Button close to Q3 in Monaco, another problem for Alonso
Monaco is an atypical circuit and it could benefit the "McLaren's Boys." Indeed, the team is aiming for its first points of the year and Jenson Button seems well-prepared to fight to achieve this, as he will start from 10th position on the grid. Alonso, suffering from a problem, should start from 13th place on the grid.
Fernando Alonso was optimistic before the start of the Monaco weekend about his chances of scoring points driving a McLaren-Honda, which is far from the best at the beginning of the season. But after encountering a new problem in Q2, that is unlikely to happen.
The Spanish driver had to park his car in the first corner in Q2, not setting a time, quoted by Crash.net: « The problem, I think, is electrical because the car completely shut down in the middle of the straight. I had no power, no electricity, no lights on the steering wheel, so something electrical… »
He therefore inherited the 15th time but will start from the 13th place due to the penalties of Grosjean and Sainz Jr.
Jenson Button did a little better on his side, hoping for a long time to qualify for Q3. He ultimately had to settle for the 12th fastest time in Q2: « Clearly, the performance is better this weekend and sometimes we were in the top 10, so starting 12th [finally 10th, editor’s note], with a good strategy maybe one or two points are possible tomorrow. »
But the Briton also benefits from the penalties of Grosjean and Sainz, to end up in 10th place on the starting grid, and with a good strategy on a circuit where overtaking is difficult, Button could therefore enable McLaren to score its first points of the season if he manages to maintain this position, or do better, by the time of the finish.
