The final of the true power circuits on the Formula One calendar produced a predictably tough race for McLaren. Whilst we were denied a tasty battle between the two drivers late into the race, both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were able to flex their wheel-to-wheel abilities with the Renault-powered cars, due to the incredible penalty system currently used in F1.
2015 Italian Grand Prix McLaren Review
No. 14 Fernando Alonso
Qualifying: P17 (Started P16 after a ten place grid penalty) – you read that right.
Race: P18 (Did not finish the race due to electronics problem; still classified)
Alonso was beaten by Button in qualifying, albeit not by a huge amount and opted to start on the slower of the two available compounds of tyres. He struggled in the first part of the race as expected but fought the faster cars where he could. He was closing in on his team mate at a rapid rate of knots when his car suddenly started to slow, and from then Alonso had to pull into the pits and retire the car.
No. 22 Jenson Button
Qualifying: P16 (Started P15 after a five place grid penalty)
Race: P14
Button had a relatively strong showing at Monza. He got what was probably the highest grid position possible for his car and he was having a lot of fun with some of the younger drivers in the Renault-powered cars. His pace did drop off a bit towards the race and once Alonso retired he was 20 seconds behind Felipe Nasr’s Sauber but over a lap ahead of the Manor of Will Stevens. Unfortunately we were denied what could have been an epic battle over what turned out to be 14th place in the race, but hopefully McLaren and Honda will get their act together and we will see some decent action between the two before the year is out.
Main image:
