Following in the wheeltracks of
Rubens Barrichello's unexpected rostrum finish at
Silverstone,
Jenson Button gave
Honda a further fillip ahead of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim next weekend, by setting the second-quickest time on the final day of pre-race testing – and third-quickest of all 22 drivers present over the course of the three days.
Indeed, the British star lapped the Baden-Württemberg circuit barely two tenths of a second adrift of outright pace-setter
Lewis Hamilton – a significantly better showing than the gaping 1.4 seconds that had separated him from his countryman in the first qualifying session for last weekend's British Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old got through a marathon 121 laps as he evaluated set-up options and upgrades to the Brackley-based outfit's RA108, together with practice starts and pit-stops, with the team seeking to address the problems that saw no fuel enter team-mate Barrichello's car during the Brazilian's second pit-stop at Silverstone, consequently costing him second place in the race.
“My day in the car was very productive,” Button stated, “and we did a lot of useful aerodynamic work and long run comparisons with the different tyre compounds. The new parts we tested were positive, and we achieved a lot during my 121 laps.
“As always we won't really know how much of an improvement the developments will bring until we are into the race weekend, but I'm looking forward to coming back here next week.”
Barrichello, for his part, ended day two ninth-quickest of the twelve drivers on the timesheets, focussing on some of the new aerodynamic, engine and mechanical developments Honda is planning to introduce in the German Grand Prix, as well as conducting practice starts.
The 35-year-old's progress was hindered, however, by the car's persistent and incurable instability under braking and gearbox woes, limiting the man who claimed an emotional breakthrough grand prix victory at Hockenheim with
Ferrari back in 2000 to 90 laps at the close of play.
