McLaren have broken an unusual record this weekend, and one they’d rather forget, after being penalised 105 places on the grid, though it is effectively meaningless.
Both Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso have taken on two new engines this weekend, effectively exploiting a loophole in the regulations to give them additional penalty free engines at subsequent races.
However it comes at a cost, with Button taking on a 50-place drop, whilst Alonso drops 55-places. Of course neither will actually drop that far for two reasons; there are only 20 grid positions and a change in the rules mean the worst penalty they can endure is starting from the back.
Button and Alonso qualified 17th and 18th, therefore they will only serve three and two places respectively. Had the rules not changed last month, they would also have served several time penalties during the race itself.
Button therefore expects a lonely race at the back, with his team-mate the only real competition.
“I felt I got everything out of the car, that it was as good as my qualifying lap in 2012 when I put it on pole, except I’m 17th and a few seconds off the pace.
“It will be Fernando and myself battling it out, and I don’t think we’ll be seeing another car until they lap us.”