INDIA in F1

Tag: McLaren

  • McLaren F1 team partnership with Coca-Cola to continue

    McLaren F1 team partnership with Coca-Cola to continue

    Woking (England), 5 Feb 2021: McLaren Racing on Friday announced a partnership extension with The Coca-Cola Company, which will see the iconic beverage brand continue as the Official Soft Drinks Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. 

    Since McLaren and Coca-Cola first partnered in 2018, a range of commercial activations have engaged consumers globally through the McLaren Formula 1 team. Following the success of the ‘Coke Driven to Deliver’ campaign, in collaboration with Coke customer Amazon in 2020, the brands will continue to work together on new campaigns with the new McLaren F1 driver line-up of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. 

    As part of the partnership, Coca-Cola will maintain branding on the cockpit side of the McLaren MCL35M Formula 1 race cars and on the beverage bottles of Lando and Daniel.   


    Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, said:

    “Coca-Cola is an iconic brand and one of the biggest consumer brands in the world. We introduced Coca-Cola to Formula 1 three seasons ago since then, our collaboration has created innovative campaigns and activations with fans around the world at their centre. We are delighted to extend our partnership in 2021 and continue to support Coca-Cola and its commercial partners in reaching consumers through McLaren and Formula 1.”

    Matthew Tarallo, Global VP, Amazon, The Coca-Cola Company, said:

    “We are excited to be extending our partnership with McLaren into the 2021 season. Since 2018, we’ve executed incredibly impactful global activations, leveraging Amazon’s total ecosystem, and providing direct engagement and exclusive offerings to our consumers around the world. I’m looking forward to continuing this powerful partnership to drive joint value and growth into 2021.”

    — 

    About McLaren Racing: 

    McLaren Racing was founded by New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966, since then McLaren has won 20 Formula 1 world championships, more than 180 Formula 1 grands prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt and the Indianapolis 500 three times.

    McLaren Racing currently competes in Formula 1 globally and INDYCAR in the US. The team will contest the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. In 2021 McLaren Racing will race in the INDYCAR Series with drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, while Juan Pablo Montoya will compete for the team at the 105th running of the Indy 500 in a third Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.


    About The Coca-Cola Company:

    The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. Our portfolio of brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and other sparkling soft drinks. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS.

    We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.

  • Charles Leclerc keeps Ferrari on top as Pierre Gasly crashes out: F1 testing

    After Sebastian Vettel topped the first day of pre-season F1 testing yesterday, new Ferrari recruit Charles Leclerc kept the Italian team at the top of the timesheets, finishing three tenths of a second clear of McLaren rookie Lando Norris.

    The session came to an early end for Pierre Gasly, however, when the new Red Bull Racing driver lost control of his RB15 and spun into the barriers. The French driver had spend most of the afternoon on short, data-gathering runs but as the final hour of the session neared he embarked on a quick run. However, after setting a personal best in the second sector, Gasly lost the rear of the car at the exit of Turn 10 and slid off into the barriers.

    Though the damage to the rear of his car appeared minimal, his team halted running for the day to begin repairs.

    Leclerc, meanwhile, had a trouble-free day and was soon into the groove in the morning session and after 90 minutes had worked his way down to a P1 time of 1:19.172s on C2 Pirelli tyres.

    An hour later and the Monegasque driver emerged on the C3 compound used by Vettel to set his day one benchmark. Leclerc maximised the extra grip from the yellow banded tyre and immediately moved further ahead of the field with a time of 1:18.247. The lap, within a tenth of a second of Vettel’s day one best, remained the benchmark for the rest of the day. He posted a total of 157 laps.

    Norris, meanwhile, waited until late in the day to log his best lap. The rookie Briton mirrored the day one efforts of team-mate Carlos Sainz and bolted on a set of C4 tyres late in the session to finish the day on 1:18.553s, 0.306 back from Leclerc’s time. Norris also completed 104 laps across his first day at the wheel of the McLaren MCL34.

    Kevin Magnussen took P3 for Haas with a time of 1:19.206 but a problem with his seat restricted his running. Reserver driver Pietro Fittipaldi took over in the last hour of running but completed just four laps.

    Fourth place on the timesheet went to Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon. The rookie driver who finished third in last year’s F2 championship behind Norris and champion and new Williams driver George Russell had an unfortunate start to his F1 career, spinning within seconds of the session starting, but once he got jup and running properly the Thai-registered driver enjoyed a solid opening day.

