Jenson Button, brimming with potentially misplaced confidence after his Australian GP win, says that McLaren will be able to push development of their car along quicker than their rivals, though he admits they may struggle in Malaysia.
Button, who swept to a surprising win in Melbourne last weekend, comes to the Malaysian race in third place in the standings, following his first win since June last year.
And although he says that the team will again be "near the front" in Kuala Lumpur, he does admit that the Sepang track, like the season-opening Bahrain race, might not suit the MP4-25 as much as Melbourne did.
"It was a tremendous achievement to score our first win of the season in Melbourne last weekend, and it's given every single member of the team even greater enthusiasm for this weekend," he grinned to the press ahead of the weekend fun.
"Even so, I think we are in Sepang mindful that the characteristics of the circuit probably won't suit our car as well as it will suit some of the others, but I'm confident that, once again, we'll be fighting at or near the front."
He added that although McLaren are still considered to be behind both Red Bull and Ferrari in the outright pecking order on the 2010 grid, he felt that the Woking-based team was capable of pushing their "rate of improvement" along quicker than the other teams.
"We're only two races in. It's the rate of improvement that will most influence the battle at the front," Button mused.
"And I'm confident we can deliver in this area: it was something I watched the team doing throughout 2009, and it was one of the key reasons for deciding to hold talks with the team. I'm convinced we have the firepower to develop faster than our key rivals."
McLaren were the stars of the development race in 2009, going from depressing backmarkers to pacesetters through the season, though admittedly not before their title hopes vanished entirely.
Button was also full of praise for the Sepang circuit, which has hosted GP racing in every year since 1999, and where the Brit won for Brawn GP last year in a rain-shortened race.
"Sepang is an awesome circuit, one that I love driving, and I think that I'll be able to further develop and improve my relationship with the car here," he grinned.
"It's a circuit that not only requires smooth and precise input, but it also needs real commitment through some of the high-speed stuff. I think it's a circuit that every driver loves."
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh also warned that his team would not be massively competitive at Sepang, though said that the car's race pace was an asset for the team.
"We're under no illusions that the regular pacesetters will once again be up at the front," he bawled.
"But I think we've now shown that we're a match for the competition, particularly with our race pace, which is up there with the very best.
"Sepang is a circuit that delivers a natural spectacle and is one of the best places in the world for watching Grand Prix cars at high-speed. It looks like we have all the ingredients for a classic season."
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
