“Better late than uncompetitive” - Martin Whitmarsh
McLaren team principal, Martin Whitmarsh believes that missing the first pre-season test will not harm the team’s performance. He declared that hitting the track with a fully developed car is far better than participating in all the practice sessions with
an under-developed package.
McLaren announced earlier this month that the team will be using an interim version of its 2010 car during the first per-season test. The test is scheduled to begin on February 1st, 2011, in Valencia and will continue for three days. On the other
hand, McLaren has declared that it would be unveiling its new car on February 4th; a day after the first practice ends. Hence, the team’s new car will not hit the track until the start of second test in Jerez, Spain. As per reports, the launching
ceremony of McLaren’s 2011 car will take place in Berlin.
Moreover, Force India also announced that its new car would not be running in the first test. Last year, Red Bull Racing and Force India ran the first practice session without their new cars. This year, majority of the teams have declared to launch their
cars a day ahead of the test, i.e. on January 31st. Ferrari will be the first one to introduce its car, as it has announced to hold the launching ceremony on January 28th.
While talking about the new package on Friday, Whitmarsh said, "The MP4-26 is on schedule and will be launched on February 4, after which it will go through the normal testing processes. We feel that timetable is optimal with regard to providing Jenson Button
and Lewis Hamilton with the best possible package for the first race in Bahrain. And that will be just the beginning of a progressive and rigorous development programme that will continue right up until the Brazilian Grand Prix on November 27."
The team is looking forward to an exciting and competitive 2011 Formula One season. With many changes in the FIA regulations, it is believed that the upcoming season is going to be the one of most vicious battles ever in the history of the sport. Among several
other changes this season, the return of KERS is a very crucial one. McLaren believes that the technology is going to help the British squad excel remarkably.
KERS was first introduced in 2009, but owing to its high cost several teams were not able to capitalize on the technology back then. This forced the FIA to ban the system for the 2010 season, but only after a year’s time, it has made its way back into the
sport. In 2009, McLaren had the best developed KERS, and with some recent modifications, the team aspires to bring the most competitive system on the track.
The introduction of new Pirelli tyres on the track is also a very crucial change. While discussing about the revisions in the sport, Whitmarsh assured that the team is well equipped for all the changes taking place. He told that the next season’s MP4-26
does not only adhere to all the modified rules, but also has some unique features that will make the team shine out on the tracks.
He concluded saying, “Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' mission is a unilateral one: to win. We won five Grands Prix last year, including three one-two finishes, and we came second in the constructors' championship, significantly ahead of our traditional rivals,
Ferrari. But although many teams would be more than satisfied with that performance, we weren't and aren't.”
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