Missed opportunity for McLaren in Bahrain

Perhaps from the moment that Fernando Alonso was not medically cleared to race in Bahrain, McLaren should have known it wasn’t to be their weekend.

The two-time Formula One World Champion suffered fractured ribs in his horrendous crash in Australia and due to his injuries he did not compete in Bahrain.

Instead McLaren Honda called up Stoffel Vandoorne to partner Jenson Button for the weekend.

It was a good showing from Vandoorne who out qualified his 2009 Formula One World Champion team-mate on the Saturday and he eventually went on to score a world championship point on his debut finishing 10th.

?He had a good weekend in general, to be honest, He didn’t put a foot wrong. He did a very good job.

?Having done such a weekend, it’s a massive boost of confidence, it’s a boost also for his career. I know a lot of people have some eyes on him. McLaren team boss Eric Boullier told motorsport.com.

But whilst it was a good performance from Vandoorne, Button wasn’t so lucky.

Whilst running 9th, his Honda engine suffered a failure and he was forced to retire.

It prevented Button challenging for some strong points, with the Brit believing he could have challenged for 5th place.

‘we had a chance of scoring some big points – and it’s been a little while since we’ve been able to do that’ he said.

‘It’s a tough pill to swallow – the pace was good, just cruising in ninth place behind the two cars in front, saving fuel, saving tyres, getting ready to pounce at the right time – but the right time didn’t come.

‘The people that I was racing [Romain Grosjean and Max Verstappen], they are in fifth and sixth.

‘I think we had very good pace. My long runs over the weekend have been very good. I feel that I could’ve put the car in fifth, sixth place.’

Boullier concurred adding: ?To be fair, we believe JB could have had a good result, at least seventh. So that could have been a different story. He was very happy with the car balance.