McLaren expected to be in Q3
Monaco is one of the circuits that requires the least engine power. So it's bound to be a test that suits McLaren to a tee. The team therefore expected to be in Q3 during qualifying, which was indeed the case.
One of the questions that arose following the announcement of Fernando Alonso’s withdrawal from the Monaco Grand Prix is that this event represents one of the best chances to score the points that have eluded the team.
During a press briefing, Eric Boullier stated that seeing both his drivers in Q3 was not a surprise: « To be more precise, I would have been disappointed if we hadn’t achieved it » the French leader noted.
However, the circumstances were far from favorable on both sides of the garage. Indeed, Jenson Button’s day started poorly when it was officially announced that the Briton had to change an MGU-H and a turbo. As these are the fifth elements of each, it resulted in a 15-place penalty and thus almost guaranteed he would start last. Under these conditions, the Briton’s ninth place is only a slight consolation, and the chances of scoring points are very slim.
He will only remember the positive from his only qualifying session of the year: « I’m happy: in my only race of the year, I qualify 9th and… start 20th! I didn’t expect this opportunity. So it’s a great memory to drive in Monaco with these beasts, these superb machines. I’m very lucky. »
The situation is only slightly better for Stoffel Vandoorne. The Belgian managed to qualify for his first Q3 but was unable to participate due to an accident at the very end of Q2 in the Swimming Pool barriers. This crash also had consequences for Lewis Hamilton, who was forced to abandon his final attempt to make it out of Q2.
Misfortunes never come alone; the rookie must also face a three-place grid penalty due to his collision with Felipe Massa during the Spanish Grand Prix, which sends him back to 12th place on the grid. Initial checks on the car seemed to show that the chassis wasn’t damaged and the gearbox should be intact, which should avoid further penalties for the young driver.
From our special correspondent in Monaco
