• Chinese Grand Prix

Button well poised for a wet race

Jenson Button was aiming for pole in qualifying © Getty Images

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Jenson Button reckons his car's set-up will be well suited to a wet race after he qualified fifth for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Button is ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the grid but couldn't challenge the Red Bulls, which were again in a class of their own over one lap. He was frustrated not to get more from the car, but with a 90% chance of rain on Sunday, he is confident it will perform in the race.

"I'm a little disappointed - we wanted to get pole today, and thought we could -, and I don't really know where the time went in Q3. The tyres felt fine - pretty much exactly the same as in Q1 and Q2, when the car felt great - but in Q3 the car started moving around a lot more, and it felt like the front was bottoming. We'd been quick all weekend, but sixth was the best I could do in Q3. I think we ought to have been further up the grid - but we'll fight our way as far up the field as we can tomorrow. I'm sure it will be a good race."

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh revealed that Button's best lap had been on soft tyres that were past their best and reiterated his driver's belief that McLaren will be strong if it rains.

"As for Jenson, he put in a very good lap in Q3 on used option tyres - but, again, so close were the times of the drivers who qualified between P2 and P8, that a tenth or two would have made a significant difference to his grid slot," he said. "So fifth and sixth aren't ideal, but tomorrow the weather may well be more changeable than it was today, and both our drivers have great ability in such conditions."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.