Jenson Button says McLaren are making progress with their MP4-28 but warned there is no quick fix for the car’s problems.
“Today we got through a decent amount of satisfactory work, and we duly gathered some more useful info about MP4-28.
“On a dry track it feels better than it did in Melbourne, but even then its pace still isn’t there compared with that of the front-running cars.
“We’ve identified some further improvements that we can make before tomorrow, though, which is encouraging, and it’s been a good day in terms of learning.”
During practice Button mentioned the car’s ride, one of its major weaknesses, seemed to have improved. He ended second practice in 12th place, almost 1.3 seconds slower than Kimi Raikkonen.
Team mate Sergio Perez said the team could do with more of today’s rain during the rest of the weekend: “Although it felt better on a dry track today than it did in Melbourne, it would still probably qualify and race a bit better on a wet track than on a dry track, relative to our opposition, so we won’t be upset if it rains quite a bit over the next couple of days.”
2013 Malaysian Grand Prix
- Horner: Vettel and Webber have a “healthy rivalry”
- Webber wins Malaysian GP Driver of the Weekend
- Red Bull gives up on team orders as Vettel admits he would defy them again
- Malaysia retirement no concern for Alonso
- Massa: Red Bull’s team orders not “intelligent”
Image © McLaren/Hoch Zwei
Aditya (@adityafakhri)
22nd March 2013, 10:52
I don’t remember the last time the McLaren pairing hoping a wet race…
GeorgeTuk (@georgetuk)
22nd March 2013, 11:37
2009? That was a dog of a car too!
timi (@timi)
22nd March 2013, 12:26
Most of the ’11 season when Red Bull were aeons faster than anyone else
BasCB (@bascb)
22nd March 2013, 19:27
I was just going to say the same @timi, its funny how we forget about only 2 years back!
pSynrg (@psynrg)
22nd March 2013, 19:10
There never is a quick fix is there Jenson…
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
22nd March 2013, 21:55
It’s always a bad sign when a team sacrifices the front wing downforce to get a better balance at the rear, a situation very similar to last years cars.