- Written by Andrew Benson
- chief f1 writer
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri drive the MCL38 at Silverstone on Monday
Speaking at the unveiling of the new car, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said the team was “realistic” about its expectations for the new season.
McLaren's Lando Norris became the second-highest scorer behind runaway champion Max Verstappen in last year's final 12 races after major upgrades to his car.
But Brown said, “I think every team improves in the offseason.''
“I have full confidence that we will continue to build on the turnaround we had last season,” Norris said.
McLaren's new MCL38 will undergo its first test at Silverstone on Monday, with Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri behind the wheel.
It will run alongside the new Mercedes, which will also be announced on the same day.
“The great thing about this sport is that it's very competitive, so we have to remain realistic,” Brown said.
“The real test of whether we are going in the right direction will be qualifying in Bahrain.
“While we are all excited to be racing again, we have a long season ahead of us and know that there is still a lot of work left to ensure we build on the progress we have made throughout 2023. I know.”
Announced on Monday, Aston Martin is already conducting secret tests at Silverstone, as well as Red Bull, ahead of Thursday's official launch.
Official pre-season testing will take place in Bahrain from February 21st to 23rd, with the first race taking place in the Gulf state on March 2nd.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “Everything is now in place in terms of infrastructure, people and culture, so we will continue to move forward and build on the work we have done to get back to the front of the grid.” Ta.
“We have a lot of work to do, including pacing the MCL38 during pre-season testing in Bahrain before we hit the track for the competition sessions.
“The team has done a good job over the winter and we are confident that we can hit the ground running, but we also know that important tasks remain before the season starts.
“There is a lot of innovation in this car, but not all the areas we want to work on have been completed in the launch spec car. These areas will now be the focus of development during the season and are already underway. It’s inside.”
