Button: “Still learning phase”

Certainly, his stop & go made him lose big points in Australia. Of course he is disappointed not to have managed to keep up with the leaders at the end of the race last Sunday in China. But Jenson Button does not shy away from his pleasure. Nobody was waiting for the stable McLaren at such a celebration at the start of the season, hence a certain satisfaction in the Briton's words.

“We did not have very good winter tests, explains the 2009 world champion. Not because the car wasn?t fast, but because we didn?t have a car reliable enough to develop it properly. Abandoning certain elements to start the season was a courageous decision. From Australia, we knew we had a fast car. »

And for good reason, in Melbourne, the McLaren MP4-26s were the only ones to manage to somewhat follow the pace imposed by the Red Bull of the reigning champion.

“This turnaround in the situation delights us, He continues. We must not forget that we are still in the learning phase with this car. From a personal point of view, I am delighted with my performance in qualifying. I said it was one of my goals to improve in this area. »

Discreet during the last rounds in 2010, Jenson Button is clearly back at the front at the start of the season, more determined than ever to bring down the reigning world champion team and its German prodigy?

Discover in your AUTOhebdo magazine, currently on newsstands, the analysis of the Chinese Grand Prix by our special correspondents in Shanghai.