With the McLarens visibly slow down the straights compared to the more powerful cars, Fernando Alonso took to team radio to tell his team that “this is embarrassing, embarrassing guys.” . His leadership once again came under the microscope after today’s calamity.
Advertisement
Button, who was forced to retire from last week’s Singapore Grand Prix, has left the media and the rest of the racing world waiting on whether or not he will step away from the circuit after this weekend.
Button signed a two-year contract with McLaren at the end of last season, but the second term is optionable for both parties.
After the Japan GP he said he has not yet made up his mind whether he will continue in F1.
Notwithstanding point blank questions whether he was contemplating retirement or not, Button spoke like a man who’d already crossed the finish line with Honda with a large box left unticked.
But speaking at Suzuka, Alonso insisted he remained committed to McLaren and the focus was on trying to make the progress that he and the team so desperately need. “It’s not been straightforward, as it might seem from other people’s comments”. Of course you always want more, this is a sport that will consume everything. I wish they would just keep them to themselves.
McLaren’s disastrous season sunk to new lows as both star drivers rejected claims from team chief Ron Dennis that they were sure to stay in 2016.
“I did not speak to him until Thursday”, added Dennis. “That’s his [Dennis’s] choice”. “You’ll have to wait and see”, he said.
“All l can say is that this year has been a really hard year for the team and I do feel that it has brought us a lot closer together”. You get out of the auto and you are pretty p***** off but you learn in this business to get over things pretty quickly, otherwise they pull you down.
“It’s not the same situation as past year”, he said. And if he is not?
Button also responded to a comment by McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale, who had told reporters that he hoped Button would stay but one had to respect the driver’s position if he did not want to be in the auto. “At the same time it is no secret that we are here to win”.
‘Every week I’ve spoken to Ron, ‘ Button, 35, said.
Advertisement
“I don’t know about driving, I don’t know if I’d be any good. Without that I probably would have got through”, he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports after the qualifying session.
