F1: Button Boosted By Front Row Spot

Formula 1

F1: Button Boosted By Front Row Spot

Jenson Button rolls off second on Sunday in Melbourne...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted March 17, 2012 Melbourne (AUS)

Jenson Button says McLaren’s front row lockout in Australia resulted from the team arriving at the first test with a competitive package, something that has not been the case for the team for the past few years.

Button will start the Australian GP alongside teammate Lewis Hamilton.

“We knew that we had to have a good winter,” said Button. “It was something we were lacking the previous two years, and we definitely did have that. Very happy to be here, in the top three or the top two, on the front row, and hopefully we can race well from here tomorrow.

“I was actually a bit surprised by the gap back to the Red Bulls and some of the other teams but, yeah, we’ll definitely take that. The last two days have been good for us, just chipping away at the car and finding little bits here and there, and it’s been a good couple of days and good start to the season.”

Button admitted that the race itself would be a step into the unknown.

“I don’t know what to expect,” the McLaren driver said. “We can go through as many simulations as we want and the opinions of the race that we want. All I know is that we have made the race a little bit easier for ourselves compared to the Red Bulls. Last year it was the other way around and it was more of a difficult race because they were starting on the front row, but this year it’s the other way around.

“I’m happy with where we are, but tomorrow is again a very different day. We will stay positive. Obviously, we’re doing everything and doing everything right and making sure that we don’t make mistakes overnight, and get the right balance for tomorrow in the race.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.