McLaren’s Jenson Button has warned Red Bull and their other rivals not to underestimate the MP4-26 around the Suzuka circuit.
The track is expected to suit the RB7, particularly the first sector which is made of sweeping, high-speed corners, but Button is sure McLaren can keep pace and ruin the party.
“In the last few races, I think we’ve shown that we have extremely good pace and that we’ve been the team most able to take the fight to Red Bull,” said Button.
“On paper, I think it’s a circuit that will suit the Red Bulls, particularly in the high-speed sweeps that make up the first sector of the track, but I certainly don’t think people should underestimate our package.
“We showed at Spa that we have a car that’s very effective in high-speed corners. We’ve also improved our straightline speed and we have a more efficient rear-wing for qualifying, so I think we’re feeling positive about the weekend.”
The 31-year-old, who has close ties to Japan through his Japanese girlfriend, Jessica Michibata, says he’s looking forward to returning to the country following the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
“For everyone who follows Formula 1, I hope we can put on a great race to bring further strength to the people of Japan. And to everyone in Japan, I say: ganbatte!”
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