• Bahrain Grand Prix

Button admits he should have pushed harder

ESPNF1 Staff
March 14, 2010 « Changes needed to improve the show - McLaren | »
Jenson Button said he misjudged the first stint © Getty Images
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Jenson Button has admitted he took it too easy at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix and could have got more out of his tyres in the early stages.

Tyre degradation had been a concern heading into the race, but the soft compound held up remarkably well and Button said he didn't make the most of the extra pace they could afford in the first stint. He eventually finished seventh behind Michael Schumacher after passing Mark Webber in the pit stops.

"At the start of the race, I didn't know what was going to happen to my tyres so I took it a little easy," he said. "I was a bit disappointed that we pitted when we did, because I'd probably looked after the tyres a little too much - because, in the last five laps of the stint, I was able to push to catch Mark [Webber] and Michael [Schumacher]."

However, he said the overall performance of the car was good even if he wasn't able to pass Schumacher for sixth.

"I caught up with Michael, but didn't have enough pace through the middle sector to stay with him and have a go at him in the last sector, which was disappointing. But it was fun all the same. Overall, I think our car is pretty good at looking after its tyres, but there's always room for improvement and I think everybody in the team wants more speed and more downforce."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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