• Monaco Grand Prix - FP2

Understanding super-soft tyres will be key - Button

Jenson Button: "We've got to see how the tyre works because its performance will play a considerable role in the race" © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Monaco Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Jenson Button

• Teams:
• McLaren

Jenson Button believes understanding the super-soft tyres will be crucial to scoring a good result at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

The teams usually complete long runs on the softer compound during Friday afternoon practice, but rain limited dry running during the 90 minute session. Button was one of a few drivers who set a time on the super-softs, which ultimately proved to be the fastest time, but he did not get a chance to measure degradation over a long run.

Last year race winner Sebastian Vettel attempted a one-stop strategy before a red flag came out in the final laps and allowed him to change his tyres once more. Button said understanding what the super-softs are capable of over a long run will be key to getting strategy right this weekend.

"The most important job today was to try and get a decent high-fuel long-run on the super-soft tyre - which I don't think anyone managed," he said. "We've got to see how the tyre works because its performance will play a considerable role in the race.

"Still, it was nice to briefly stick that tyre on and see how much grip it has - that gives you a bit of information to look over before Saturday, even though we'll still get to run that compound again before qualifying."

Button added that he feels confident heading into qualifying after noticing an improvement in the car between the two Friday practice sessions.

"I definitely feel like the car improved from P1 to P2. We tried something different for this afternoon's session and I was happier with how the car felt. There's still room for improvement, but we know what direction we want to take."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.