“We are here to win,” the two-time champion declared. “The goal is to win,
there’s nothing more than that. We need to be ready to work as a team, very
united, to achieve that win as soon as possible.”
McLaren and Honda know plenty will be expected of their enterprise. After a
spluttering test at the end of last year in Abu Dhabi, all eyes will be on
the black, silver and red livery on Sunday morning in Jerez.
But before the car is driven in anger for the first time in southern Spain,
there is no doubt the return of Honda as engine supplier has massively
boosted morale. For the last couple of years, McLaren has been a team
seemingly in decline.
Lewis Hamilton – their star driver amusingly referenced in a promotional
teaser on Wednesday night – left for Mercedes, the all-conquering force last
year. Paddy Lowe, one of their most prized designers, followed Hamilton out
of the door, and title sponsor Vodafone left too.
Not so anymore. Honda came back into the fray. Peter Prodromou, a key cog in
Red Bull’s winning machine from 2010 to 2013, was one of many key
engineering appointments. And perhaps most importantly, at a cost of £25
million a year, McLaren secured the services Alonso, the most coveted driver
in Formula One.
Button, who has seen the good and bad times since joining as world champion in
2010, hailed the upbeat mood.
The 34-year-old said: “The off-season has really brought about a sense of
renewal coming into 2015 – continuing my relationship with McLaren, getting
married, and now embarking on such an exciting chapter: McLaren’s new
partnership with Honda. I’ve trained hard over the winter, and I’m
absolutely itching to get going in the new McLaren-Honda MP4-30.
“It’s been interesting to spend time in the factory during the past few weeks:
you can really sense a feeling of reignited optimism and positivity around
the building. I’ve never seen such motivation amongst the guys – we’re all
massively keen to get going in Jerez and to work hard on developing our new
car.”
The return to the front will be no easy task. After all, McLaren have not won
the constructors’ title since 1998, and Hamilton’s drivers’ triumph in 2007
is their sole championship this millennia.
The team is clearly not awash with money either, the car still disturbingly
bare and lacking the title sponsor McLaren boss Dennis promised early last
season. One couldn’t help but think had this been 10 years ago, the launch
would have been accompanied by expensive fireworks rather than firewalls.
Yet it would be wrong to ignore the fact that this is a McLaren and a Button
with their mojo back. A year ago, the team’s hopes for the season were muted
while the 34-year-old was dealing with the shock loss of his father, John.
This time they tread into the unknown with smiles on their faces.
Meanwhile, Silverstone’s 1,000 special £99 tickets for the British Grand Prix
sold out in just 22 minutes on Wednesday morning, according to the
organisers.
More than 5,500 general admissions tickets were sold for July 5. Cut-price
tickets for children – those aged 10 and under go free, while those from 11
to 15 can attend for £49 – also sold well.
Patrick Allen, the new managing director, said: “I am delighted by the
fantastic response we have had to this offer and it’s great to see tickets
selling out so fast. It is my aim to make the British Grand Prix more
accessible to fans through better ticket offers, which I shall continue to
do through 2015 and beyond.”