Friday: McLaren drivers struggle with their tires
After a double retirement during the race in Bahrain, both McLaren drivers wish to bounce back. However, both suffer from severe degradation of their front tires, complicating their task.
Jenson Button (n°22) – 4th and 8th
After two difficult races, the car seems to have improved for the 2009 world champion: In terms of handling, I think we have improved the car in a number of areas since Bahrain. The Briton knows that a few more improvements can still come, which could bring us closer to the top positions.
Like the others, the McLaren driver struggled with his tires: « Today, my two front tires suffered from graining – but this track is very tough on them, especially when you’re in traffic. » Jenson Button now wants to work on the settings to reduce this issue, and also to « improve the overall balance of the car. » The Briton now hopes for a problem-free Saturday to know « where we stand, if it remains dry. »
Kevin Magnussen (No. 20) – 6th and 12th
The Shanghai track is very hard on tires: « The first corner is very tricky, and that’s where you damage your front tires. » After a first practice session that saw him finish 6th, the Dane has slipped down in the standings, which he doesn’t understand. « I don’t know why we are not as competitive as in the last races, but we have a lot of degradation at the front, we need to analyze the cause of this. »
The McLaren driver highlights the adaptation difficulties due to his rookie status: « I have never had so much graining at the front, it’s very difficult to deal with. It’s also a new track for me, so I have to adapt. » Kevin Magnussen hopes these issues will be resolved during the evening, but seems to be hoping for rain: « If it rains tomorrow, at least we won’t have graining. »
