Honda’s Jenson Button is looking forward to race day at Spa after squeezing the best available performance from his car in qualifying.
Button posted the 14th best time but will gain a place on the grid because of BMW driver Robert Kubica’s engine penalty.
“A reasonably positive Saturday,” he declared afterwards. “Aerodynamically this circuit hasn’t really suited our car so I’m quite pleased with how qualifying went for us.”
He felt his first run in the second qualifying session had been as good as could be achieved in an improving, but still underperforming, car.
“On the first run in Q1 I had traffic as I was running too close to the car in front of me. In Q2 I think I got the best out of the car on the first run.
“On the second run I had a little too much understeer so I just backed off and looked after the tyres for the race.”
Overall, he was content: “I’m pretty happy with where I will be lining up on the grid and I think we can make progress from there. I’m looking forward to the race.”
Engineering Director Jacky Eeckelaert agreed: “Jenson had a good Q1 and easily made it through into the second session, where he got the maximum from the car.
“Had he had a touch less understeer then perhaps we could have improved a little but overall it was a good lap and his is a reasonable position from which to be going into the race tomorrow.”