Sunday: Jenson Button and McLaren had fun at Spa
By choosing an unconventional strategy, Jenson Button managed to finish 7th, before gaining a place following the disqualification of his teammate Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen received a 20-second penalty for his aggressive defense against Fernando Alonso towards the end of the race. He thus finishes 12th.
Jenson Button (No. 22) – 6th
As he started 10th on the grid, Jenson Button knew he was in a position to score points by the end of the race. He used his expertise in tire management for longer stints, which helped him move up the ranks: « We played the long strategy today since most people pitted quite early while I felt my tires were in good condition. »
The end of the race was marked by a great battle between the two McLaren drivers with Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, which was very clean even if contact was not far off: « I had a lot of fun, especially fighting with Kevin, Sebastian, and Fernando at the end. In the last laps, Kevin and I didn’t touch, even though I had to lift off in the corner when Fernando went wide while battling with Kevin. I lost a place to Fernando there, which is a shame, then another to Sebastian. But I have to say that I really enjoyed it. It’s such a fantastic circuit that driving here always feels so good. »
Kevin Magnussen (No. 20) – 12th (penalized 20 seconds after the race)
The young McLaren driver wanted to focus more on his great race than the penalty that deprived him of the hard-earned points on the track: « Despite being penalized after the race, I must say that I enjoyed this weekend. I had fun this afternoon. I was involved in a great race on an extraordinary circuit. »
He acknowledges that he had to give everything (even too much) to maintain his position at the end of the race, despite having worn-out tires: « It was a difficult challenge because everyone else had fresher tires than mine and they are all very good drivers; they are not the easiest drivers to keep behind. So I just tried to do my best to hold my position. »
As a good teammate, he doesn’t fail to highlight Jenson Button’s performance: « It’s good that Jenson got ahead of Fernando at the end, which allows us to score useful points for the team. »
But while he was focused on his work on the track, he did not forget the many Danish fans who made the trip to support him: I must say it was excellent to see so many Danish fans in the crowd. The support I received this weekend was incredible. To be honest, I’ve never experienced anything like it.
