Jenson Button is not worried about the possibility of McLaren’s under par pre-season test phase creeping into the start of the 2013 season, with the 2009 World Champion expecting the characteristics of the Albert Park circuit to better suit his team.
Button and team-mate Sergio Pérez have struggled to get to grips with their new car over the winter period, with the MP4-28 chassis undergoing major changes from its predecessor. However, the Briton believes the vast difference in temperatures will make a significant difference and is not overly concerned by his rivals' testing pace.
"If we were racing in Barcelona this weekend then we would be (worried), but it's different here," said Button. "It's going to be cooler on Sunday than it is now, but it's still hotter than the test. It's a very different type of asphalt and it's a very different circuit to Barcelona.
"On the last day of testing, I got a much better feel for the car and we found something with the set-up, a direction that I liked. But if you look at the times, there are certain times that we could not have done."
Button went on to reiterate McLaren’s long-term focus for the upcoming campaign, with the 31-year-old banking on a ‘better development curve’ than rival teams.
"When you look at most cars, they are developed from last year whereas ours is very different," he said. "The geometry of the car is very different, the way the aerodynamics work is very different, so it is always going to be tougher with bigger changes.
"We still don't think that will hinder us at the first race, but it should help us throughout the season having a much better development curve than most other teams."
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