Button faces tough F1 defence as Alonso sets early pace

Button could manage only fifth-fastest in his first test for McLaren,while Michael Schumacher was third-fastest for Mercedes.

Defending Formula One champion Jenson Button has found out just how tough it will be to defend his Formula One crown,with Ferrari new boy Fernando Alonso testing him severely testing in Spain.

According to ‘The Sun’,Button could manage only fifth-fastest in his first test for McLaren,while Michael Schumacher was third-fastest for Mercedes.

‘The Sun’ quoted Button,30,as saying after finishing 1.5 seconds slower than Alonso: “Ferrari did look quick. It was a bit of a frustrating day for me,as I was too high in the seat. But I am sitting lower now and a lot happier. It was all about trying to get used to the car.”

Story continues below this ad

Spaniard Alonso quickly set the best time of the three-day test. He was also swifter than Button’s McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton,who drove on Tuesday.

Alonso,28,whose first day in the Ferrari drew an incredible 36,000 crowd to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo,said: “It was a very emotional day. It is going to be a very interesting season.”