2011’s winter worst for McLaren in 20 years – Paddy Lowe
According to the Technical Director of McLaren, Paddy Lowe, he experienced the worst winter with the team in the past 20 years mainly because of the fact that the team was unable to do much with its new car’s development during this period.
“This was even worse, because then [2009] the problem was merely performance. [This year] at the final test [in Barcelona] the new items didn't work and the car was unreliable”, said Lowe.
Firstly, the team delayed its new car MP4-26’s launch until the second pre-season test session and after testing the new car, it was revealed that the car was not performing up to the team’s expectations as it was unreliable and slow.
The pre-season testing period was horrible for McLaren in terms of results, as well and if the team does not obtain any results, developing a car becomes impossible and that is what happened with McLaren this year.
The team also struggled to come up with a solution for its “complex exhaust system” but after the 2011 Formula 1 season’s opening grand prix in Australia, the team improved its car vitally during the Friday practice sessions of the race and eventually, came
up with a better car as compared to Ferrari and Mercedes GP’s respective cars.
With each race, the team improved its new car and until the Chinese Grand Prix, the team secured its first win as Lewis Hamilton crossed the chequered flag ahead of the two Red Bull Racing Drivers at the Shanghai International circuit this past weekend.
Lowe revealed that McLaren’s team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, has recently requested the team to come up with a simpler exhaust system, similar to the one Red Bull Racing Team is using but since the team has not been able to test the “solved” exhaust system,
Paddy admitted that the beginning of the season was very tough for the team.
“After the first practice session in Australia I was hugely relieved”, Lowe said.
The upcoming race is expected to take place in Turkey and it is believed that McLaren is going to try to keep its pace and maintain its performance in Istanbul as well.
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