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Formula 1 Chinese GP
Double finish a morale boost for McLaren - Boullier
McLaren boss Eric Boullier says that the double finish for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button in the Chinese Grand Prix was a boost for both the team and Honda.
Adam Cooper
Published: Apr 15, 2015, 8:35 AM
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For the first time this season, both Honda-powered cars crossed the finish line, although both outside of the points, with Alonso in 12th and Button down in 14th.
Both men had retired from the previous race in Malaysia.
"It was good for their motivation and good for us, and at least we got some excitement during the race," Boullier told Motorsport.com.
"We're still frustrated because we're not where we want to be, but definitely happy because we had a reliability package, and we had an absolutely trouble-free race.
"That's new for us, a good achievement for Honda, and I think a good reward for both of us. Now we have achieved this we can power up again because we know there is some potential still in this power unit, before we go to the next power unit upgrade.
"In an ideal world we would have loved to gone to Australia and go for pole even if you blow up the engine at the first corner! But we can't do that.
"Especially after the winter testing issues we had we are obviously unsure about the reliability so we had to be very constructive let's say, and in some ways conservative."
Boullier says while there will be less of a jump in Bahrain this weekend, the package is constantly getting better.
"To be honest with you we want to keep bringing performance like we do," he said.
"We are not gaining a tenth like you normally do at a race, we are gaining half a second. I'm not sure in Bahrain we'll have half a second, because it's a back to back race, but we need to keep this development pace.
"We are now close to the midfield pace so we can maybe break into that group in the coming races. That's the target – but out real target is the top spot."
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