Jenson Button will not be as a pilot-owner in 2017, but it will remain a piece invaluable in the development that McLaren and Honda hope to get supported on the bylaw change that is coming.
For Button, the team has managed to establish a solid structure and strong with whom it is only a matter of time before the hits arrive. “many things Have changed in the department of aerodynamics, with Prod (Peter Prodromou) the charge now all is well in terms of direction. But it takes time. It is a philosophy very different. In terms of aerodynamics and the type of car we have, how we use the flow of air and in which part of the car, I think we have a good plan for the future. It is only a matter of time”, says Button, who established a comparison with Red Bull, which established a domain similar to that of Mercedes, and has been the only team that has shown to be able to finish with the supremacy of germany. “It’s like Red Bull. Have gone in the same direction for many, many years with your car. For us, it is only a matter of time to find the place in which to be happy. But they are going in the right direction and listening to the pilots”.
Honda, also on the right path
Button, a large part of the conversion comes from Honda, which has finally managed to put things in their place and getting to a level from which we can grow and start leading. “Behind the scenes, there has been a noticeable improvement and on the side of Honda, I think that on issues of leadership are good. The way you interact with McLaren is also very good and note the improvement over the last year. We are obviously very far away from Mercedes in terms of engine, we know. But the reliability has improved a lot this year. Now we can be more aggressive with the engine”, confirms Jenson Button, who has seen how McLaren has finished four of the last five races with two cars at the finish.
The propellant japanese allows McLaren to be more aggressive to level aerodynamics thanks to the power increase, something that Button praises despite the fact that the car still suffers to keep himself in the points in all the races and conditions. “Honda has done a really good job this year. It is always hard to see when you walk right in the points, but there has been progress and there is a good basis for the next year. There is confidence in the team, especially on the part of Honda. Initially, when they arrived and had flaws, that damaged his confidence, especially when you’re japanese and passionate about motorsport. But they have been strengthened in the last year and a half”.
“McLaren controlled the situation,” says Alonso
Fernando Alonso does not lose the occasion to show the confidence they have in the team and in the preliminaries of the Grand Prix of Mexico, has returned to insisting on the strength of Mclaren, which according to him, now in control of all and each one of the aspects that are relevant for the success. “The complete change for the next year mix up the cars a bit and some of the information that we already have with the car this year it will not be useful because it changes everything”, recognizes Fernando, ensuring then that is “happy with the way the team is right now, with a structure and a stable organization. We have many people, many resources and many ideas. So we control everything. Now I see much more logic, let’s say, for the next year and feeling much more positive”.
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