    Albon ploughed through 132 laps of the Barcelona track and in the afternoon edged past Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi with a time of 1:19.301 set on C4 tyres. Giovinazzi racked up 101 laps to be the fourth and final driver to log a day two century.

    As with the opening day of testing Mercedes split running between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, with defending champion Hamilton at the wheel in the morning. The team once again focused on long-run pace, with Bottas ending the day sixth while Hamilton finished in P10.

    Gasly took seventh place before his spin, finishing ahead of the Renault pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian’s morning running was briefly interrupted by a rear wing failure. Behind them Lance Stroll finished ninth on his debut for Racing Point after moving from Williams.

    2019 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test 1, Day 2
    1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:18.247s 157 laps
    2. Lando Norris McLaren 1:18.553s 104 laps
    3. Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:19.206s 59 laps
    4. Alexander Albon Toro Rosso 1:19.301s 132 laps
    5. Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo C38 1:19.312s 101 laps
    6. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:19.535s 89 laps
    7. Pierre Gasly Red Bull Racing 1:19.814s 92 laps
    8. Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1:19.837s 95 laps
    9. Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:19.886s 28 laps*
    10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.928s 74 laps
    11. Lance Stroll Racing Point 1:20.433s 79 laps
    12. Pietro Fittipaldi Haas F1 1:21.849 13 laps.

  • McLaren unveils MCL34 alongside new 2019 drivers, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris

    McLaren unveils MCL34 alongside new 2019 drivers, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris

    McLaren Racing unveiled the MCL34 today. A McLaren image

    Woking, 14 Feb 2019: McLaren Racing today presented its first all-new Formula 1 driver line-up in 12 years, as Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris watched 34 of their McLaren team-mates unveil the MCL34, the team’s 2019 race car, ahead of pre-season testing next week.

    This year, Sainz (24) begins his fifth Formula 1 campaign, while Norris (19) embarks on his debut season, as McLaren continues its performance recovery programme throughout 2019.

    The concept and design process of the 2019 McLaren MCL34, powered by the Renault E-Tech 19 engine, focuses on laying the foundations for the development of the car throughout the season.

    The MCL34 livery continues to sport the iconic McLaren papaya orange, echoing the colour chosen by Bruce McLaren for the team’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix entry in 1966. This year’s scheme is a progression from 2018, featuring a complementary blue that nods to the team’s broader racing heritage.

    Over a productive commercial pre-season, the team has continued to strengthen its partner portfolio, with the addition of three new brands forming a 30-strong roster.

    The MCL34 will make its on-track debut during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain (18-21 February & 26 February – 1 March). Carlos and Lando will share the driving duties across both tests.

    Carlos Sainz, #55

    “I’m really looking forward to the tests and excited to finally go racing in McLaren colours. I know everyone at the factory has been working very hard over the winter to prepare ourselves for this year, and I think the team has done a fantastic job with the livery of the MCL34.

    “I’ve been especially focused on my preparations this winter. New training routines, new diet, very specific simulator sessions, and extra time with the engineers to develop and align certain aspects of the car to my preferences. The factory has become my second home since I moved back to the UK and everyone in the team is moving in the same direction. We know the big task ahead of us and we first need to evaluate where we are after the tests. From there onwards, I can’t wait to start racing and keep pushing forward together.”

    Lando Norris, #4

    “Next stop, Barcelona! Seriously, I can’t wait to get behind the wheel in testing. I’ve been working hard over the winter preparing for my step up to F1. I’ve spent a lot of time with the team in the factory too, learning as much as I can to get ready for the 2019 season.

    “It’s been my dream to get to Formula 1 since I was a kid. I gained useful experience behind the wheel during practice sessions in 2018, and now I’m really looking forward to making my race debut with McLaren. The MCL34 looks great and now I just want to drive it.”

    Zak Brown, CEO McLaren Racing: 

    “The MCL34 is the result of an immense amount of hard work and dedication throughout our team. We’re all committed, motivated and united in our ambition to return McLaren to competitiveness, and the MCL34 is only the start of this process.

    “We have a fresh driver pairing, who together represent the new generation of Formula 1 talent, and are an integral part of the team and our collective effort to advance McLaren forward.

