Button failures all 'small' problems
ByAutoSport
Published 18/04/2015 at 21:10 GMT
McLaren Formula 1 racing director Eric Boullier has explained that Jenson Button's disastrous Bahrain Grand Prix weekend has been due to "glitches" rather than major technical problems.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Button's car failed on track in both free practice sessions on Friday, and it stopped early in Q1 on Saturday, relegating him to the back of the grid.
Those problems prompted Fernando Alonso to call for a "deep investigation" into Button's car, with the Spaniard saying it was "definitely a concern".
But Boullier played down the problems on Button's Honda-powered MP3-30.
"There are a couple of elements on Jenson's car that started to get some [high] mileage," Boullier told the media in the Sakhir paddock on Saturday night.
"It's just glitches on the car. The first one on Friday was an electrical failure, just something small.
"The second one was a sensor issue. Nothing wrong - but putting mileage on the car stopped us.
"We don't know yet about qualifying - we believe the car suffered an electrical failure but we're being very cautious."
Button said that he has tried to take the positives from a weekend where he has suffered so many problems.
"When you're limited with your running, stopping on the circuit, it's tough," said the 2009 world champion.
"We're definitely making progress, we're improving every race we go to, it's just a tough weekend on our side of the garage.
"But I think in terms of how everything has felt this weekend, driving the car, it's felt pretty good.
"I was P11 this morning - it's only FP3 but it's a good feeling.
"Fernando's had our best qualifying, getting into Q2, so you've got to look at the positives."
Alonso agreed with his team-mate that McLaren is making steps in the right direction.
"We are closer than at any other race this year, but I think we have to keep our feet on the ground," he said.
"More or less this [14th] was our performance this weekend, which I am happy with.
"It seems that we are closer - apart from Lewis [Hamilton], I think the gap to the others makes me feel optimistic."
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