According to the CEO of McLaren Racing Zak Brown, expectations have been adjusted in light of the MCL38’s strong one-lap and race performance during testing in Bahrain, which was helped by improvements at “every race.”
McLaren was the unexpected star of 2023. Despite starting the season considerably behind the pack, their MCL60 developed into a competitive racing vehicle that allowed them to secure nine podium places and a sprint victory by the end of the run.
It makes sense that McLaren will have high expectations going into Formula One in 2024. Following the three-day test in Bahrain, Brown expressed confidence that the team is ready to at least continue where they left off in the chase group behind Red Bull, a position that McLaren shared with Mercedes and Ferrari the previous season.
McLaren wants to win the Formula One in 2024.
Thomas Maher provided further reporting.
As McLaren’s key strength from the previous season was in-season growth, Brown has given himself the objective of winning in Formula One 2024, ideally more than once, with the team’s overall approach being to “bring stuff to every race.”
Brown reportedly added, “[It was] certainly a lot better than last year’s test,” according to RacingNews365.com.
The automobile taught us a lot of information. We had our share of problems here and there, but I’m pretty sure everyone in pit lane did too.
“To find out where you might have some weak places is the purpose of testing.
We appear to have a good race pace as well as a good one-lap pace. I never really knew what the other people were doing.
We felt going into this year that we were going to finish somewhere in the middle of last year, which is why we felt like we were very competitive overall.
“Hopefully, and I’m sure they will, the developments we have will keep working. As of right moment, everything about the progress seems promising.
“Hopefully, we can maintain the current rate of progress, and if one or two teams lose focus, we might be able to convert one of our six second-place finishes from last year—six podiums—into one of those top spots, which is undoubtedly our goal.
Every race, we’ll have the same stuff as before, but this year we’ll also be bringing some major changes, like your floors, wings, and bodywork.
“I don’t see any reason why the current state of the development curve can’t continue. We’re excited about the event the following weekend and thought the test went well.
The F1 2024 cars that PlanetF1.com suggests are: Which team has assigned its chassis for the 2024 season?
Twelve drivers will not have contracts when the F1 2024 season concludes.
Although Ferrari led the way during the F1 2024 Bahrain testing, the consensus in the field is that three-time world champion Max Verstappen will lead the way again when the new season begins.
Driver for McLaren Lando Norris supported that opinion by acknowledging that, although the MCL38 is a step in the right direction, it won’t be sufficient to take on Red Bull or Ferrari right now.
Do I believe we’ve made progress? Indeed, Norris said to reporters in Bahrain, including Thomas Maher of PlanetF1.com. Do I believe that we have improved a great deal? Indeed.
“I think we’re in a good position; we had a decent car at the end of the previous season, and we’ve made some progress in the right direction. However, we still lag far behind Ferrari and Red Bull,” the driver said.
Before the F1 2024 season, Norris inked a new contract with McLaren that would keep him with the team through 2025.