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Formula 1 Austrian GP

Button didn't think he'd make Q3, never mind "amazing" P3

Jenson Button has revealed that he didn’t even expect to make the top-10 qualifying shootout after going off when rain fell in Q2, before then grabbing a top-three starting spot.

Charles Bradley

Edited: Jul 2, 2016, 2:30 PM

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Button scraped into Q3 in 10th position, helped by his McLaren team fitting old tyres to his teammate Fernando Alonso's car and Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz not taking part in the session due to a Q1 technical failure.

"I thought it was all over, to be fair, in Q2," admitted Button when he slid into the gravel trap.

"I locked up into Turn 3, and it was spitting in Turn 1 and Turn 2, but the rain certainly affected me into Turn 3. I ran wide and thought 'oh no'.

"We just stayed in, and in Q3 we were quick on the wets and not bad on the dries either. Great to be starting from third, it's a good position. I'm gonna enjoy this moment.

"Amazing to start P3 tomorrow, it's a bit of luck – I'll take it, I don't feel like we've had much this year. I'm chuffed to bits, actually.

"I love those conditions, can we have those every race? It's mega, it was an enjoyable session. I saved everything for the last lap, I took a lot of risk and luckily there was no yellow flags. It worked out, so I'll take it when I can.

"There are conditions where I can't get the best out of the car, and because of the driving style I have there are conditions where I can. I feel the grip I have into the corner, rather than from memory."

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