Roger Federer, and MotoGP stars

Jenson Button believes that 'mental insecurity' is a struggle battled by Formula 1 and MotoGP stars, as well as sportspeople beyond the motorsport sphere.

Mental health in sport has become an increasingly large topic, with Lando Norris one of the loudest voices in F1, openly sharing his struggles and experiences.

Up until recent years, mental health was either not spoken about, or was largely dismissed, with difficulties viewed as a weakness. 

“As drivers, we’re flawed. We’re insecure, and that will go for any driver," Button told the On the Grid podcast. 

“When I heard Lewis Hamilton on the radio last year to Ferrari, when he asks his questions and they don’t come back to him, and he’s like ‘Have I done something wrong?’.

“You’re a seven-time world champion. The confidence you should have is out of this world, but insecurities creep in.

“So listening to drivers and their issues is a big thing for leaders.”

He added: "I think you forget what you’ve achieved and you just think about that last session like ‘I’m not good enough. I was two tenths behind my team-mate’.

“It’s crazy, and the pressure you put yourself under is enormous. That’s why you see so many drivers fail in the sport. Even though they have the talent, mentally, they’re just in a really dark place.

“I’ve heard it from many drivers, and we think of it as a weakness. We don’t talk about it.

“And that’s what amazed me with Lando, how he’s been outspoken over the last couple of years on mental health. It’s really good, and I think that gives you a lot of strength.”

Commenting his belief that both Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen have experienced the same mental difficulties as their peers, Button turned his attention to MotoGP. 

"There are certain drivers or riders in MotoGP that I’ve thought, ‘He comes across as a bit arrogant’, but it’s not," he said.

"They just don’t want to let anyone in. They know they have insecurities and don’t want to let anyone in.

“And it’s the biggest issue, because then you never get over those insecurities.” 

Revealing a conversation with 20-time Tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, Button explained the main reason behind these struggles. 

“It comes down to you lose more than you win," he said. 

"I spoke to Rodger Federer last year about sport and the mental side of it, and he said, ‘You’ve got to think, I’m the most successful tennis player ever, and I lost 75% of my matches, and that’s a great record’. In F1, I raced 300 grands prix, I won 15. So I lost 285 races.

“Lewis Hamilton, extraordinary what he’s achieved, but he’s still lost a lot more than he’s won, and that is mentally why it’s tough in any sport, because you lose more than you win.”