McLaren: Problems are piling up, Button fears a penalty
McLaren-Honda did not experience the Friday they hoped for in Austria: both drivers encountered several unexpected reliability issues. Jenson Button even fears starting from the back of the grid on Sunday, alongside Fernando Alonso.
Reliability is still lacking at McLaren-Honda. This Friday, both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were once again troubled by their cars: the Spaniard due to an electronic issue and the Englishman because of a faulty spark plug. While Fernando Alonso knows he will incur a twenty-place grid penalty for changing a power unit, Jenson Button might face the same fate tomorrow if his issues cannot be resolved otherwise.
However, this weekend was supposed to mark a milestone in McLaren’s season. Indeed, it is during the Austrian Grand Prix that a short nose was introduced on Fernando Alonso’s car. The estimated gains were three-tenths per lap, but that is not enough to bring the McLaren-Honda closer to the points.
Fernando Alonso was therefore not satisfied with his Friday but he did not give up: « We encountered a small number of issues during the session. Fortunately, we understood them all but lost a lot of track time during the repair. (…) We have new engine components installed in the car. It is therefore better not to take risks today and then really address the issues to avoid problems tomorrow. (…) We needed mileage to understand the new aero package and optimize the car’s performance. Tomorrow, thankfully, we will be able to make up for the lost time. »
Jenson Button, who does not benefit from aerodynamic upgrades this weekend, struggled more with his car and is already facing a potential engine penalty: We experienced numerous difficulties during free practice 1. The car’s balance wasn’t there, nor was the performance. (…) Tomorrow will be difficult because it’s likely I will receive grid penalties. The key is to improve, to make the most of what you have, and to learn for the next Grand Prix.
Despite the engine improvements made by Honda, the McLarens unfortunately seem to be outpaced by the Saubers over a lap. The weekend at the Red Bull Ring—a circuit of speed, acceleration, and braking, like in Canada—thus promises to be particularly difficult for the team from Woking.
