Button frustrated by ‘tricky weekend’

2015 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Jenson Button says his Bahrain Grand Prix weekend has proven ‘tough’ after his third stoppage in two days in qualifying left him doomed to a back row start.

Button failed to complete a timed lap in qualifying when he pulled of the circuit at Turn Three, leaving him last on the grid for tomorrow’s race.

It was the third time the McLaren driver had been forced to stop the car after car problems halted him in both of Friday’s practice sessions.

“Yeah, it’s been a tricky weekend,” Button admitted to reporters after qualifying.

“It’s tough because this morning in Free Practice Three without any practice was good pace. I was 11th and felt we had a lot more to give in qualifying.

“I don’t know what the problem is. I’m guessing electrical – I can’t say. Everything shut down in the car and there was a loud bang.”

Button’s latest failure came when McLaren had begun to show vastly improved pace, with Button’s team mate Fernando Alonso able to comfortably make it through to Q2 for the first time this season.

“It’s been enjoyable to drive around here,” added Button.

“Obviously we have made good progress, it’s just a pity I couldn’t enjoy that today. But hopefully tomorrow.”

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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22 comments on “Button frustrated by ‘tricky weekend’”

  1. Lets hope what went bang is the cause of these gremlins, and can be repaired….on the plus side he was slightly ahead of Alonso earlier…and he will have plenty of tyres…so he may surprise us in the race….

  2. Such a shame. I reckon he could have made it to Q3. His pace in FP3 was really quite great, especially considering he had no/barely any mileage from Friday…
    Well, you can go only that far without your machinery.

  3. Peppermint-Lemon (@)
    18th April 2015, 21:57

    So was Button faster than Alonso in FP3 then?

    1. Button 11th……Alonso ..14th in FP3

    2. Yes, by 4 tenths.

    3. Peppermint-Lemon (@)
      18th April 2015, 23:26

      Ok thx guys. Was it genuine pace he had over Alonso? Were their programmes comparable? I really want Jenson to beat him this year.

  4. I’m longing for more McHonda progress. I hope it will be better every race.

  5. i see people here saying button was faster in FP3, which may be true, but alonso’s fastest lap in that session was ruined by Crashtor. Alonso is faster of the two, for eg. in China quali alonso matched button’s time on 2nd lap of the day having missed FP3 with no quali simulation, whole Mclaren team applauded when he returned to the garage for the effort in Q1.

  6. I have the feeling that McHonda are always going to be behind the curve, they won’t be able to catch up until there is a major engine rule/design change, i know Ron has said that they were never going to win a title with a Mercedes customer engine, i don’t know why Mclaren didn’t buy one of the bankrupt teams & use them as a feeder team like Red Bull do with Torro Rosso & having the Honda engines in that team as well.

    I cannot see them ever catching up because Mercedes, Ferrari & Renault are only going to keep improving their own engines & the Honda is just too far behind, it’s going to be years before a McLaren wins a race let alone a championship.

    1. While everyone starts to rant on how the team should be called….you make a really valid point, on why did they not buy a bankrupt team and use it as a feeder or development package???? It wouldn’t have been as expensive as you may think, as a lot of facilities equipment could have been shared…

  7. I’m going to jump into a rant for a second. Can we not refer to McLaren Honda as a McHonda? Its not funny. Its not witty, its just tragic. It promotes a brand that in no way exists. McHonda isn’t even shorter to type than McLaren. While McLaren is a name that decends from Scotland, it doesn’t mean that we McRubbish his legacy, nor infer it in some way to a certain McChain.

    And why are we mentioning the engine at all? We don’t call Red Bull an RBRenault orWilliams a Willcerdes. Its time to stop this mennace that is plaguing our forum.

    That is all.

    1. ColdFly F1 (@)
      19th April 2015, 3:24

      @dragoll – I understand, but I think you are wrong to some extend.

      The official name is ‘McLaren Honda’.
      Thus one can argue that McLaren is just as a bastardisation as McHonda.
      McLaren is the name of the chassis.

      PS (some of) the other teams are officially: ‘Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team’; ‘Infiniti Red Bull Racing’; ‘Williams Martini Racing’; ‘Sahara Force India F1 Team’; ‘Manor Marussia F1 Team’

      1. @coldfly On the contrary: it is YOU who are wrong, whilst @dragoll is completely correct.

        No one refers to a “Rednault” a “Wilcedes” or a “Saurari”, so why refer to McLaren as McHonda?

        McLaren Honda is only the trading name of McLaren Racing Limited. Therefore referring to the team as McLaren is not incorrect at all, as that is the name they are registered under with Companies House.

        1. ColdFly F1 (@)
          19th April 2015, 9:47

          @nvherman no need to refer to me in capital YOU; I listen when you link to my profile name ;)

          Please check the facts (link for reference) before you make these statements. The official team name, which entered in this year’s competition, is McLaren Honda – not McLaren, not McHonda.

          1. @coldfly The capitals were for emphasis (to be honest, because I forgot that I could’ve used bold or italics, so sorry that you seem to have taken offence at what I wrote.

            If anything, your link has strengthened my original point: McLaren Honda is the team name, as you say, but nobody uses any other team name on these boards, otherwise they’d be full of references to “Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team” and “Infiniti Red Bull Racing” etc. etc.

            The chassis name is what most people use, as that is the name of the constructor, and Formula 1 has a World Championship for Constructors. There is no World Championship for engines.

    2. Request acknowledged. Request denied.
      McHonda it is.

      1. @dragoll I’m with you. McHonda simply isn’t funny, just a tad condescending. This specifically doesn’t bother me that much to be honest, but is it right up the path f1 is treated these days.
        A lot of negativity, and so called fans acting like spoiled brats, and complaining and pointing fingers. I’m not saying everything is golden in this sport at all, but I miss the positive enthusiasm, and the respect for what is being done to get to the top, not least by Mclaren and Honda.

  8. McHonda seems to have some pace, almost made it to Q3.

    My one question is: will the stewards allow Button to race without setting a qualifying time?

    1. Peppermint-Lemon (@)
      19th April 2015, 8:25

      Yes. The sport is suffering as it is. They need to let him start even if has to be from pit lane.

  9. Jeff Williams
    19th April 2015, 7:08

    i have to agree with dragoll that McHonda cheapens the brand, the legacy, that is on the shoulders of Dennis and Senna. Need to respect all that is McLaren.

    1. Trenthamfolk (@)
      19th April 2015, 11:10

      It’s just an abbreviation when referring to Mclaren and Honda at the same time… and when I say just, I mean ‘Just’… I’ve never used it but refuse to get worked up about it! Life is far too short.

  10. Glad you guys are having a spirited discussion about a knickname… Button was faster in P3 simply because if you read Alonso’s comments after FP1 he said they had 2 different set up they wanted to try on the cars so it was a shame they couldn’t get the data… I’m guessing one set.up was faster and I’m willing to bet Button had the quicker set up in FP3… Alonso will soundly beat Button in every race whether he qualifys behind him or not… 8)

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