(Motorsport-Total.com) – McLaren has concluded the winter tests in Bahrain with an overall positive impression – but does not see itself at the very front of the pecking order before the season opener in Australia. Team principal Andrea Stella speaks of a productive preparation, but ranks Ferrari and Mercedes as slight favorites.
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After a total of nine test days – including the shakedown in Barcelona and the two official tests in Sakhir – Stella draws a clear conclusion: “Overall, it was a positive test session. Especially here in Bahrain, the car behaved very reliably.”
From the team principal’s perspective, McLaren was able to work through practically all planned program points. “We basically ticked off all the test points – from a functional point of view, from a reliability point of view, and with regard to raceability.” It was precisely this stability that made it possible to “complete a lot of laps and learn a lot.”
Stella: We can say that we have understood the car
“I think we are at a point where we can say that the potential of the car has been relatively well understood and also utilized,” says Stella, who at the same time qualifies: “Of course, everything is new, and there is something to learn with every run.”
It was particularly important that the team was able to make progress every day. “I believe we added a bit of performance every single day,” Stella explains. This was only possible because they were able to “test, experiment, play with the set-up, work on aerodynamic optimization, work with the tires – and I would say also play with the use and optimization of the power unit.”
Stella describes the latter in particular as “definitively a big point.” The new engine generation requires significantly more management from the drivers and engineers – an aspect that McLaren has worked on intensively, according to the team principal.
Ferrari and Mercedes as the benchmark – McLaren in the top 4 group
When classifying the pecking order, Stella is open – and cautious. “I would say this test confirmed that Ferrari and Mercedes are the teams to beat.” Both had shown “a small advantage.”
He still sees McLaren in the top field: “I think McLaren is not far away. It’s good to see that we are part of the top 4 group.” However, the gap to the very front is still there.
Stella answers the question about Red Bull in a nuanced way. A race simulation by Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen took place at a similar time – and with comparable pace. “Often the race simulation is the area where you can see the real performance of the cars most accurately,” says Stella.
At the same time, he urges caution: “Depending on the time of day, a race simulation can be significantly faster.” As an example, he mentions Lando Norris, who showed a strong long-run pace at the end of the third test day – albeit under particularly favorable track conditions. “I think McLaren and Red Bull are probably very similar – Ferrari and Mercedes a step ahead.”
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Technical problem on Friday – Focus on Melbourne
The final test day did not go completely smoothly for McLaren. During the mandatory lunch break, the team discovered a technical problem with the chassis of the MCL40, which first had to be fixed. This delayed the start of the afternoon session.
For Lando Norris, this meant: The originally planned race simulation could not be fully completed. “We found a small chassis problem on the car, which delayed our afternoon program,” the Briton explains. “As a result, we couldn’t go through with the full race simulation as planned.”
Nevertheless, Norris draws a positive overall conclusion: “Overall, it was a solid nine days of testing, and we learned a lot about these new cars and how to get performance out of them – especially with regard to the new power units.”
Oscar Piastri also speaks of “three very productive days” in Bahrain and a total of nine intensive test days. “We learned a lot about these new cars,” says the Australian. “I feel in a good position before Melbourne.”
Although there is still “a lot to unlock,” especially in the first free practice sessions before the season opener. But the test plans were worked through cleanly: “We have made good progress in many areas.” For Piastri, his home race is now coming up: “Next is Melbourne, my home race. It’s always great to be there. I’m looking forward to getting back on track and driving the MCL40.”
Drivers more challenged – new era begins
Stella emphasizes that the new regulation era makes the role of the drivers even more demanding. “One area that keeps becoming clear is that the driver’s role this season under the new regulations is even more challenging.”
McLaren wants to give Norris and Piastri the best possible tools to extract maximum performance. “We know they will be more busy managing the power unit without compromising lap time or racecraft.”
After 1.108 laps and 5.776,791 kilometers in Barcelona and Bahrain, McLaren feels well prepared – but not in the role of favorite. “There is still more to learn,” Stella emphasizes. “And we will continue to develop over the course of the season to increase our competitiveness.”
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