McLaren face major issues before kick-off
Boss admits ‘Melbourne is going to be tough’
>> LONDON: Honda-powered McLaren are braced for a tough start to the Formula One season but talk of the former champions being in ‘crisis’ is overblown, executive director Zak Brown said.
“Clearly we have problems,” the American told Sky Sports television yesterday after the penultimate day of testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya brought more breakdowns and red flags.
Belgian rookie Stoffel Vandoorne managed only 48 laps — not even a race distance and less than a third of that covered by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
“I think Melbourne is going to be tough. I would be surprised if we are where we need to be and want to be by Melbourne. So it’s going to be a tough start to the year,” said Brown.
The season starts in Australia on March 26 and Brown said the whole team was pulling together to address the issues “so I think crisis would be a bit strong”.
Double world champion Fernando Alonso was critical of McLaren’s engine partners on Wednesday, telling Spanish reporters that everyone in the team was ready to win “apart from Honda”.
“We have only one problem, that is the power unit. There is no reliability and there is no power,” said the Spaniard, who will be out of contract at the end of the season and has been unable to get much test mileage under his belt.
McLaren have had a torrid time since they renewed their previously successful partnership with the Japanese manufacturer.
In 2015, their first year together, the former champions endured their worst season and finished ninth overall after a spate of power unit failures. In 2016 they had better reliability but still only finished sixth.
The second most successful team, in terms of race wins and total championships, has not won a race since 2012 when they had Mercedes engines.
“We’ve been given assurances from Honda that they are going to do everything they can to give us the best power unit possible,” said Brown.
“But I think in this world it’s pretty hard for anyone to promise — a driver to promise he’s going to win or for us to promise to be the best race car or best power plant.”
He said McLaren had a longterm contract with Honda and both sides had the right people to make it work. There was no question they would see it out because “that’s what McLaren does”.
Meanwhile, Vettel refused to accept the mantle of favourite from Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton.
The four-time champion wrapped up his preparations for the opening Australian Grand Prix with the fastest lap yet around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya — a one minute 19.024 effort.
The German also completed a mammoth stint of 156 laps, equivalent to two and a half race distances in the space of a day.
Triple champion Hamilton was second quickest in 1:19.352, 0.328 slower, with both men lapping on the fastest ultrasoft tyres.
The Briton, who did 52 laps but shared duties with Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas, had said on Tuesday that “Ferrari must be the favourite” and he saw nothing to change his mind two days later.
“I think Ferrari are bluffing and that they are a lot quicker than they are showing,” said the Mercedes driver, who won 10 races last year but still lost out in the title battle to now-retired team mate Nico Rosberg.
“They’re very close to us. It’s difficult right now to say exactly who is quicker. But they are very close, if not faster.”
Vettel said: “I think if you look at the amount of laps Mercedes has done, if you look historically how slow they were going in the test, how much they were able to ramp it up for the races... I think they’re the ones to beat.
Bottas said Mercedes were not relaxing and “not in a comfortable situation at all.
“Ferrari are looking very strong, Red Bull can always surprise, and other teams can be strong. But Ferrari look solid, strong and fast — and who knows what people will bring to Melbourne,” added the Finn.
COMMERCIAL APPOINTMENTS
Formula One has appointed global heads for sponsorship and research as it accelerates into a new era under US-based Liberty Media following the departure of Bernie Ecclestone.
It said in a statement yesterday that former ESPN executive Murray Barnett would join from World Rugby, where he was chief commercial officer, in April as global head of sponsorship and commercial partnerships.
Matthew Roberts starts in June as global head of research, joining from Sky television where he led the sports insight division. He also worked previously for ESPN and BT Sport.
Liberty Media completed their takeover in January, with 86-year-old Ecclestone moved aside in an as-yet undefined “emeritus” role.