    “The McLaren family is not only our people and our drivers, but also our superb partners and wonderful fans. We have a strong community of partners which continues to grow, and an incredible fanbase, who have all remained loyal and supportive throughout our highs and lows, and I’d like to thank them as we head into the 2019 season.

    “As ever, we move fearlessly forward.”

  • McLaren Applied Technologies unveils a vision for Grands Prix in 2050

    McLaren Applied Technologies unveils a vision for Grands Prix in 2050

    Woking, 23 Jan 2019: McLaren Applied Technologies has today unveiled Future Grand Prix, an audacious and exciting vision of how motorsport could operate in 2050 when technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, autonomy, electrification and mixed reality become commonplace in society.

    Future Grand Prix explores four key areas:

    1. The racing car of 2050: the MCLExtreme
    2. Developments in driver human performance
    3. The racing tracks of the future
    4. The fan experience we can expect to see in 2050

    There have already been exciting concepts of how a Formula 1 car could look and operate in the future, such as McLaren’s own MP4-X, but nobody has ever set out their vision for just how grand prix racing will exist far into the future, exploring the future of the cars, drivers, tracks and fan engagement.

    McLaren Applied Technologies conducted extensive research to extract insight, which included speaking to fans and studying fan surveys, as well as analysing technological, economic, environmental, political, and societal trends.

    The concept was developed by looking in detail at the direction of international policy on vehicle electrification and emissions targets, the development in human and automotive technology, the potential emergence of rapidly growing economies, and the need to attract a more diverse and engaged fan base.

    Alongside its own analysis, McLaren Applied Technologies undertook a series of workshops with MA and PhD students from top universities to delve deeper into the research, and to envisage how motorsport might respond to future scenarios, and synthesised a huge range of possibilities down to a single set of concepts that existed across a fan’s experience.
    After extensive insight and analysis McLaren Applied Technologies has developed:

    • A race car (MCLExtreme) founded upon technical insight and features a 500 km/h rear-wheel-drive electric powertrain, high-density foldable battery moulded to the aerodynamic package, shape-shifting active aerodynamics, onboard AI co-pilot and self-healing tyres.
    • The race circuit of the future. Longer and wider with huge sidewinding banks, E-pitlanes for charging, transparent roof facilities for fans to get as close to the action, tracks that are adaptable to extreme weather and black-out zones with no communication or AI assistance for the driver.
    • The driver for 2050 including, a reinforced g-suit to deal with extremely high speeds, AI co-piloting to learn driver behaviour and aid during a race, driver emotion to be reflected on the chassis of the car and performance actuated on cognition, emotion, and physiological response.
    • The next generation fan experience including fan sentiment being projected in the cockpit of the car, mixed reality giving fans access to multiple camera angles and race data. Esports competitors can compete in the race virtually, in real-time. Gamers can also race the track before grands prix to teach the AI new race strategies.
    Rodi Basso, Motorsport Director of McLaren Applied Technologies, said:

    “At McLaren we never stand still. We are always looking to innovate to find the solution for tomorrow today. In recent years, we have seen concepts and ideas about how a Formula 1 car could look and operate in the future. However, this is the first time anyone has given detailed thought and insight into a viable vision of motorsport in the future.

    “This is a hugely exciting and thought-provoking vision. One that includes the views of fans, university students, McLaren’s drivers and our talented team at McLaren Applied Technologies. Our hope is for this to stimulate debate about how motorsport responds to changes in technology and sports entertainment trends to ensure we can meet the needs of fans in 2050.”
  • Spanish Grand Prix: A statistical perspective

    Spanish Grand Prix: A statistical perspective

    Barcelona, 10 May 2018: This weekend’s race will mark the 28th edition of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Michael Schumacher tops the all-time winners list, with an impressive six triumphs here. When the drivers take to the grid on Sunday, there will be five previous victors among them – Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

