Button wants better team communication over strategy calls

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Jenson Button completed McLaren-Honda's quest for points this weekend in Monaco, finishing just inside the top 10 with a ninth place finish following a busy day out on the race track.

But Button did not feel his performance was an optimal one, claiming the team could have better handled its strategy calls given the weather-changing event.

Button was one of the first drivers to make the change from wets to dry tyres. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with that idea and immediately found himself in a congested field, and battling a way around a Pascal Wehrlein's Manor.

"I am pretty good at making calls," said Button.

"But it seems everybody copied exactly what I did, so it made it a bit of a pain. I also got stuck behind the Manors.

"I think in terms of communication between the team and myself it wasn't good enough, really, because we should have been ahead of the Manors, which you can't overtake around here.

"We had a four-second difference in laptime, and it was impossible to overtake. So a bit of mistake, but good points and we wouldn't have scored this many points if it was dry."

Button admitted conditions were difficult as he struggled to keep his McLaren on course on the treacherous course and cool temperatures.

"It was un-drivable in the wet. I think a lot of people were struggling but I think we really struggled to get heat into the rears and as soon as you touch the breaks you lock the rears up everywhere and at sort of 170-180mph that’s quite scary.

Like Fernando Alonso, Button admitted points were collected thanks to circumstance and not to the outright performance level of the McLaren-Honda. The Brit believes the team may be looking at a different outcome in Montreal in two weeks time.

"Well this wouldn’t have been strong if it was dry so these conditions, as a team we’ve made some good calls and it worked really well, so yeah we got some good points.

"I don’t expect in Canada that we will be in the points or at least as high in the points. Our true pace in the dry is not this."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.