After an inconclusive and perhaps even worrying performance at Jerez, the faces in the McLaren garage are looking happier as the second group test progresses this week in Barcelona.<\/p>\n
“We’re in a much better position than we were this time last year,” confirmed Lewis Hamilton after Wednesday’s running in the MP4-27, “and also better than we were two weeks ago in Jerez.<\/p>\n
“We have learned a lot; the car is much better balanced now.\u00a0 I can say that we have a stronger base than last year,” added the 2008 world champion.<\/p>\n
According to Britain’s Mirror newspaper, Hamilton’s teammate Jenson Button agreed: “There are no excuses this year.\u00a0 I feel we have everything.<\/p>\n
“We’re on target,” said the 2011 championship runner-up.\u00a0 “There’s nothing to say we’re one and a half seconds quicker than anyone, but then there’s also nothing to say we’re not fast.”<\/p>\n
Red Bull’s reigning back to back world champion Sebastian Vettel is quoted by the Telegraph as saying he thinks McLaren will be “strong straight from the beginning of the season”.<\/p>\n
Added Mercedes’ team boss Ross Brawn: “Red Bull will have a strong car again, and so will McLaren.<\/p>\n
“Ferrari seem to be having a few difficulties,” Auto Motor und Sport quotes him as saying, referring to his former Maranello based employer.<\/p>\n
Red Bull reserve Sebastien Buemi, having watched from a trackside position on Wednesday, said Fernando Alonso looked uncomfortable with the handling of the F2012.<\/p>\n
“I think we are probably not the quickest today,” Spaniard Alonso agreed, “but neither are we the slowest.<\/p>\n
“At the moment we are not where we want to be, nor where we want to be in Australia, but I remain optimistic.<\/p>\n
“We just have to hope that we have completed this learning process we are going through with a very complex car by the time the season starts,” Spanish reporters quote the former two-time world champion as saying.<\/p>\n
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