McLaren’s Jenson Button fears the MP4-26 slower than top rivals Red Bull and Ferrari
McLaren driver, Jenson Button, revealed on Monday that McLaren new 2011 team car, MP4-26, might not be on pace in their early few races.
All cars participating in the upcoming Formula 1 season have already undergone the first three pre-season test sessions, and as per Button’s analysis, the team’s car is quick but it still needs a lot of development work. The Briton fears that the current
pace of the car might not allow the team to stand among the top runners of the season.
The British squad ran the first pre-season test with an interim version of last year’s car. However, the new package was launched a day after the first test ended. Although the following two tests have not been a complete disaster, the car always showed
some reliability issues and was often off-pace. This did not allow the drivers cover a lot of mileage and complete satisfactory testing.
While talking to the media, the 2009 champion stated, "I have definitely not completed the laps that I expected to and when it comes to developing a new car it is essential to do a lot of kilometres. This car has a lot of potential, but if the development
work is late, there may be a gap in the first races of the championship."
So far, Red Bull Racing and Ferrari are supposed to be the fastest cars while the pace of Mercedes GP is still dubious. Despite stamping the fastest laps twice, Mercedes GP’s reliability and pace still stays uncertain. Unlike the Mercedes car, McLaren’s
MP4-26 is regarded as the bravest of the new class of cars. It may have high tech features but still the desired results have yet not been seen on the track.
Last year, the team’s car was termed as the third fastest of the season, behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Although the team driver, Lewis Hamilton dominated the points’ tally for a long time during the 2010 season, the Briton was simply not able to match the
pace of the forerunners.
This year again, the same two teams are expected to dominate the track. However, the upcoming final test of the pre-season at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona will be better able to tell the true pace of all the competitors.
Button further admitted, "It will be an important test for putting everything together, but I think it will be very difficult to get an exact idea of the hierarchy. I've heard rumours that the Red Bull is six tenths faster than Ferrari, and also that Ferrari
are one second faster than everyone on race pace! I think that to get an overall picture we will have to wait until the first race."
The first race of the season, after the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix, will be held at the end of March, in Australia.
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