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Button disappointed by Hamilton's tweets

The telemetry data published by Lewis Hamilton on Twitter © Twitter

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• Drivers:
• Jenson Button
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• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• McLaren

Jenson Button is disappointed in Lewis Hamilton after his McLaren team-mate published private telemetry on Twitter.

Hamilton, who was asked to remove the post by McLaren, tweeted an overlay of his qualifying lap and Button's, with red ink showing where he had lost time due to his decision to run a different rear wing. Hamilton opted for a high-drag wing compared to Button's low-drag option and ended up over 0.8s slower as a result of losing time on the straights.

Asked how he felt about having the data made public, Button said: "I'll say disappointed. We work so hard to improve the car and to keep things like that private."

But Button made clear that it had not created a personal rift between the drivers and that it was more the principle of tweeting private data that he had a problem with.

"I think it's done now," said Button "I don't think it's for me to be angry with Lewis because it's not a personal thing. The bit about him losing six tenths on the straights isn't the bit that's important to me because he should be gaining it back in the corners he's got more downforce on. And I was eight tenths quicker in qualifying anyway. It's more the information that we work so hard to keep secret and private, that was the thing I didn't want to see on Twitter."

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said he expected Hamilton to be back at his best at the Italian Grand Prix.

"I think it was not well judged and Lewis acknowledged that as soon as it was pointed out to him," the McLaren boss told Sky Sports on Monday. "I think it was a little bit embarrassing for Lewis and I'm sure he will learn from that."

He added: "It hasn't driven a wedge [between Hamilton and the team]. I've known Lewis since he was 11 years old, he's someone who has grown up in this team and in the glare of public criticism and views. Some things he has learned, some things he has yet to learn. I think he is a deep and soulful individual and I think he's been going through a difficult time, but I think he will bounce back and we will see a different Lewis Hamilton in a few days time in Italy."

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