Button says Red Bull and Ferrari are out of reach
2011 F1 testing
Jenson Button, McLaren, Barcelona, 2011
Jenson Button says he does not expect McLaren to be able to compete with Red Bull and Ferrari from the first race of the new season.
Speaking to journalists following today’s test at the Circuit de Catalunya he said: “I don’t think we are as quick as the Red Bulls and I don’t know about Ferrari.
“The car felt relatively good and it would have been nice to have had more time to change the set-up. I feel a lot more at home in the car at this test.
“We worked a little on longer runs this afternoon with high fuel, which we have made progress on. It’s a pity I only have one more day in the car, I would have liked more, but that’s all I’ve got so I’ll have to make the most of it.”
“I will be surprised if we can match the Red Bull or Ferrari when we get to Melbourne, that’s a big ask considering the mileage we’ve had compared to them and the pace from the last test. It’s going to be tricky but never say never.
“I’m quite impressed with the steps forward we have made. With more work on the set-up this week we’ll see how close we can get to them.”
He added: “There’s still work needed to be as quick as a Red Bull or a Ferrari and one or two teams but we are moving forward so that’s a good feeling. The guys have done a great job working on the cars performance and reliability.
“This is only the first day of a four day test, we hope for a lot more mileage tomorrow. The laps I actually spent on the circuit today on low and high fuel, were quite good improvements after what I experienced at the last test. It’s not perfect and it’s not ready for the first race but we have to be happy with the progress made.”
Given their form in testing so far Button said it wouldn’t be bad if their car was only the third-quickest to begin with: “You’re not going to be happy being the third fastest team.
“However, I don’t think it would be that bad to third quickest team at the start of the season as you can do a lot from that position. Considering last few tests, we would be relatively happy if we were third fastest team.
“There are no guarantees we are. I haven’t got a clue who is up there, you can obviously say Ferrari and Red Bull are very consistent. There have been many other cars setting quick times on different days so if you can be up in third position, that’s a good thing at the moment.
“Getting points at the early stage of the year is so important, you can gain a haul of points whilst others around you are struggling to figure out where they are.”
Button played down suggestions the team were having more difficulty than others in making their tyres last: “I don’t think we have worse tyre wear than others. I think even those cars who appear to have more downforce than us are still having degradation with their tyres, as that’s the way the tyres are designed. I think everybody is struggling with degradation, it’s an area I think we are all working on to make the best of what we have.
“It’s going to be very important when we get to Melbourne, it’s a F1 car and you want to push it as hard as you can. Sometimes it feels you can do that and suddenly you don’t have the grip any more. It’s a difficult situation and I think those drivers who understand the tyre well will perform well at the first race.”
Button said the team ran their new exhaust today but may not use it throughout the rest of the test.
He also explained the unusual bulge on the car’s nose seen briefly during today’s test: “Did you like the nose? I actually quite like it. It was quite fast so I might ask to keep it.
“Our nose is quite low compared to a lot of cars, we can see fine. You can see the car moving a lot which is quite strange to see.
“It’s a device that’s checking out certain things on the car, I don’t think it’s anything we’ll be racing. We should have said it’s a new part really, I even went quicker with it!”
Quotes and additional reporting by Leandra Graves
2011 F1 testing
- Young Drivers Test Day 3 in pictures
- Vergne completes third day on top in Abu Dhabi
- Young Drivers Test Day 2 in pictures
- Vergne stays quickest on second day of test
- Italian F3 pair complete Ferrari test
- Jean-Eric Vergne leads first day of young drivers test
- 2011 F1 testing diary part four: Barcelona
- McLaren cover least test distance with new car
- Rosberg: Mercedes are “on the up”
- Second Barcelona test day 5 in pictures
Image © Pirelli
Hare (@hare) said on 8th March 2011, 18:45
Doh!! And there’s me hoping they’ll attach a JCB bucket to it as well…
.. I think it makes it more physically attractive to dolphins, and types of whale.
BasCB (@bascb) said on 8th March 2011, 19:51
Good thing he keeps smiling. Don’t worry, be happy all the way JcB!
