Jenson Button hopes team-mate Fernando Alonso beats him in qualifying because it will mean a successful upgrade for McLaren in Austria.
The MP4-30 is receiving a number of updates, with a shorter nose one of the new parts which will be run on Alonso's car. Button says bringing upgrades as soon as they are ready - rather than waiting for enough for both cars - is the way to go for McLaren this season and admits he will class the Austrian Grand Prix a good weekend if Alonso's car is a clear improvement.
“We’ll see, we have to see how we go tomorrow first, but yeah it’s going to be a tough weekend whatever happens," Button said. "It was never going to be a strong circuit for us, which is a pity because I like this place. I think it’s fun, I raced here back in 2000, the circuit hasn’t changed at all since then, and I would love to get a result this weekend but that’s not going to be the case.
"But we still will always do our best and it is good to see a big upgrade, hopefully we can see a good difference in lap time as well. I know it’s not on my car but that doesn't make any difference at this point of the season. We juggle it around every race, it’s important for us to find a benefit from it first and move forward from there. Hopefully it will help us at the British Grand Prix.
"I think a good weekend would be for us to see a good improvement with the updates we have which will hopefully be a good step and will help us over the next few races. So that’s probably the biggest thing really. I don’t want to say it’s a test weekend because I don’t want to come here and test, I want to come here and race and I want to come here and compete. So we’ll do all we can to compete, but it won’t be an easy one.”
While Alonso is set for a big grid penalty in Austria, when it was put to him a good performance from the updates would mean his team-mate is much quicker than him in qualifying, Button replied: “In theory, yes.
"Yeah, he’s still going to be starting behind me … well he might not be actually! Strange to say, but yes!”
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