    The Stats That Matter

    • Hamilton is looking to join a small list of F1 legends to win at this circuit for a third time. Should he triumph on Sunday, he’ll be on the same number of wins as Mika Hakkinen and three behind Michael Schumacher.
    • The Briton, who won from pole here in 2014 and 2017, certainly enjoys coming to Spain. He hasn’t been off the front row here since his final year for McLaren in 2012, when he took top spot in qualifying only to be excluded for having insufficient fuel.
    • Despite leading the drivers’ standings, the four-time World champion has been suffering somewhat of a qualifying drought recently. He took pole in Australia, but has been outqualified by team-mate Bottas in four of the last six races.
    • Vettel has surprisingly never been on pole in Catalunya. But the Ferrari man has been in superb qualifying form this season, topping the timesheet at the last three races.
    • Baku ended Raikkonen’s longest run of front-row starts (3) since Spain-Monaco-Europe in 2005, but he still finished on the podium for the sixth time in the last eight races.
    • The Finn has set the theoretical best lap of qualifying at the last two races (adding up the three best sectors from any lap), without having taken pole at either of them. Consistency in Barcelona could see the Ferrari man take P1.
    • Two years ago, Max Verstappen’s triumph saw him become F1’s youngest-ever winner at 18 years 227 days, become the first Dutchman to win in F1 and the first man to win on a mid-season debut for a team since Juan-Manuel Fangio for Mercedes in 1954.
    • Force India will be hoping to spring another surprise. Perez finished fourth in Barcelona last year, his and team’s best-ever finish on this track. The Mexican is attempting to score back-to-back podium finishes for the first time in his and his team’s history this weekend.
    • Nico Hulkenberg has not been eliminated in Q1 since the 2015 Spanish GP, and this is the only circuit at which the German has never qualified higher than 10th in his F1 career (seven previous visits).
    • It’s safe to say Pierre Gasly has endured an action-packed start to his first full season in F1. And there’s no reason he cannot replicate his fourth-placed finish in Bahrain this weekend. He has scored more podium finishes in Catalunya than on any other circuit in his GP2 career, with three podiums in four starts in 2015-16.
    • Not including retirements, Nico Rosberg, who started the 2013 race in P1, is the only pole-sitter to finish outside the top-5 in a Spanish Grand Prix – regardless of venue – in the history of Formula 1.

    The circuit

    This Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is familiar territory for Formula 1 teams. Not only have they raced there every year since 1991, they also take part in extensive testing at the track.

    But this does not mean they’re in for an easy ride. In fact, the venue’s mix of high and low-speed corners plus its new track surface will once again provide the drivers with a physical and mental challenge.

    Teams often struggle to find and execute an optimum set-up here, when you consider tyre wear is particularly high and the varying winds that cut across the circuit.

    Turn 1 provides spectators with one of the best places to watch given it is one of the track’s few overtaking opportunities. The drivers, however, tend to find the latter stages of the track the more challenging. In particular, the final two turns require a fast exit in order to maximise speed down the start-finish straight into Turn 1.

    Source: Formula1.com

  • Alonso and McLaren hoping for another points-scoring race in Baku

    Alonso and McLaren hoping for another points-scoring race in Baku

    Baku (Azerbaijan), 24 April 2018: Having finished among points in all three rounds so far this season, former double World champion Fernando Alonso (McLaren) was positive that he would continue his consistent performance in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix here this weekend.

    The Spanish ace also hoped that he would replicate his last year’s performance at this circuit when the team earned its first points of the 2017 season.

    “Last year’s race in Baku was certainly a memorable one for us. It was a crazy Grand Prix and we scored our first points of the season there, so we’ll naturally be looking to repeat that this weekend.

    “Even though it’s only been on the calendar for a short time, this circuit is already known among the drivers as a great racer’s track. It’s the fastest street track of the year and also one of the longest, so it’s pretty tough on the car and the driver, but that’s definitely part of the appeal.

    “We know our limitations and where we need to improve our package, and, although we bring parts to test to every race weekend, we aren’t anticipating a radical change in our performance in Baku. However, we’re learning more and more about the behaviour of our car each time we step into the cockpit, and in Azerbaijan we’ll be maximising everything we have as usual to score as many points as possible,” said Alonso.

    Team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne said: “Baku City Circuit is a pretty tough, but also enjoyable track, and it’s quite challenging for the drivers. You literally drive through the historic centre of the old town which was a really cool experience last year, and overtaking is tricky on the narrow streets.

    “Saying that, we saw anything but a processional race last year and hopefully we can take advantage of any drama that this track throws at us next weekend. Last year was tough as the only real overtaking opportunity is at the end of the long straight, and it’ll be tricky for us again, but we’ll see what’s possible with the MCL33.

