McLaren may not realise its full potential until after the opening race of the season, according to Jenson Button.
The 2009 world champion says he and the team haven’t achieved the necessary mileage during testing to gain an overall view of the pecking order, partly due to the late launch but also because of reliability issues.
“I certainly did not complete the laps that I expected,” Button told Autosprint. “When it comes to developing a new car, it is essential to complete many kilometers.
“I believe this car can give a lot, but if development work is late, you may pay the price with a big gap in the first races of the championship.”
The 31-year-old believes the next test in Barcelona, the final one before the Australian GP, will be crucial in determining where the Woking-based outfit stands.
“The next test will be important for putting together all the components, KERS, and some new aerodynamics, the rear-wing, and then we will have a clearer picture of the situation,” he added.
“Now though, I think it is very difficult to have an exact idea of the hierarchy in the field. I’ve heard rumors that Red Bull are 6 tenths faster compared to Ferrari, or Ferrari’s race pace is a second faster than anyone! I think that to get an overall picture one can only wait until the first race.”
