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Jenson Button will be using a radical set-up at this weekend's Indian Grand Prix to find out if McLaren can unlock a secret for its 2014 Formula 1 car.

Amid a disappointing campaign in which Button nor team-mate Sergio Perez has scored a podium finish, the 2009 world champion reckons McLaren's lack of competitiveness is giving an opportunity to try something very different.

"You definitely go places with the car that you would not normally do because you would be worried about giving points away if the weekend went wrong," said Button, when asked by AUTOSPORT about the lessons taken on board this season.

"Here I have a set-up on my car that is completely different to any other race we have had the last couple of years - just to see where we are. It might help us next year.

"We are in a position where we can do that because we are not fighting for winning races, podiums or the championship so there are some positives to take out of it. And there aren't many in a difficult season."

With McLaren focused on ensuring it does a better job for 2014, Button says there are several areas where it has been able to experiment.

"You learn where you cannot put things in terms of front wing angles and how the airflow is over the car," he said. "And that will really help us for next year's car.

"To have a bad year this year was probably the best year to have it, because you can learn a lot for the new package of 2014."