    “As well as making sure we set ourselves up on the right strategy, for me the start will be crucial on Sunday. I’ve not had the best starts over the last couple of races and with overtaking tough here we need to try to maximise our starting position. In China, we fought hard but I picked up some floor damage which made pushing ahead very difficult, so I’m looking forward to a tight battle in the midfield and progressing as much as we can in the race.”

    Eric Boullier, Racing Director, said: “On a track where drama and action seem to have become almost par for the course in Baku given last year’s events, strategy will be a key factor in next weekend’s race. We know our package tends to deliver more on Sundays, so the important thing will be to react quickly to anything that happens.

    “We must keep our heads down, push hard and take any and every opportunity that comes our way. Both of our drivers have raced brilliantly in the first grands prix of the season and I know they’ll be relishing the opportunity to maximise what they have underneath them in Baku.

    “This fast, challenging street circuit has already become a welcome and exciting location on the calendar and we’ve witnessed some great battles. Overtaking is at a premium, so, while we don’t underestimate the importance of our starting grid slots for Sunday’s race, we’re also looking forward to the challenge that racing through these historic city streets brings.”

    Focus points 

    Straight-line speed and slow-corner grip: Downforce levels are the second-lowest of the year, after Monza, in an attempt to maximise top speeds along the pit-straight, where the cars are on full-throttle for 24s. The focus for the engineers is to shave off as much downforce as possible, while still working the tyres hard enough to keep them in their operating window.

    Most demanding section: Turns Eight to 12. This series of left-right flicks alongside the medieval wall of Baku’s Old Town is also the narrowest section of the track – just 7.6m at its narrowest point. The drivers have to be very precise with their steering inputs and throttle application, which is made all the more difficult by incessant camber changes and a sharp incline in the road.

    Unique difficulty: The 2.1km/1.305-mile pit-straight produces the highest top speeds of the year. In 2016, Valtteri Bottas clocked 378kmph / 235mph here, although speeds were slightly slower last year due to the wider-format cars. At these speeds, the brakes cool dramatically, making braking for Turn One particularly difficult.

    Braking: There are six significant braking events around the lap, the hardest being into Turn One, where the cars slow from very high speed. The rest of the lap is relatively slow (there are nine third-gear corners) and it’s a delicate balance to optimise brake cooling.

    Power: The cars use 2kg of fuel per lap, which is high, and without a Safety Car period, the cars are unable to complete the race without a degree of fuel saving. It’s also a demanding race for the ERS because there are long periods of full deployment.

    Aero: Despite being a street track, Baku is a low-downforce circuit. In terms of aero package, it’s the second lowest downforce package of the season, after Monza.

    McLaren Press Release

  • Mixed result for McLaren as Alonso finishes seventh and Vandoorne 13th

    Mixed result for McLaren as Alonso finishes seventh and Vandoorne 13th

    Mixed fortune for McLaren in Shanghai. Photo: McLaren F1 Team

    Shanghai, April 15: McLaren came away from the China Grand Prix with a mixed bag as Fernando Alonso finished among points in seventh while team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne came home in 13th on Sunday.

    Starting in 13th and 14th, respectively, Alonso gained two and Vandoorne lost two places at the start which set the tone for much of the remainder of the race.

    Both drivers managed their tyres well and the team executed a strong one-stop strategy, although the advantage of this was negated somewhat by a Safety Car period in an ideal pit window for the two-stopping cars around them.

    Both Alonso and Vandoorne put in strong drives and made bold overtaking manoeuvres to make up places ahead of them, and a late final push from Alonso saw him sneak into seventh place on the penultimate lap of the race.

    Conversely, Vandoorne suffered strong vibrations in the car in the closing laps, making handling difficult and hindering any further progress, and he finished 13th.

    Alonso said: “Again, on Sundays, we seem to deliver better than any other day, which is good as this is when points are given out.

    “It was a well-executed race from our side – P13 at the start and P11 after the first lap. The Safety Car didn’t play into our hands as we were on a one-stop strategy and we’d just pitted onto good, fresh tyres which were going to take us to the end, but the Safety Car gave everyone else the opportunity to pit.

    “We had good battles with Haas and Ferrari, even though the latter wasn’t really a fair fight as Sebastian [Vettel] apparently had damage on his car and was struggling in the corners. We caught up with him, saw that the door was open in one corner, so we went for it.

