Jenson Button was left unimpressed by McLaren's strategy decision which cost him a potential podium at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Button was running third behind team-mate and eventual winner Lewis Hamilton and the Lotus of Romain Grosjean when McLaren made the call to switch him from a two to a three-stop strategy.
But when he emerged from his second stop Button found himself stuck behind the Williams of Bruno Senna and it proved costly as Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Mark Webber all got ahead of him.
The Briton also felt his final two stops had been too early, given he was happy with the performance of his Pirelli tyres.
Button did at least make up a place when Webber pitted to finish sixth, but it was another frustrating race for the 2009 world champion, whose 2012 aspirations appear to be all but over as he heads into the mid-season break 88 points behind Alonso.
Radio transmissions during the race seemed to suggest McLaren were also pondering switching Hamilton to a three-stopper, but Button's difficulties appeared to force a rethink.
And Button told Sky Sports F1: "I think our strategy (two stops) could have been okay, it didn't really work out for anyone on three stops.
"But I don't know why we pitted so early each time, the second and third stop we pitted very early and the tyres were still in good condition.
"I guess the team thought it would jump the guys in front of me but each time I came out in traffic.
"I said to the guys 'Is this traffic I am in quicker than the guys in front?' They said 'No' and I thought 'I am a bit stuffed really'.
"We didn't look too good when it came to strategy today, especially on my car and hopefully we will learn from that but I also want to say congratulations to Lewis and the team on the win."
