Monaco, the venue for Formula One's blue riband event this weekend, was no better than a shambles on Wednesday as Britain's Jenson Button was almost run over by a forklift truck while organisers struggled to complete building work and repair damage caused by an overnight fire.

There is always an atmosphere of genteel chaos in the principality during race week. Space is tight not only on the narrow streets that make up the circuit but also in the areas used by the teams to set up their motorhomes.

The problems are intensified because race week starts a day early here – Wednesday instead of Thursday – in order to give everyone a day off on Friday. And everything is further complicated by the fact that this is the second of back-to-back races, with drivers, engineers and officials still arriving from Barcelona.

After his near-accident Button, who won here in 2009, called for a two-week break between the Barcelona and Monaco events.

He said: "I would prefer it not to be back to back. I love this race and would love it if we could arrive on a Wednesday and it looked as beautiful as it does at every other race. It doesn't, yet, and because it is such a special event we should have a good space before the race.

"For a grand prix [the extra day] is not such a bad thing because it lengthens the weekend for the people who are watching. They come down and those lucky enough to be on a boat have four days instead of three and it does make it a show, which is good for the sport.

"But it would be nice to have more time for all the guys. After the race in Barcelona, they take the motorhome down and then they are here and building again. We have sponsors, which we need, and you need good hospitality."

Button was almost struck as a forklift reversed. "I was walking along talking to the guys. I was looking but he wasn't as he was reversing.

"I was never going to be injured seriously. He wasn't going to kill me. He would have bumped into me. They are doing all they can but when it is back to back it is very difficult.

"The guys are working non-stop to get it built. It makes it a bit difficult and dangerous – maybe we should be wearing hard hats in the paddock."

The damage to the track took place near turn one when a lorry used by workers to make improvements caught fire. The incident was witnessed by another British driver, Paul di Resta. "I was at the first corner of the track doing a track walk with the BBC when it happened, so they got some film as well. We were there watching it.

"The track got resurfaced there about four weeks ago. My concern is that it happened right on the entry and the apex and with the heat we have got just now, the temperatures are not going down much below 20 degrees, so the track temperature during the day must be about 45 degrees."