First open admitment, they are not there. Will be an uphill battle, and they will be hoping for Red Bull and Ferrari to mess up a few races.
I am wondering a bit about the “new exhauts”. In pictures it showed these are pretty much conventional exhausts so what is new? Or does it mean the mysterious U bend solution has been ditched for now.
Calum said on 8th March 2011, 20:23
His unexpected championship is in the bag – job done, it’s fun and anything’s a bonus for the rest of his career! ;)
Todfod (@todfod) said on 8th March 2011, 21:19
Agree.. he has already surpassed his career goals. I’m sure he is fine with just blaming the balance of the car and lack of grip and cruising the car home.
Shumi follower said on 9th March 2011, 2:34
Hehehe that might be true, lol
Hare (@hare) said on 8th March 2011, 22:08
They should have painted the nose red for comic relief :)
S.J.M (@sjm) said on 8th March 2011, 18:52
Bahrain being cancelled this weekend is arguably Mclarens gain, seems that the car and team has gone forward since the last test. Button always seems an honest guy who will speak his mind, so im more inclined to believe him when he says the cars better. Good to see, i want atleast 3 cars duking it for wins and not a 1/2 horse race every time.
rfs said on 8th March 2011, 19:06
I read that last line as “half-horse race”. Haha.
S.J.M (@sjm) said on 8th March 2011, 19:23
lol. oyeah, but only the front half ;) Damien Hirst has the rest.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 8th March 2011, 20:13
So did I. In reality, even if McLaren isn’t at the front, we could see a 3 or 4 horse race. Renault definitely has some potential, and Mercedes and Williams have both had better showings than McLaren so far in testing. Can’t wait for the fly aways to get a better picture of the field.
Megawatt Herring said on 8th March 2011, 23:43
I would love to see Williams competative again however it is so hard to tell the exact pecking order from testing can’t wait for Melborne, first race of the season and at a good track, there will be a DO NOT DISTURB sign on my door all weekend.
SeattleChris said on 9th March 2011, 0:51
@US Pete,
Don’t rule out Sauber this year… Both Ferrari powered cars look like they are in good form.
I know that Perez cut a chic, but the car is still much improved over last year and I think that guy is the real deal when it comes to speed. Two years on he will drive for a top team and be uber competitive!
Fixy (@fixy) said on 8th March 2011, 18:56
One enemy less for Ferrari. Looks like this year it’ll be close.
VXR said on 8th March 2011, 20:03
Yeah. It looks like it’ll be just the 2 Red Bull’s and 1 Ferrari in the running at the moment.
Not sure how it can be “close” if there are only 3 cars in it?
Mr. Wrong said on 9th March 2011, 1:01
It is apparent you missed last year’s championship………..
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 9th March 2011, 3:28
When 5 cars were in it?
Fixy (@fixy) said on 9th March 2011, 10:46
Close meaning the fight will be closed to those 4 cars (I hope Felipe can join) and not open to 6 cars.
MattHT (@mattht) said on 8th March 2011, 19:42
Didn’t he say the same last season despite a relatively good testing season? And then he’d won two races by the time they got to Europe…
Take it with a pinch of salt I say. At least one of the Mclaren cars will be there or thereabouts in the early races. Though perhaps not the one with Jenson in it…..
Skett (@skett) said on 8th March 2011, 21:38
He did indeed, however he was also correct last year. The Ferrari and the red bull were much out of the box. Mclaren were fighting with mercedes at the first race last year
Phildo said on 8th March 2011, 20:22
I doubt, as only the 5th quickest of the big 6 (ham, alo, mas, vet, web, but), button will challenge at all this year in a car that is third at best and possibly as low as 6th if renault, williams and mercedes are all quicker. It is up to Hamilton alone to fight to obtain the drivers title and the chance of the constructors is nil
VXR said on 8th March 2011, 20:44
Sounds like a cue for team orders?
I don’t think that McLaren hired Button so that they wouldn’t stand any chance of winning the constructors championship.
Maybe if they hadn’t self inflicted unreliability on themselves by failing to remove the bung from Button’s radiator inlet, they might have got a bit closer to at least one of their goals.
