McLaren-Honda’s Jenson Button says the Stadium section of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is “not enjoyable to drive”, but admits it’s “nice for the fans”.
Friday’s free practice for the returning Mexican Grand Prix gave teams and drivers the opportunity to sample the entirely overhauled venue for the first time following a 23-year absence.
Among the much-anticipated features of the layout was the third and final sector where the track snakes in between close and massive grandstands, which gives the place a stadium-like vibe. With local fans attending the opening day in large numbers, the atmosphere in the area was already very cheerful. But that did not prove enough to win Button over.
“I like the fast section, I like every part of the circuit until you get to the Stadium,” the 2009 world champion replied when asked about the track. “It’s like doing Race of Champions, it’s so tight and you can’t really unleash the positives of a Formula One car, which is a shame.
“I’m sure it’s nice for the fans in the stadium but to drive it’s not an enjoyable part of the circuit. The high-speed is good and it’s challenging and I like the rest of the circuit.”
Button is using the upgraded Honda power unit for the first time this weekend. The Briton’s morning free practice was curtailed because of further woes with energy deployment, while “an engine change and few other problems” forced him to wait for 40 minutes before going out in the afternoon session.
Despite the setbacks, the 35-year-old still managed to hoist his troublesome MP4-30 to ninth in the standings, one spot behind team-mate Fernando Alonso.
“It was not bad. A little bit unexpected. We have engine penalties because we thought it would be a really tough race for us and it will be still a tough race with deployment and things.
“It’s slightly more positive then, it’s a little bit like Sochi, a little bit like the low grip of Austin and we seem to work OK in those conditions.”
Quizzed specifically on Honda’s latest engine specification, Button said:
“It’s louder. It sounds good. In terms of power, I don’t know, we’re still a long way off. We’re 16-18kph off the good cars.
“There’s still a lot of work but it’s progress and at the moment it’s running reliably, which is good.”
AS IT HAPPENED: Mexican Grand Prix FP2
Eric Silbermann's Mexican grumpy preview
Technical analysis: United States
Click here for the F1 drivers' girlfriends gallery
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
