After a much-improved 2023 season, the Woking team wants to take the next step, becoming a championship contender.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says that improved rear grip is a key improvement on the new MCL38 from the MCL60 last year.
The Woking-based outfit had a successful 2023 season, after a worrying start. The team became Re Bull’s closest challenger, securing multiple podium finishes and a sprint race victory through Oscar Piastri in Qatar.
With the new season coming up, McLaren hope to close the gap to Red Bull at the top and fight for race wins. The Woking team feel that there is no excuses not to do so now after moving into its new wind tunnel.
McLaren has had a decent two days of testing in Bahrain so far. However, the team did encounter a slight issue with the fuel tank, costing valuable track time with its race runs.
Weaknesses have been improved.
Although the British team ended the season with a solid car, it still had its flows. The MCL60 suited tracks with high-speeds more than the low-speed circuits. The MCL60 would often struggle in the low-speed corners, putting the power down with its traction.
Stella believes that the team has done a good job solving the weaknesses that were experienced last year:
“I think some of the weaknesses have been improved. For instance, we are happier with the grip at the rear axle, which was one of the aspects that we wanted to work on. Overall there is more grip in the car.”
Despite the enhancements, Stella is of the opinion that the MCL38 will undergo a hectic development schedule all year.
“We still need to improve certain aspects, but the main performance opportunity is maintaining a good overall grip.”
“You don’t need to fix the features of the car, you simply need to improve the car’s grip, which is mostly achieved through aerodynamic performance.” “We still have room for improvement, particularly in terms of mechanical performance and interacting with the tires.
We intend to introduce enhancements in these areas throughout the season.”
Stella highlighted the significance of the MCL38 meeting expectations thus far, particularly following the challenges encountered with the MCL60 last year.
He stated that, in terms of performance, the car has met our expectations without any major surprises, which is good news as there are innovative features in the car.
“I believe the vehicle provides a solid base for further improvement, representing progress from the previous year’s model.”
“However, in general, I observe that numerous cars have progressed, which is expected. Each week, there are improvements in performance for everyone.”
One particular car appears to have made significant progress, but it is unfortunate that this car was already the fastest last year.
“I believe that the group trying to catch up was already close-knit last year, and it seems even more tightly knit this year.”