McLaren admits victory repeat in Malaysia unlikely

Two days after Jenson Button scored McLaren’s first win of the 2010 season, the British team has warned that a repeat in Malaysia this weekend is unlikely.

The MP4-25 car was better suited to Melbourne than it had been at the Bahrain season opener, but reigning world champion Button said on Tuesday: “I think we travel to Sepang mindful that the characteristics of the (Sepang) circuit probably won’t suit our car as well as it will suit some of the others.”

Teammate Lewis Hamilton played up the situation, noting that this year’s car “will be far better” in Malaysia than its predecessor was a year ago, when it qualified just 13th at Sepang.

But team boss Martin Whitmarsh said the Woking based team is “under no illusions” that it will be the “regular pacesetters” – presumably Red Bull and Ferrari – who will be “up at the front” this weekend.

Button, however, is not ruling out his chances of defending his title in 2010, with his Melbourne win propelling him to within 6 points of Fernando Alonso’s early lead.

“I always thought the (2010) title might be on.  It’s a long season,” the Briton is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

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