Jenson Button says McLaren keeps making errors with its timing in Q1 after he was eliminated in the first part of qualifying for the United States Grand Prix.
Both McLaren drivers were in the top ten during Friday practice, and continued that form in FP3 to suggest a Q3 challenge could be possible in Austin. However, Button was knocked out in the first part of qualifying after he hit traffic on his final attempt on supersoft tyres, and while he was critical of Jolyon Palmer for being on the racing line at the final corner, Button admits it was a problem of McLaren's own making.
“We were 8th yesterday and 9th this morning, the pace was good, but we messed up with the timing in Q1 – it’s not the first time this happens – and I had four cars to overtake in the last sector," Button said.
"The last one, saw me really late and stayed on the racing line, so I had to out-brake him into the last corner and there it’s so important to brake late and carry speed into the corner, but you can’t do that if you’re off line. And you don't know what the other car is doing, because he was weaving around, so…
"It’s disappointing and it’s the kind of thing we shouldn’t be making mistakes in, got a Renault on the way again, as it has happened in the last couple of races… It doesn’t mater what they see, this is what they’ve done today and I hope they get a penalty for it!"
Button also explained McLaren felt it had enough pace to get through using soft tyres, but the plan backfired and left him needing the second attempt to try and progress.
"We first went out with the soft tyre because we thought we had enough pace to get through to Q2 with it, and I think we did, but there was a lot of traffic on that lap too. We got the timing wrong for sure, we had done the same in Malaysia, and I got four cars to pass in the last sector.
"I was doing my timed lap when other people were doing their out lap and we’ve got to stop doing that! The last one didn’t move out of the way and that’s a crucial sector. It was hurting the tyres too. Tough, there’s not much else to say.
"Hopefully we can fight back, but trying to overtake around here is nearly impossible for us, so it’s going to be a tough day tomorrow. I was 8th yesterday, 9th this morning and now I’m 19th, so something is not right.”
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