    “P7 is a great result for the team after a difficult weekend, but there’s no doubt that we have to improve. Our pace wasn’t there all weekend and we were still not fast enough in the race. It was great to see more people here in the grandstands than in previous years, thanks to the Chinese fans!”

    Vandoorne said: “I didn’t have a great start today and lost a few places on the opening lap. I managed to make three solid overtakes to make a few positions back before the pit-stop. The question for us was whether to make one or two stops when racing the other cars around us, and unfortunately our one-stop strategy didn’t really pay off in the end because the others around us benefitted from pitting under the Safety Car.

    “We thought there might be more opportunities at the end, but we didn’t have the pace and I felt a strong vibration in the car which made the last few laps difficult.

    “It wasn’t the day we were hoping for, but despite this, we still showed that our race pace today was stronger than our qualifying pace. We’re working hard to improve this and our performance on Saturdays, and hopefully we can have a stronger weekend in Baku.”

    Eric Boullier, Racing Director, said: “While today was the tough race we expected, we were still able to show our fighting spirit and bring home some more valuable points.

    “Fernando made a good start, and was up to P11 by the end of the third lap. He managed to maintain strong pace compared to those around him despite the Safety Car period, executed a good strategy, and made a couple of stunning overtakes in the final stages of the race to cross the line in seventh.

    “On the other side of the garage, Stoffel wasn’t as lucky today. He had a slow start off the line and found himself with an uphill struggle after losing a couple of places. He responded strongly though, making some solid overtakes and managing his tyres well.

    “In the latter stages, when his competitors were on fresher rubber, he battled hard in the midfield despite suffering from a strong vibration which made the final laps tricky to manage. He gave it everything to finish in 13th but it was a tough day for him, and we hope for better fortunes in Baku.

    “We opted to run a one-stop strategy today with both drivers, knowing that our tyre management showed good potential. Unfortunately, we were a little bit unlucky with the Safety Car as many of the cars around us took advantage of the window to pit.

    “Still, we fought hard, proved to be opportunistic and used the strengths of our package to our advantage to come home with six more points. Now, we head back to the factory after a long stint away, to regroup and work on preparing ourselves for the next race in Baku.”

  • P13 and P14 for Alonso and Vandoorne, but McLaren hopeful of scoring points on Sunday

    P13 and P14 for Alonso and Vandoorne, but McLaren hopeful of scoring points on Sunday

    Photo: McLaren F1 Team

    Shanghai, 14 April 2018: McLaren’s former double World champion Fernando Alonso and team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne on Saturday qualified 13th and 14th for Sunday’s China Grand Prix while admitting that they lacked the pace to make it to Q3 and also straight-line speed.

    Alonso, however, opined that by finishing outside of top 10 in the qualifying, they had free choice of tyre option and not having to start on the ultrasoft that is susceptible to degradation given the degradation due to track temperatures which are expected to be high going by the sunny weather forecast for Sunday’s race.

    Alonso said: “We didn’t have the pace to make it into Q3 today. After we were P9 in Q1, we were a little bit more optimistic and thought we could make it into the top 10, but then in Q2, we weren’t quick enough.

    “We were P11 in Australia, P13 in Bahrain and here, and that’s where we are at the moment for qualifying. Not enough, we know, as we seem to be slow on the straights, but we have the potential to improve that.

    “Anyway, making it into Q3 would’ve meant starting the race tomorrow on Ultrasoft tyres, which I believe will degrade quite quickly on a hotter track due to the sunny weather forecast for tomorrow. So, in the end, I’m happy with P13 and a free choice of tyres.

    “Our race pace is a little bit better than our quali pace, so by taking good care of the tyres, and with a good start and a good strategy, points are still very possible for us.”

    Vandoorne said: “Today’s result is obviously a little bit disappointing, but we’re more or less in the positions we were expecting to be in. Since the start of the season, we’ve been around these places in qualifying, so this is how it is at the moment. There’s some work ahead of us to improve our performance.

    “On the positive side, our long run pace from Friday practice looks very promising, so we have something to play for tomorrow. We’ll also have free tyre choice, which looks to be something pretty crucial again here and will make a difference.

    “The higher temperatures expected for tomorrow will play to our advantage in terms of tyre degradation, as most people ahead of us will be on the Ultrasofts. We’re looking to be ambitious again, take any opportunities, make no mistakes and have a strong race.”

