ABU DHABI // Reflecting on a trying season for McLaren, Jenson Button sounded a positive note about the direction of the team and his partnership with Fernando Alonso.
Double world-champion Alonso has never been outscored by a teammate in his 14 seasons in Formula One, but Button is set to end that run; he maintains a five-point edge on the Spaniard heading into Sunday’s season finale, the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Briton said he would take no pleasure in finishing ahead of his teammate. What does give him satisfaction, he said, is their experience and competitive drive combining to push McLaren to improvement. The marque have struggled this season for performance, mostly because their Honda engines have been subpar.
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“That’s not satisfying, really it doesn’t satisfy me,” the 2009 world champion said of out-performing Alonso. “I think next year will be more interesting.
“The bit I’m happy about is I feel I’ve done a good job with what I’ve been given. I think working alongside Fernando’s been great. We do learn from each other a lot because we’ve both had such a long career in Formula One.
“We’ve learned so much on our own and we come together with all that experience and it really helps us with the limited run we have had this year. Helped the team in terms of direction for next year.
“That has been a lot of fun, working with him and listening to what he has to say and, from what he’s said, it’s been the same with me.”
Button praised his teammate, wryly noting the sudden downturn in the perception of Alonso this season.
“I mean, before this year he was regarded as the best driver in Formula One. It’s amazing how quickly people forget, but he’s a very talented, very rounded driver, very complete driver. There aren’t many.
“Lot of drivers have their strengths but they also have big weaknesses. I don’t really think he does have a big weakness.”
The competitive attitude in the McLaren garage, Button believes, will fuel the team’s resurgence from a likely ninth-place finish, their worst result since 1980.
“Having an experienced teammate is also exciting because when you do get to go out in qualifying together, or race together, at least you have the fight, in our situation,” he said.
“Whereas, if it’s a new driver or driver that’s not so competitive it’s just a very different atmosphere in the team. But at least when we go out there now his side of the garage, my side of the garage, we still go out there to beat each other.
“It’s great. Even though we never say it, it’s part of racing.”
jraymond@thenational.ae
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