Patrickl said on 8th March 2011, 20:59
Yeah, Button getting 4 points extra in Monaco would have clinched the constructors championship “for sure”.
VXR said on 8th March 2011, 23:44
Having the ‘Champion’ running into you doesn’t help either. :)
Yet another ‘avoidable’ accident.
Todfod (@todfod) said on 9th March 2011, 10:59
Considering that it was the champion who lost points for Red Bull with that clash… it makes absolutely no difference!
Patrickl said on 9th March 2011, 19:12
But then Vettel was able to continue.
He could have scored some points if he hadn’t continued on with his rampage.
box this lap (@sebashuis) said on 8th March 2011, 20:25
I like the fact that Button is honest about certain things. I just don’t like the fact he has to!
Calum said on 9th March 2011, 8:03
I read that as ‘I just don’t like his face’ – I need coffee, it’s too early :(
Rob Wilson said on 8th March 2011, 20:54
Believe Jenson, Believe!
Patrickl said on 8th March 2011, 21:01
The first step of losing is telling yourself that you can’t win.
Skett (@skett) said on 8th March 2011, 21:40
Hardly, just cause you know that you’re a loser doesn’t change the fact that you are one!
Skett (@skett) said on 8th March 2011, 22:17
my bad, thought you said “Can win”
VXR said on 8th March 2011, 23:51
I don’t think that he said he couldn’t win.
Steph (@) said on 8th March 2011, 21:24
It still seems that depsite Jenson’s never failing positive attitude Mclaren still are a little nervous abtout their performance. Not surprising as it is testing and it’s all guess work but it’s not something I’d expected from Mclaren before the pre season tests.
Patrickl said on 9th March 2011, 19:14
“Jenson’s never failing positive attitude”
Lol, nice one.
Faraz said on 8th March 2011, 21:28
I think that Red Bulls coming of age has left Mclaren with the third best car.
John H said on 8th March 2011, 21:39
That McLaren nose thing seems to be testing the force going through the edges of the front wing.
Expect a flexi one towards the end of the test.
Aris (@aris) said on 8th March 2011, 22:10
Question remains. “Why McLaren is so much behind than the other front-row teams? I really can’t tell. A team of that range shouldn’t be doing mistakes.
Wobblebottom said on 8th March 2011, 22:20
Totally agree. But that is McLaren. Considering their vast resources, they have underperformed as a team for the last 20 years!!
Wesley said on 8th March 2011, 23:40
“Getting points at the early stage of the year is so important, you can gain a haul of points whilst others around you are struggling to figure out where they are.”
The man should know what he is talking about here.The key to his WDC.
VXR said on 8th March 2011, 23:54
You have to make hay while the sun shines and Button probably knew probably better than anyone that his car wouldn’t be the best on the grid for long in 2009.
Mr. Wrong said on 9th March 2011, 1:07
Are you implying Button knows his car won’t be the best for long this coming season? Isn’t it a bit early to predict that given the fact the championship is yet to start? Let’s forgo the fact that Button claims his car is not the best…….
Are you making hay in the middle of the night?
Dave said on 9th March 2011, 0:01
Aris I fail to understand how because Mclaren are a top team with huge resources they shouldn’t make mistakes everyone does. Ferrari made mistakes in 2005 and 2009. Mclaren just haven’t quite found the trick to the red bull and ferrari’s pace.
They will get their. Toyota had huge resources and they made a pigs ear of the season even when they had a good car.
NJB said on 9th March 2011, 10:44
The fact that you need to compare Mclaren with Toyota only highlights their plight. Mclaren have a history and racing pedigree that Toyota did not so, like Ferrari, success is expected of them.
A more meaningful comparison would be with Red Bull who as relative newcomers and with a smaller budget have become the class of the field. Worse still for Mclaren is that Red Bull’s prize asset defected because he felt he was too constrained at Woking.
I think the fact that they have yet again produced another troublesome car is exposing endemic problems rather than their ‘missing a trick’ as you suggest.
Sorry but the current media/sponsor/TV presenter-friendly incarnation of Mclaren is getting left behind where it really matters.
Dave said on 9th March 2011, 0:02
That was meant to say seasons they contested.