McLaren did not achieve the desired results at Suzuka and since returning from Japan the team has been working to find the solutions to avoid a continuation of this in Austin. The Circuit of the Americas is a very different challenge in its configuration. McLaren hopes its performance will be better there.
Eric Boullier: “Everyone at McLaren is very pleased to be returning to Austin”
“It’s fast becoming a classic racetrack. There’s a great atmosphere, the fans’ love of racing is palpable throughout the weekend. We always receive a very warm welcome from the Austinites.”
Fernando Alonso
“The Circuit of The Americas is a big challenge for every car. Each sector offers something completely different. The first section requires a lot of precision, as it’s a big climb up to the first corner, which you go into blind. The elevation changes put a lot of pressure on the car and it’s important to get good traction out of each corner. It’s a really exhilarating circuit to drive. You need to work hard at every braking point to keep good momentum around the circuit, as the rhythm is constantly changing along with the elevation as you go around the lap.”
“Austin is a really cool place. I’m pleased we’re returning there after a bit of uncertainty following last year’s event. It’s a grand prix in which you never really know what to expect. I would say that last year I had one of my favourite races. Despite having a puncture on lap two, we were able to push and make progress through the field. It was hugely satisfying from behind the wheel.”
“The weather can always give us a few surprises and the track temperature often changes a lot from session to session, so I hope we can find a good set-up early on and improve our pace as the weekend progresses.”
Jenson Button
“COTA is one of the few anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar. It has a bit of everything: fast corners, slow corners and heavy braking zones. You need a car with good balance, which tends to be one of the strengths of our car. There’s lots of fast, sweeping corners in the first sector, the long straight in the second sector, and then the infield section in the final sector which is tight and twisty with long apexes and high g-forces. You really need to prepare the car for everything! For a driver it’s great fun. I hope we enjoy a better result there than in Suzuka.”
“I’m looking forward to heading back to Austin. I’ve been spending more and more time in the States recently and Austin is a city with passionate fans that really love their racing. The atmosphere downtown is really relaxed. We usually take the opportunity to sample the famous Texan cuisine in one or two of the restaurants over the course of the weekend. I’ve always liked racing at this circuit and we managed to put up a good fight last year despite not having the best outright pace. So I’m hoping for more of the same and a bit of a boost after the disappointment of our result in Japan.”
