McLaren will be hoping for a better performance in Melbourne.
Formula One world champion Jenson Button is optimistic about his chances in this year’s Australian Grand Prix due to start Sunday the 28 March.
Button came a disappointing seventh place in Bahrain earlier this month, just behind veteran Michael Schumacher who came in sixth. Teammate Lewis Hamilton scored rather better, finishing the race in third place.
But as always with the Grand Prix – it’s never the driver, always the car! Button, who is driving a McLaren Mercedes, met with engineers and remarked that there was plenty of “room for improvement” with the McLaren. He also blamed the team’s choice of tyres for the slow and disappointing results in Bahrain.
Button is now confident of a better race commenting: “I think we head to the Albert Park circuit feeling more confident of our overall pace. It’s quite a contrast to Bahrain: no tight, low-speed sections and plenty of faster corners. We think the track configuration should suit our package.”
Lewis Hamilton is equally complementary about the Melbourne track and revealed that he was looking forward to competing in Australia: “I’ve always enjoyed Albert Park. I had a great race here on my Formula 1 debut in 2007, won the race a year later and made full use of KERS to drive through the field there last year. But, for me, the best things about the Australian Grand Prix are the people and the atmosphere. The fans in the grandstands, the people in the city and the organisation at the track are all fantastic, and it is one of the most welcoming and relaxing events of the year. I really love it.”
The spectators of the Bahrain race will certainly be hoping for a more involved and interesting race as many critics slammed the slow 49 laps, describing the race as “less than exciting”. Comments on the coverage of the race describe it as “one of the most boring F1 races I have ever seen” with one disgruntled viewer complaining that he found the write-up more interesting than the event.
It remains to be seen if the Melbourne Formula One will be more entertaining that the Bahrain race but the drivers are now confident that, with improvements on the cars, their performances at least should be on top.
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