Not long ago, McLaren's 2013 campaign was in tatters, as the famous British team refused to rule out scrapping its new car and putting the 2012 machine back into action. But after Malaysia, and the long three-week gap that preceded this weekend's Chinese grand prix, the rhetoric from the Woking based camp is now infinitely more positive.
Jenson Button is refusing even to rule out a title challenge. "The championship is still on as far as I am concerned and I am aiming for that. Definitely," he said. That's not to say McLaren has fixed all of its problems in the weeks since Malaysia.
But managing director Jonathan Neale on Tuesday suggested the team has at least identified the major issues, having taken a big step forward even in the mere days between Melbourne and Sepang. "We know where the problems are and I believe we're on the right track now," he said.
Most teams have announced they are taking significant upgrades to the China-Bahrain double header, but McLaren is rolling out not only scheduled developments but also a raft of changes in light of what has been discovered about the flawed MP4-28. "It's a long season," said Neale. "Everything we do is designed to get us to win races and if we can get on that quickly - and there's no reason why we can't - we should be fighting for the championship." (GMM)
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McLaren won't write off title challenge just yet
- Published on 10 Apr 2013 08:38
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Jan 26
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
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G. Russell
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team McLaren
- Points 37
- Podiums 0
- Grand Prix 41
- Country GB
- Date of b. Jan 19 1980 (46)
- Place of b. Frome, Somerset, GB
- Weight 72 kg
- Length 1.82 m
- 67,124 comments on McLaren
23 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Jenson Button
Team profile
- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,961 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
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