McLaren set to test its MP4-27 in Jerez at the first pre-season test – Formula 1 news
McLaren will test its latest edition MP4-27 in Jerez at the first pre-season test.
McLaren are expected to show significant improvement with the updated car for the 2012 season. There has been speculation that McLaren will be a front-runner for 2012 for the constructors’ and drivers’ championship.
McLaren will get only three pre-season tests and would hope for as much track time as they can eke out. Other teams who have also announced to test their cars at the pre-season tests are Red Bull, Sauber, Ferrari and Williams.
Even though Red Bull had all the advantage because of the off-throttle blown diffuser, Jenson Button the McLaren driver came in second on the drivers’ championship standings. Regulations barring the off-throttle blown diffuser will make things much more
even at the grid and McLaren has shown enough evidence especially during the latter stages of the 2011 season that they have updated their car to gain some much needed competitiveness.
Lewis Hamilton the star driver for McLaren was not the same driver in 2011 and admitted it has not been the worst seasons the Brit has seen. Although Hamilton picked up pace in the later stages of the 2011 season and won Abu Dhabi Grand Prix taking his tally
of the season to three matching his team-mate Jenson Button in wins.
2012 is also tipped to be a test for the two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who will be under pressure to display his true brilliance and mettle in what is going to be an exciting test of skill and talent.
Whereas the Aussie driver Mark Webber has signalled that he will also look to have a dominating 2012 season as he attempts to out run his younger teammate Vettel. Webber was very close to a drivers’ championship in 2010 but lost his way in the later stages
of the season and Vettel took the title. It was later revealed that Webber was carrying a collarbone fracture in the last four races of the 2010 season making his performance even more remarkable.
Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull are all considered competitive and serious contenders for the 2012 championships. Let’s see how the next season turns out to be.
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