British star hoping for third straight Melbourne win despite pre-season problems
Jenson Button accepts that victory in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix appears unlikely but he is targeting a third straight win in Melbourne all the same.
The Englishman has emerged triumphant at Albert Park in both the last two years - albeit in different circumstances.
In 2009, Button and Brawn GP were the class of the field as they embarked on the first of six wins in seven races that laid the foundation for world championship success.
Twelve months later, Button also took the chequered flag but this time on the back of an inspired call on tyres, with race leader Sebastian Vettel also spinning out.
That win was Button's first for McLaren, although they have struggled during pre-season testing this year.
"I've come to love Australia," said Button, who also took a McLaren for a spin on the famous Mount Panorama track in Bathurst, New South Wales, on Tuesday.
"These last two years it has been good to me, really good to me, and I can't wait to get back on track.
"It's a fun circuit to drive, and with mixed conditions it's very tricky, but I enjoy driving there, and hopefully I can get a hat-trick this year.
"If I did I'd be very, very happy. Knowing you've won three on the trot at the same circuit, that you've done a great job, would be an amazing feeling.
"Hopefully that will be the case, but we'll have to wait and see just how quick we are."
The Englishman has emerged triumphant at Albert Park in both the last two years - albeit in different circumstances.
In 2009, Button and Brawn GP were the class of the field as they embarked on the first of six wins in seven races that laid the foundation for world championship success.
Twelve months later, Button also took the chequered flag but this time on the back of an inspired call on tyres, with race leader Sebastian Vettel also spinning out.
That win was Button's first for McLaren, although they have struggled during pre-season testing this year.
"I've come to love Australia," said Button, who also took a McLaren for a spin on the famous Mount Panorama track in Bathurst, New South Wales, on Tuesday.
"These last two years it has been good to me, really good to me, and I can't wait to get back on track.
"It's a fun circuit to drive, and with mixed conditions it's very tricky, but I enjoy driving there, and hopefully I can get a hat-trick this year.
"If I did I'd be very, very happy. Knowing you've won three on the trot at the same circuit, that you've done a great job, would be an amazing feeling.
"Hopefully that will be the case, but we'll have to wait and see just how quick we are."
Unpredictable
Button's win last year came after an unpredictable race which brought rain and safety car interventions - something the street circuit has a habit of producing.
The 31-year-old is naturally hoping that will work in his favour again, adding: "It's a great circuit for racing.
"Perhaps because it's habitually at the start of the season when a precise pecking order has yet to be established, we often see fast cars running out of sequence, and the excitement that that brings.
"With the added issue of multiple tyre stops, it could be a very exciting and unpredictable race weekend.
"On paper three wins in a row might not look likely, but seriously, who knows? I most definitely wouldn't rule it out."
McLaren have lacked both pace and reliability pre-season, although they hope a revamped floor and exhaust system on the MP4-26 can claw back over a second per lap on rivals Red Bull and Ferrari.
Embarking on his second season with the team, Button says he feels settled at McLaren now and is well aware that they have the capability to improve the car.
"Last year I arrived at McLaren and my goal was to win the world championship, obviously, after winning it the previous year," he added.
Work
"But it was still a learning year with the team and I was pretty happy with the result, although qualifying was an area I had to work on, to develop the car where it would really fit me when I pushed it to the limit.
"Coming into the season I feel if we have a car that is competitive initially, great.
"If we haven't then we're going to work on it. We've a lot of very experienced people, doctors, professors, engineers in the team are going to pull together and we're going to move forwards.
"We have to see what happens at the first race, but I feel very confident in my ability, as I'm sure Lewis (Hamilton) does, the same with Fernando (Alonso) and Sebastian (Vettel).
"But it's a team effort and if we don't quite have the pace, then we don't, and if we do, fantastic."
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