After last year’s successful inaugural race, the Russian Grand Prix held at the Sochi Autodrom returns to host the 16th round of the 2015 Formula One World Championship this weekend.
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Button said: “I had a really good week last week – very positive spending it with a lot of key individuals within the team, the heads of department that are really going to make a difference – so I have real belief it is going to be much better next year, both on the vehicle and engine side, and that’s why I want to be racing here next year”.
Fernando Alonso on Thursday made light of his frustrations with the struggling McLaren Honda team and confirmed he plans to stay with the team next year and through 2017.
“When things aren’t going your way the emotions are high and you maybe say something you shouldn’t”, said Button. After the Japanese race a fortnight ago, Fernando Alonso refused to confirm that he would stick with the Woking team for next season after a race that saw Honda eclipsed by every other engine manufacturer down the straights of Suzuka.
“As for the future, I don’t know if I’ll be racing in 2017 or 2018 but it looks very exciting, which is something the sport and the fans should be excited about”.
‘We’ve faced a few hard times, a few tough times, and when you talk on the radio it should remain private, because you are talking with the team, not in public.
“It’s unique in our sport that we have microphones in helmets”.
‘Imagine in basketball or football, or something like that, what we would find…’
He said he had received more important and more encouraging lessons during a meeting with Honda in Japan before the race.
“It’s a simple thing that we have known for years already – the radio will usually end up on the TV”, he added.
Alonso, who will be starting his 250th grand prix, can expect more frustration this weekend with the Spaniard set to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty of around 35 places.
But Honda said it would also take the opportunity to change the engine’s control electronics, turbo and the MGU-H, the electric motor that recovers energy from the turbo.
The Spaniard will incur a 10-place grid penalty for using the new engine.
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Jenson Button chose to extend his Formula One career into a 17th season after he was convinced by McLaren that their fortunes will improve next term.