    Eric Boullier, Racing Director, said: “Given that the Bahrain and Chinese Grands Prix take place on consecutive weekends, we knew we wouldn’t be expecting a significant change in performance from one to the next.

    “Of course, since Bahrain, we’ve taken steps to adapt our approach to qualifying, but any direct improvement is part of a longer-term development plan that is in the pipeline for the coming races.

    “Nevertheless, the team has been meticulous in our preparation for every session this weekend using our learning from Bahrain and the data we’ve been gathering here. Although we’re not expecting overnight miracles, we believe our race pace will continue to be more representative of our true performance.

    “As we know, the all-important result from any Grand Prix weekend comes in the race, and that’s where our focus firmly lies. Tyre strategy will be key and having a free choice is a certain advantage over the cars further ahead of us. Our aim is to continue our momentum from the past two race days and bring home some more valuable points tomorrow afternoon.”

    The final practice session of the weekend provided the team with a good indication of conditions and track evolution in preparation for Sunday’s race. Both drivers reported strong wind at key sections of the track, but neither was particularly troubled by it. Both cars completed their programmes, the data from which is used to inform the direction for set-up for the following sessions and most importantly, the race.

    In Q1 both cars completed two runs each and were never threatened by the chasing pack, comfortably progressing through to Q2.

    The next session was always going to prove to be more challenging in the tight midfield pack. Both drivers completed one run each and qualified next to each other on the grid – Fernando in 13th and Stoffel 14th.

    Source: McLaren Press Release

  • McLaren boys put in the extra miles during FP sessions and hoping for good results

    McLaren boys put in the extra miles during FP sessions and hoping for good results

    Photos: McLaren F1 team

    Shanghai, April 13: Expressing satisfaction over his team McLaren’s preparedness for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso, who finished 12th and 10th respectively in the two Free Practice sessions, here today, felt that they needed to “improvise” over the next two days during the qualifying and race.

    Alonso’s team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne, despite a wobble during the practice session, said he was confident that everything will come together over the next two days. According to a McLaren press release, about 15 minutes before the end of the session, Vandoorne was released from the box with a loose rear right wheel, the cause of which the team is still investigating.

    The release said the morning session was a productive one for the team, where the run plan focussed primarily on set-up, correlation and tyre work. Minus a short trip across the gravel for Stoffel Vandoorne, the session ran smoothly and the team completed its planned run programme.

    In the afternoon, the team focussed on the normal set-up correlation and longer runs in preparation for the weekend ahead. Again, both sessions were productive despite the impending threat of rain out on track.

    The rain finally began to fall five minutes before the chequered flag, at which point the team opted to put Fernando on Intermediate tyres to gather data on the conditions in the event of similar conditions on Saturday or Sunday, the release added.

    Fernando Alonso

    Alonso said: “The first session today was primarily spent testing some new parts we have on the car, while in the second session we focussed on the tyres. Since the degradation here is quite high, especially on the front tyres, it was important for Stoffel and me to test both compounds.

    “We also managed to check the car in wet conditions, on Inter tyres, even though it was only for a few minutes at the end of the session. It’s always good to have an idea of engine mapping and everything else, which is different in the wet.

    “We’re expecting good weather for the race – dry, sunny and wind blowing in a different direction – therefore not very similar conditions to today, so on Sunday we’ll need to improvise.

    “We completed all the items on our programme and now we need to go through all the data and find performance for tomorrow.”

    Vandoorne, who was 18th and 14th quickest in the two practice sessions, said: “It’s not been the smoothest Friday for us. We had a few problems in FP1, and FP2 wasn’t perfect either with the issue with the pit-stop, but I did feel a lot more confident in the car this afternoon.

    Stoffel Vandoorne

    “In general, we’ve learned a lot again and FP2 was a much better session. The most positive thing from today, as we’ve learned over the last couple of weekends, is that our race pace looks promising and there’s a lot of effort going into our race preparation. Our qualifying performance we still need to work on a bit and understand a few things, but generally I feel okay.

    “There’s plenty to play with here – the weather might look a bit tricky tomorrow and we’ll have a few different possibilities in terms of allocating tyres, but I think we have everything we need. There is quite a big difference between the Prime and the Option tyres as they behave quite differently so it will make things pretty interesting.

    “We’re prepared and we know what we want for the race, so we should be in a strong position. It was also quite windy today and I think everyone was affected by it, but generally we had no major issues.”

