Alonso: McLaren "didn't deserve" a better result in qualifying
Fernando Alonso has admitted McLaren was once again "not quick enough" to make Q3 in qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso, McLaren MP4-31
XPB Images
Alonso was 14th in Q2, a tenth off teammate Jenson Button, who himself came up just a tenth short of a Q3 berth.
"Obviously, we didn't have a clear target to be in Q3 but we were hoping to be close and we were close," Alonso said.
"We were one-and-a-half tenth from Q3 but, unfortunately, there are so many cars today fighting for that 10th place - five cars, and we were the fifth of those.
"We are 14th so that's a bit of an unlucky situation. [But] we didn't deserve any more today. We were not quick enough."
Button admits set-up "maybe too cautious"
Having placed 12th, Alonso's squadmate Button admitted McLaren had to be "a little bit cautious" with the set-up of the MP4-31.
"We did a reasonably good job all weekend - in qualifying, we had too much understeer and I think, with the temperature dropping, it really hurt us," Button said.
"We have a real tipping point - if we put slightly too much frong wing in, the balance completely goes to oversteer. So we've been a little bit cautious, maybe too cautious...
"I think it was the right thing to do, considering the last two qualifying sessions - so yeah, two tenths off eighth place is a pain, but we're definitely making progress that's good to see.
"This isn't a circuit that should suit us - and it doesn't, really. Hopefully tomorrow we can be a reasonable race."
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