Button chuffed at qualifying in top 10 in ‘comeback’ grand prix
JENSON Button was pleased after qualifying ninth on his Formula One comeback – though he will be demoted to last for the Monaco Grand Prix after an engine penalty.
Button is competing in Monte Carlo this weekend as a replacement for Fernando Alonso following the double world champion’s exploits at the Indianapolis 500.
But despite a lack of on-track running – indeed practice on Thursday marked the first time Button had driven this year’s radically-different car – the 2009 world champion has quietly impressed.
The 37-year-old Briton crept into the final phase of qualifying but will be sent to the back of the pack after a number of parts were changed on his lacklustre Honda engine following practice.
And with overtaking virtually impossible at the Monte Carlo street circuit, Button’s hopes of a points finish, in what could be his 306th and final grand prix, appear bleak.
“I’m happy that in my one and only race this year I qualify ninth,” Button, 37, said. “I never expected to have this opportunity, so this is a great memory for me.
“It is great to have the chance to race in Monaco, even though I’ve left the sport. I now have so many memories of this, driving the quickest McLaren that’s ever been around this track.
“I knew today was going to be the
fun day, and I had fun. I’ll take that ninth position home with me at the end of the weekend. I should be chuffed to bits with that.”
McLaren have endured a torrid start to the new season, but the lowspeed nature of this most famous of circuits suits their rather underpowered Honda engine.
Stoffel Vandoorne, the Belgian who has replaced Button at McLaren, had been enjoying the best weekend of his short career, only to crash in the closing moments of Q2.
Vandoorne will line up in 12th. But McLaren’s racing director Eric Boullier is hopeful the British team can still score their first points of the season here today.
“We have to take away the positives from today’s qualifying session,” the Frenchman said. “We performed extremely well, delivering to our expectations, and we got both cars into Q3 for the first time this season. If all things had been equal, we’d be looking at a chance to score some strong points with both cars tomorrow. In fact, I still wouldn’t rule out that possibility. We know that anything can happen around these streets, and we know that our car is both quick and extremely driveable.
“So, all is most certainly not lost. We’ll be pushing in the race, and we’ll take a few risks, fight hard and see whether the Monte Carlo casino brings us some good fortune.”