    Regarding his incident, Vandoorne said: “After the pit-stop I left the box and I didn’t feel that there was anything wrong straight away. It was only as I turned left into Turn Three that I felt something happen, and when I looked in the mirror I could see that the right rear wheel was wobbly, so I immediately parked the car as a safety precaution. At the moment, we’re still investigating, so it’s a bit too early to say what caused it.

    “Pit-stops are part of Formula 1 and I think they always will be in some way. Of course, we don’t like to see incidents like we saw in Bahrain – we’ve seen a couple of cars having to park up and it’s definitely not what we want – but it happens every now and then.”

    Eric Boullier, Racing Director, said: “Today was a useful day for us in terms of setting up the car for the weekend ahead. We managed to complete a solid amount of work and test a lot of different components, compounds and configurations, and now we’ll focus on analysing the data ahead of tomorrow.

    “The threat of rain over the weekend puts a question mark over set-up for all the teams in the pit-lane, but we’re working hard to prepare ourselves for any eventuality using the data we have and read the situation as best we can. We managed to get one run in on the Inters at the end of the session so at least we have some information and feeling for the car’s behaviour in these kinds of conditions here in Shanghai.

    “We don’t know yet what caused the issue in Stoffel’s practice pit-stop. It appears the right rear wheel didn’t attach properly, but we’re still investigating.”

    Source: McLaren F1 team Press Release

  • Lando Norris is official F1 test, reserve driver for McLaren in 2018

    McLaren is pleased to confirm that Lando Norris will become the team’s official Formula 1 test and reserve driver for the 2018 season.

    Lando has been a member of the McLaren Young Driver programme since the start of 2017, and today’s announcement crowns a hugely impressive 12 months for the 17 year old.

    Last December, he won the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, an accolade renowned for putting promising young talent on the motorsport map.

    In August, he impressed hugely on his Formula 1 test debut at the Hungaroring, spending a day developing the MCL32.

    Last month, he won the FIA European Formula 3 Championship, at his very first attempt. Now, he is currently assessing the opportunities and budgets required for a full single-seater racing campaign in 2018.

    As test and reserve driver, Lando will become a fully engaged member of the McLaren race team. He will attend grands prix, working closely with the drivers, engineering and marketing teams as he develops and expands his understanding of the role of a modern Formula 1 driver.

    He will also attend and take part in the team’s test 2018 programme, with active roles both on the track and in the simulator.

    Lando Norris said: 

    “I’m so excited to be joining McLaren as test and reserve driver for 2018. The last 12 months have been an incredible journey for me – I’ve enjoyed every single minute – and this is just an amazing way to bring the year to an end.

    “I’m really looking forward to helping the team, starting next week with the tyre test at Interlagos, and I will work harder than ever to learn and develop across the next year. I have two excellent teachers in Fernando and Stoffel, and I will do my best to help with the team’s efforts to get back to the front.

    “I’m still working hard to finalise my own racing programme for 2018 – we’re close on a number of different fronts, but not quite there yet. I hope to be able to announce something shortly.”

    Zak Brown, McLaren Technology Group Executive Director, said: 

    “Lando is an outstanding young talent. Today’s announcement is thoroughly deserved, and underlines the incredible high regard in which we hold his abilities. By winning last year in Formula Renault, triumphing in the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, and then showing the speed and consistency needed to win the European F3 championship, he is undoubtedly carving himself a reputation as one of the very best up-and-coming single-seater drivers in the world.

    “His summer test for McLaren was also remarkably impressive, and was further proof that he is ready to step up and take on a role of this size, scope and responsibility.

    “At McLaren, we are all extremely keen to help him achieve his goal of racing in Formula 1.”

    Eric Boullier, McLaren Racing Director, said: 

    “We feel it’s very important to have a fully enrolled test and reserve driver within the team. Lando will attend grands prix and become a fully integrated member of the team.

    “Lando is somebody who arrives with a very high level of ability, ambition and application; it is our job to develop and fine-tune his focus as we increase his understanding of how a Formula 1 team operates and how a modern grand prix car works.

    “There will be plenty of opportunity to observe, learn and participate throughout 2018, and we want to make sure Lando is fully prepared, if needed, to step into Fernando or Stoffel’s shoes at a moment’s notice.”

    eom/McLaren press release