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Valencia dip was just a blip, says McLaren
Source: Agencies |
July 8, 2011, Friday
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MCLAREN'S poor performance in Valencia was just a blip and this weekend's British Grand Prix should see Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button back up to speed, managing director Jonathan Neale said on Wednesday.
"We underperformed at Valencia, we didn't really get the car dialled in properly," he told reporters on a conference call when asked about the June 26 European Grand Prix.
"I don't think we delivered to our full potential there, and therefore I'm certainly regarding it as a blip.
"We understand the reasons why, and we've done something about it," he added.
Hamilton and Button, both past world champions, were fourth and sixth respectively in Valencia while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel ran untroubled to his sixth win in eight races. Button, who has yet to stand on the F1 podium at Silverstone, is second overall but 77 points adrift of the defending champion.
Struggles
Neale would not spell out the reasons for their struggles in Spain but pointed out that Valencia is a street circuit completely unlike the fast and flowing Silverstone layout where he expects his team to improve.
"I think if anybody plots the underlying race and qualifying pace, you will see we are catching Red Bull," he said. "They still have had an advantage, certainly in qualifying, but they have been on record in the media as recognizing that we have had a faster race car than them on a few races in the recent past, and we will continue to keep that pressure up.
"We're really looking forward to Silverstone, a high speed circuit. The guys should be optimistic because we have some great upgrades for this weekend," added Neale.
Defending champion Vettel has a commanding 77-point lead, having won six of the eight races and been runner-up in the other two.
"We underperformed at Valencia, we didn't really get the car dialled in properly," he told reporters on a conference call when asked about the June 26 European Grand Prix.
"I don't think we delivered to our full potential there, and therefore I'm certainly regarding it as a blip.
"We understand the reasons why, and we've done something about it," he added.
Hamilton and Button, both past world champions, were fourth and sixth respectively in Valencia while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel ran untroubled to his sixth win in eight races. Button, who has yet to stand on the F1 podium at Silverstone, is second overall but 77 points adrift of the defending champion.
Struggles
Neale would not spell out the reasons for their struggles in Spain but pointed out that Valencia is a street circuit completely unlike the fast and flowing Silverstone layout where he expects his team to improve.
"I think if anybody plots the underlying race and qualifying pace, you will see we are catching Red Bull," he said. "They still have had an advantage, certainly in qualifying, but they have been on record in the media as recognizing that we have had a faster race car than them on a few races in the recent past, and we will continue to keep that pressure up.
"We're really looking forward to Silverstone, a high speed circuit. The guys should be optimistic because we have some great upgrades for this weekend," added Neale.
Defending champion Vettel has a commanding 77-point lead, having won six of the eight races and been runner-up in the other two.
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