Jenson Button: “We are heading in the right direction”

It's with McLaren that Jenson Button had undoubtedly won his greatest victory in 2011, at the end of a breathtaking Canadian Grand Prix, where the Englishman overtook the World Champion on the last lap Sebastian Vettel, made a mistake on a Montreal track which had turned into an ice rink following a downpour at the very end of the race. Today, McLaren and Jenson Button are not yet fighting for victory in 2014, but the former Honda resident remains confident.

“From the outside, our season must not be very spectacular, and you said it, it feels like last year, Button told reporters in the room. But it's very different. The feeling with the car is much better. In terms of development, we are moving in the right direction. Yes, it's hard, especially when you've been fighting for victories, and the team is used to fighting for the title. But there are a lot of positives, with the return of Ron (Dennis, Editor's note), and the arrival of Eric (Boullier, Editor's note). They move the team forward and change certain things so that we can fight at the front again. But it takes time. »

Asked about the characteristics of the Gilles Villeneuve route, the Briton believes that the engine Mercedes will be an advantage. “We don't use a lot of downforce here. It's mechanical grip. In addition, there are long straights where we have to use the engine power which will be good for us. However, we will have to monitor the tires, and as it is expected to be hot on Sunday, this will be crucial. »

The super-soft tires will be out again as during the last Monaco Grand Prix, where some teams complained about the lack of grip. What will happen on Friday on the other side of the Atlantic?