McLaren Formula 1 team is geared up to tackle the fresh challenges and opportunities presented by the 2022 season with their newly developed MCL36 car. After months of dedicated work at Woking, the entire team is eager to return to the track and explore the potential of this new generation of Formula 1 regulations. Team Principal Andreas Seidl highlights the collective anticipation and effort invested in designing a car that can compete at the forefront of the grid.
Seidl acknowledged the significant work by Formula 1 and the FIA in creating technical and sporting regulations aimed at fostering closer racing and a more level playing field. He lauded Lando Norris’s exceptional 2021 season, marked by four podiums and a pole position, emphasizing Norris’s near miss at a race victory and his proven capability to win Grand Prix races. He also noted Daniel Ricciardo’s resilience and strong finish in the latter half of the season, including McLaren’s first victory since 2012, recognizing Ricciardo’s skill and positive spirit throughout the season’s challenges. Together, Norris and Ricciardo form a formidable driver line-up, and the team is excited to see their performance in the MCL36, a product of immense team effort and passion.
The team’s objective for the season remains consistent: to reduce the gap to the leading teams. Seidl recognizes the intense competition and maintains a realistic perspective on their progress, emphasizing ongoing investments in key infrastructure to provide the necessary tools for top-tier competition in the future. He expressed gratitude to every team member for their hard work in bringing the MCL36 Mclaren Car to fruition and voiced eagerness to start racing.
Technical Director James Key echoed the excitement surrounding the new regulations, describing it as an opportunity to completely rethink their car philosophy. He commended the McLaren team for their diligent work in establishing a competitive foundation for both the current and future seasons with this new McLaren car. Key pointed out that the performance potential of the new regulations is still largely untapped, anticipating a fierce development race among teams as they refine their designs and innovate ground-effect downforce generation.
Key emphasized the significance of ground-effect in the new Formula 1 era, noting its potential to create closer and more thrilling races. He praised the Woking team’s relentless efforts in designing, producing, and assembling the car under challenging global conditions. He concluded by expressing immense pride in the team’s effective and safe approach to overcoming these challenges and their readiness to unleash the MCL36 on the track and engage in the development battle with their competitors.
