Vandoorne: No testing won't cause Button "any issues" in Monaco

McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne believes Jenson Button won't have “any issues” on his 2017 F1 car debut in Monaco, saying the MCL32 is not too different from its predecessor in low-speed corners.

Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren, Jenson Button, McLaren

After 17 campaigns in the series, Button stepped away from a full-time race driver role at the end of 2016, but he will return for this year's Monaco race as stand-in for the Indy 500-bound Fernando Alonso.

Button is yet to try out F1's new-for-2017 cars, made faster and harder to drive by a major regulations overhaul – with the opportunity for the 2009 world champion to pilot the MCL32 in the post-Bahrain test having been passed up.

That decision raised eyebrows and was questioned by Williams driver Felipe Massa, but Vandoorne, who will be Button's teammate at Monaco, reckons it won't be a major factor.

“I think he'll be fine,” Vandoorne told Motorsport.com when asked how Button would fare in returning to the cockpit in Monaco.

“He's been out of the car for a little while - and yes, it's Monaco. But I think Monaco is quite a low-speed track - let's say, it's not the super-quick track.

“I think he'll do fine, he's got 17 years of Formula 1 experience, he should know how to turn a wheel. He's won before at Monaco so I don't really see any issues for him.”

Vandoorne, who raced in Monaco in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5, believes the specific characteristics of the tight and twisty Monte Carlo street circuit will make it much easier for Button to adapt to the 2017 car.

“I mean, yeah, the cars are quicker, but around the low-speed corners they are still very close to what they were last year. Maybe a tiny bit quicker but that's not the biggest deal.

“And he's got 17 years in Formula 1, he's driven quick cars before, he'll quickly get to grips with it, I think.”