- Indian Grand Prix - Qualifying
Qualifying strategy 'hurts' - Button
Jenson Button admitted that compromising qualifying for a better race strategy "hurts" because McLaren has looked very competitive in India.
Sergio Perez will start ninth and Button right behind him in tenth as both drivers chose to qualify on the medium tyre. However, with McLaren looking very strong on the soft compound, Button said he wanted to be able to go out on the softs in qualifying and see what the car was capable of.
"It probably is the right strategy call but it hurts because the option running was really good," Button said. "I was quickest in Q1 and then in Q2 on the old tyre I think I was second or something so it was looking quite good. It hurts to be on the prime tyre and your heart says you want to go and see what you can do, which is maybe not correct.
"I found it really difficult on the prime because I just couldn't get any temperature in the tyre. So in the first sector I think I was about half a second off other people on the prime."
Team-mate Perez believes McLaren is as competitive as it has been all year in India.
"I think so, I think we've been pretty good always. In every single practice we've been in the top ten with both cars and it's been a very encouraging weekend. Our race pace is strong as well so I think it's our best chance tomorrow … definitely very good points. If we maximise our potential and do a good strategy we can really get good points."
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