OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Woking, United Kingdom, Nov 10, 2010
Jenson Button
�Obviously, it was disappointing to be ruled out of the drivers� championship in Brazil last week, but I was very pleased with my race, which was a lot of fun, and I�m already looking forward to another good performance this weekend.
�Last year in Abu Dhabi, I had a similarly great result � I�d lifted the pressure of the championship from my shoulders at the previous race so I was free to race hard once again. I had a great drive, enjoyed a brilliant battle with Mark [Webber] right up until the very last lap, and finished on the podium.
�I�ll be hoping for another strong finish this year. Most importantly, it will be my final race with the world champion�s number one on my car, for this year anyway! It�s been a great privilege and honour to carry that throughout the entire year, and I want to make sure I give it the best possible send-off this weekend.
�I�m looking forward to a really great race and, hopefully, a spectacular conclusion to the world championship.�
Lewis Hamilton
�I�ve been in the hunt for the world championship at the final race of the season on two previous occasions, so I know all about the pressure you feel when the title is almost within touching distance.
�This year, it feels a little different � although I�m still mathematically in with a shout, I�m fully aware that, being 24 points behind, I�ll not only need to win the race on Sunday but see the championship leader finish outside the points. And, even then, that might not be enough. So I�m not feeling the pressure in quite the same way as I did in 2007 or 2008.
�That�s not to say I�m going into the race weekend feeling any less determined or motivated: we�ve seen before that this championship can be unpredictable and volatile � and I think this last race of the year could be even more unpredictable than normal.
�I know from personal experience that the championship isn�t over until you cross the line on the final lap � so I�ll not only make sure I�m up there at the end, but pushing hard until the very end.
�It�s going to be a brilliant spectacle, and a great event for Formula 1 fans around the world � I absolutely can�t wait.�
Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
�While it was deeply frustrating for every single one of us to finally be ruled out of the hunt for the constructors� championship in Brazil last weekend, we�re all absolutely determined to hold on to second position, and to extend the gap over third-placed Ferrari.
�Both Jenson and Lewis drove absolutely superb races at Interlagos, and the reality is that another double points-finish would likely push us beyond the reach of our closest rivals.
�Even more importantly, we are still in the hunt for the drivers� championship with Lewis, albeit by the very narrow margin of a single point. Nonetheless, we all know that Lewis is a fearsome competitor and is absolutely fired-up to secure a second world title.
�Indeed, let�s not forget that Lewis has gone into the final round of the season in the hunt for the title in three of his four Formula 1 seasons � a quite incredible record. And, knowing Lewis as I do, he will be absolutely determined to drive a relentless race in order to pressure his rivals as much as possible in order to maximise his position.
�For this final race, the team�s role is simple: we must provide Lewis with the support he needs to sustain his title challenge � that will call for faultless reliability, a slick and decisive strategic plan and perfectly executed pitstops from his pit crew. It may sound like a long-shot, but I�m absolutely convinced that Lewis, Jenson, and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, will all be players in what promises to be an absolutely enthralling world championship showdown.�
* Official details courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *
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