The Woking-based team fully accept that their current infrastructure sets them back against bigger teams like Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
However, it is hoped that the addition of major new investments in a wind tunnel and a simulator, which should be ready next year, will have a significant impact on its progress.
Until that happens, McLaren are aware that doing much better than the fifth place they finished in this year’s Constructors’ Championship will be a tall order.
However, team principal Andreas Seidl says that doesn’t mean the team is ready to just sit back and wait until they can take a bigger step.
Instead, he believes McLaren have the opportunity to up their game and put themselves in the best possible place to capitalize on the opportunities that come their way.
“The goal is clear also next year, we want to take another step forward in all areas of the team,” he said.
“It’s not just with the car itself, including some of the weaknesses we’ve seen this year, but also with just taking the next step as a team in all aspects.
“At the same time, I have a realistic view of where we are now as a team. I’m also aware of the limitations we still have, mainly on the infrastructure side, especially in relation to teams. who are racing in front of us, and it’s even teams like Alpine and teams who are racing behind us at the moment.
“So that means there isn’t necessarily any possible progress in the constructors’ championship. But, at the same time, we’re runners and we wake up in the morning because we want to shorten the ride we’re on and try to do a better job. That’s the ambition you have.
Wind tunnel
Photo by: McLaren
After finishing third in the Constructors’ Championship in 2020, McLaren finished fourth in 2021 before finishing fifth this year.
While Seidl says the streak isn’t ideal, he believes McLaren are making progress in putting together what it needs to get back to the top of the grid.
“For me, in the end, even when I look at this season, it’s like a step back from previous seasons,” he said.
“But I think there were still a lot of positives this year, where we took steps forward as a team. That’s why, in the end, it’s still a positive season for us.
“We are on a trip. We know exactly what we need to do to take these next steps as a team. At the same time, we know it takes time.
“But the positive thing is that we know all the things that are coming and coming together are what we need to take that last step in the next few years. And we just have to make sure that we continue to have continuity also in the team, in terms of the staff organisation, because I am convinced that we have all the talent involved that we need.
“It’s just up to us now to put it all together and make it work, and also show that we can do it.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said the team fully accepts that the limitations of the Toyota wind tunnel technology it currently uses will curb its automotive potential until its own facilities are ready.
“There are things that we can identify in the wind tunnel that we’re in, and the lack of certain technologies that the wind tunnel has,” he said. “It’s an aero game; it’s a dating game.
“The heat is not our friend from a grip point of view. And when we look at what wind tunnel we’re in now, what it’s not doing, versus what our new wind tunnel is going to do, we know what the problem is. We can’t quite tackle it until we have better technology.
The Woking-based team fully accept that their current infrastructure sets them back against bigger teams like Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
However, it is hoped that the addition of major new investments in a wind tunnel and a simulator, which should be ready next year, will have a significant impact on its progress.
Until that happens, McLaren are aware that doing much better than the fifth place they finished in this year’s Constructors’ Championship will be a tall order.
However, team principal Andreas Seidl says that doesn’t mean the team is ready to just sit back and wait until they can take a bigger step.
Instead, he believes McLaren have the opportunity to up their game and put themselves in the best possible place to capitalize on the opportunities that come their way.
“The goal is clear also next year, we want to take another step forward in all areas of the team,” he said.
“It’s not just with the car itself, including some of the weaknesses we’ve seen this year, but also with just taking the next step as a team in all aspects.
“At the same time, I have a realistic view of where we are now as a team. I’m also aware of the limitations we still have, mainly on the infrastructure side, especially in relation to teams. who are racing in front of us, and it’s even teams like Alpine and teams who are racing behind us at the moment.
“So that means there isn’t necessarily any possible progress in the constructors’ championship. But, at the same time, we’re runners and we wake up in the morning because we want to shorten the ride we’re on and try to do a better job. That’s the ambition you have.
Wind tunnel
Photo by: McLaren
After finishing third in the Constructors’ Championship in 2020, McLaren finished fourth in 2021 before finishing fifth this year.
While Seidl says the streak isn’t ideal, he believes McLaren are making progress in putting together what it needs to get back to the top of the grid.
“For me, in the end, even when I look at this season, it’s like a step back from previous seasons,” he said.
“But I think there were still a lot of positives this year, where we took steps forward as a team. That’s why, in the end, it’s still a positive season for us.
“We are on a trip. We know exactly what we need to do to take these next steps as a team. At the same time, we know it takes time.
“But the positive thing is that we know all the things that are coming and coming together are what we need to take that last step in the next few years. And we just have to make sure that we continue to have continuity also in the team, in terms of the staff organisation, because I am convinced that we have all the talent involved that we need.
“It’s just up to us now to put it all together and make it work, and also show that we can do it.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said the team fully accepts that the limitations of the Toyota wind tunnel technology it currently uses will curb its automotive potential until its own facilities are ready.
“There are things that we can identify in the wind tunnel that we’re in, and the lack of certain technologies that the wind tunnel has,” he said. “It’s an aero game; it’s a dating game.
“The heat is not our friend from a grip point of view. And when we look at what wind tunnel we’re in now, what it’s not doing, versus what our new wind tunnel is going to do, we know what the problem is. We can’t quite tackle it until we have better technology.
