 Despite Honda alluding to running the engine at its peak performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix , the former driver and Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle opined that he felt McLaren were pursuing a research and development programme rather than a pure racing programme , and so were looking for different outcomes for the season rather than outright results . With Button qualifying thirteenth for the Russian Grand Prix , half a second behind the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat , Brundle described the team as having made " their first meaningful progress of the season " . However , three races later and following the upgrade introduced in Mexico , Brundle said that the engine was still down on power , inefficient , and lacking reliability and therefore suffering the same issues that had plagued it since the start of the season . 
