Friday: Well positioned, McLaren can still improve
McLaren made good progress between the two sessions thanks to the latest developments of the car. However, these still remain difficult to grasp, especially for Jenson Button, who is having some trouble finding the right settings.
Kevin Magnussen (#20) – 11th and 6th
The rookie from Woking first seems to complain about the stifling heat, which doesn’t really remind him of his Scandinavian childhood. His tires also do not appreciate the particular conditions of Singapore: « It’s a circuit that I like. It’s very hot and humid here, and it’s extremely hot in the cockpit, but driving here gives good sensations. We are still trying to figure out how to get the most out of our package. Today’s runs showed that the Option tires wore out very quickly; the Prime tires last longer and are more consistent, but we’ll need to look at this more closely tonight to prepare for qualifying. Fortunately, we can improve to find a bit more pace. »
Jenson Button (No. 22) – 8th and 7th
Jenson Button seemed a bit more consistent than his teammate on a circuit he enjoys. But the settings on his McLaren are still imprecise: « It’s always good to find grip here – it’s so different from most of the circuits we visit, and it’s so entertaining. We tried a few different setups this afternoon that didn’t work very well for us; but at least we know what to do tomorrow, and, all things considered, it’s not looking too bad, especially compared to other teams. »
Regarding the new FIA guidelines around radio messages from engineers, the experienced world champion doesn’t seem too shaken up: « Personally, not much has changed for me. »
