McLaren launch the MCL38.
McLaren may not have had all their innovations on the car at the time of the launch, but Bernie Collins isn’t worried as she’s expecting a “very different” MCL38 come the end of pre-season testing.
McLaren unveiled their 2024 challenger, the MCL38, a week ago but it was by no means the finished product, said team boss Andrea Stella.
“There are a number of innovations on the car, but not all the areas we want to address have been completed for our launch-spec car,” he revealed. “Those areas now become the focus of our in-season development, which is already in progress.”
McLaren are amongst the ‘favourites’ for F1 2024
That comment raised a few eyebrows as, last year, McLaren went into the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on the back foot having missed their pre-season targets.
Although they caught up during the season, arguably the most improved team, fans were left wondering if McLaren were once again in a negative situation.
Collins, a former Aston Martin strategist, says no as she believes McLaren just gave themselves more time in the wind tunnel before bringing parts to Bahrain for the three-day pre-season test.
“It depends a bit on what the upgrade is, we’ve not really got an indication of what they think is coming,” she told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“In previous years, when we had the two tests of three days each, it would be very, very normal that the car that finished the test was very different to the car that started the test.
“I think the cars that are rolled out in testing will be different to what we’ve seen in the launches last week.
“Teams delay bringing upgrades, delay aero departments as much as they can so there’s two weeks maybe between components being ready and components being on the car, that makes a difference in terms of wind tunnel time. So I don’t think is necessarily a negative.
“And you know, even in these three days of testing the car on Day Three will be different to the car on Day One.
PlanetF1.com recommends
Revealed: The top 10 drivers with the most F1 points without a win
The unfortunate holders of the most unwanted records in Formula 1
“Many reasons for that. We’ll start to take off sensors that we don’t need, the car gets a lot lighter over the test because Day One you have loads of stuff on there. They’re trying to check everything, you’re trying to check temperatures and pressures and lots going on.
“The car on Day Three will be different and people will still be bringing upgrades on Day Three of the test in advance of the race.
“So it’s not necessarily a negative and it is good to understand the car before you add these upgrades onto it.
“But we just don’t know what the upgrades are. So we don’t have a clear answer. But it sounds like they got stuff coming pretty quickly into the year which is good.”
Collins, in fact, reckons McLaren will be one of the favourites this season after last year’s huge strides forward.
“They’ve got to be a favourite given how they finished last year so let’s all hope they’re a lot closer to Red Bull,” she added.
McLaren secured nine podiums last season, including seven runner-up results, but fell short of a maiden Grand Prix win for either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri. The latter, though, did win the Qatar Sprint with McLaren finishing the season P4 in the Constructors’ Championship.
News Related
-
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar’s cost Sources within Umno have not ruled out strong speculation since last month about a so-called “exit plan” for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a move that could pave the way for his political retirement having survived more ...
See Details:
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar's cost
-
Brianna Ghey died after she was found with fatal stab wounds in a park Two teenagers accused of murdering Brianna Ghey showed a “preoccupation” with “violence, torture and death”, a court has heard. The body of Brianna, 16, who was transgender, was discovered by dog walkers in a park in ...
See Details:
Murder-accused teens 'had preoccupation with torture'
-
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY Guard Corps Commander-in-Cheif Major General Hossein Salami speaks at an anti-Israel protest in Tehran on Saturday. The IRGC trained Hezbollah to use human shields, say the writers. The conflict in Gaza has raised a deeply troubling issue: Reports suggest that Hamas is deliberately using civilians as shields, a ...
See Details:
A plea for Islamic voices against using human shields - opinion
-
Photo for illustration purposes only. – BERNAMA FILE PIX SHAH ALAM – The government needs to strengthen the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, especially with the exemption of visas for Chinese and Indian citizens visiting the country starting Dec 1. Universiti Tun Abdul Razak economic expert Emeritus Professor Dr ...
See Details:
Strengthen MM2H programme, promote multiple entry visa
-
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill KUALA LUMPUR: The generational end-game (GEG) element has been removed from the revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 28). This is as the Health Ministry tries for the ...
See Details:
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill
-
-
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia Airlines launches year-end sale
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Dr M accuses govt of bribery over allocations
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia to check if the Netherlands still keen to send flood experts
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Appeals court to rule in Isa’s graft case on Jan 31
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Elephants Trample On Axia With Family Of Three Inside
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Sirul fitted with monitoring device
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Nigerian airliner lands at wrong airport
OTHER NEWS
THOSE looking for fresh produce may find themselves spoilt for choice at the biggest wet market in Klang, but visitors to the place say the condition of the facilities and ...
Read more »
Olive Grove is the first-ever gated-and-guarded development in Bercham, Ipoh with 24-hour security. IPOH: YTL Land and Development Bhd announced that Phase 1 of Olive Grove is fully sold while ...
Read more »
Screenshots of a video showing a teenager pointing a knife at an elderly e-hailing driver. PETALING JAYA: Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for holding an elderly e-hailing driver at ...
Read more »
Sprint Highway’s Semantan To KL Slip Road Fully Closed Until Dec 31 If you’re a regular user of the Sprint expressway, you’ll need to do some planning for your trips ...
Read more »
Genshin Impact Version 4.3 Leak Showcases Update to Domains New leaks reveals a quality-of-life update to Domains in Genshin Impact, making it easier for players to repeat and farm resources. ...
Read more »
CG Computers will host the Urban Republic (UR) Warehouse Clearance from 30 November to 3 December at the Atria Shopping Gallery in Petaling Jaya. During the event, visitor can get ...
Read more »
Photo for illustrative purposes only – 123RF KUALA LUMPUR – Hyperinflation has never happened in Malaysia and the government hopes it will never happen, according to the Economy Ministry. It ...
Read more »