McLaren to extend MP4-23 development

Eurosport - Wed, 01 Oct 23:45:00 2008

McLaren revealed that, contrary to the team's own expectations, they will be working on a raft of technical updates for the MP4-23 car ahead of next month's season finale at Interlagos as they bid to wrest both F1 world titles from rivals Ferrari.

2008 Malaysian GP McLaren Whitmarsh - 0

The Scuderia's failure to add to their points tally at last weekend's inaugural Singapore Grand Prix has allowed McLaren to finally close the once-commanding gap between the teams in the constructors' championship.

With Lewis Hamilton also extending his individual advantage over Felipe Massa to seven points, the Woking team are now in the driving seat in both sets of standings, but know that, in the constructors' battle especially, things are far from over.

As a result, development work has been ongoing at the team's technical centre in the UK to wring one final performance jump out of the MP4-23, even though the team are hard at work on the design and build of their 2009 challenger which will be running to a heavily revised set of regulations.

"Ordinarily, the Singapore weekend would have been our last big upgrade package of the season," McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh revealed in the wake of Hamilton's third place in F1's first night race.

"But we've now got an upgrade package focused on Brazil, and will be looking to see whether we can pull any of those improvements forwards.

"There will still be little bits and pieces brought to the car for the two Asian races, but the package of upgrades won't be as big as the one we brought to Singapore."

The inaugural Singapore event proved to be a bigger challenge than many teams expected, not only because the entire travelling party had to get used to the unusual weekend schedule - which meant attempting to remain on European time despite the seven-hour time difference - but because the Marina Bay circuit turned out to be tougher than anticipated.

"The bumps were a factor that caught everybody by surprise," Whitmarsh admitted.

"Before we arrived for the race weekend, we sent people there to do an accurate survey of the track surface for use in our pre-race engineering work. Inevitably, with a new circuit, the track surface evolves and the asphalt settles - a factor that we either didn't measure or that developed after we'd done our survey.

"Otherwise, everything worked amazingly well. Both drivers were incredibly dedicated - and the team that set their schedule up, led by Aki Hintsa, put a lot of work into it.

"But it was quite a bizarre experience. I went back to the hotel after the sessions, had something to eat and then sat with our drivers until 4am. You left them to go to bed and they would be putting on a movie - it was quite a strange feeling, but it worked very well."

While the street circuit received a generally warm welcome, there were changes that either had to be made during the weekend - including the removal of some brutal corner-cutting deterrents - or will be suggested before the circuit returns in 2009.

"The bumps were the most unexpected element of the weekend, but we also need to look more closely at the pit-lane exit and entrance," Whitmarsh commented.

"I think the race organisers will probably have to extend the entrance and exit for next year, moving them further away from the apices of corners. I'm sure that will be changed.

"However, in terms of ambience, facility and backdrop, it was just fantastic. Clearly, this has been a learning year and the organisers will have spent a lot of time overcoming the unique difficulties of attempting to put a racetrack into a metropolis, but we've seen Monaco evolve over many years and I can see the Singapore Grand Prix becoming our 'Monaco of the East'.

"The commitment of the Singaporean government and the race organisers has created an enormous amount of goodwill and that will only be reflected by the teams, who will really want to make this venue work."

Crash.net / Eurosport

Comment 13 - 32 of 92

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Gotta agree with arshad_iceman_2 , mclaren can develop this years car as much as they want, they are only hindering themselves concerning next year, look at how long teams like BMW have been developing that car for, mclaren should get their priorities sorted. Makes no difference to me wether they do, pesonally I hope they go all out this year and really shoot themselves in the foot and end up in midfield.

    From tifosi4eva, on Wed 1 Oct 9:09PM

  2. comment 27
    I think you will find that it is Ferrari that are losing and wouls be even more behind if it wasn't for Max and the FIA's help
    Would you people stop moaning about this so called fia/ferrari alliance, its the same rubbish every time a story pops up on here you people manage to come out with the same drivel. Why, if the FIA is so biased towards ferrari are all cars using McLaren sourced ECU's?

    From racingshed, on Wed 1 Oct 8:48PM

  3. McLaren seem to be putting a lot of effort in this year's car. At this stage of the season most teams do not take out any more packages for the current car but rather look ahead to progress the development of next year's car. McLaren better be careful if they don't want to fall behind in 2009

    From arshad_iceman2, on Wed 1 Oct 8:46PM

  4. THE multi faced one is preying for rain because that is were he believes his cars have an advantage

    From stivalas, on Wed 1 Oct 8:44PM

  5. tifosi4eva u havnt got a clue...

    From MATHEW, on Wed 1 Oct 8:30PM

  6. Mr T says. wizzo, tifosi4eva knows that her comments are going to get a reaction (#17), why do you think she posts them? She posts comments that guarantee a fiery response from LH/Mclaren fans. She loves to be the centre of attention!

    From MR T, on Wed 1 Oct 8:15PM

  7. Tifosi4ever. Just as I was beginning to think you were starting to be serious you come out with #17 "Ferrari's are much faster at the minute and no matter how much they develop their car they will still lose!" I think you will find that it is Ferrari that are losing and wouls be even more behind if it wasn't for Max and the FIA's help. You really are setting yourself up for a HUGE amount of abuse if Ferrari do end up losing. Ferrari may have the fastest car but it is the drivers that get the most out of them on race days. It's too late for Kimi and Massa just doesn't have the skill. He is and always will be the second choice driver. He just got lucky this year and will be back to that position next year too. How can a driver that overtook one car be called the best driver. Kimi, Alonso Hamilton AND even Heiki have proven to have the skill. Massa proved just how poor he was at Monza when he did NOTHING to press home the advantage he had over Hamiton and found himself still behind when he should have gone 6 points ahead by winning the race. Ferrari have NO chance unless Kimi crashes into Hamilton or your friends in the FIA leand ANOTHER hand.

    From crispyduck, on Wed 1 Oct 8:13PM

  8. to be honest if any one looks for the amount of fails and errors and engine blows the ferrari have while the mclaren (good job) have non and Ferrari still in the fight in the top for the title I think that Ferrari's car was more superb even though with their mechanical problems.

    From Brayan, on Wed 1 Oct 8:03PM

  9. WHAT IS THE NOISE ABOUT FERRARI, DO THEY MAKE ICECREAM ?

    From I TYSON, on Wed 1 Oct 7:49PM

  10. Steve B, I have certainly NOT given up on Ferrari, I support them to the end as always, I said Mclaren are going to lose no matter what.

    From tifosi4eva, on Wed 1 Oct 7:41PM

  11. McL fans love to bully a woman when the chips are about to go down.

    From wizzo, on Wed 1 Oct 7:27PM

  12. Mr T says, the fact is Mclaren and Ferrari are both evenly matched for pace and the quickest car varies from race to race. To say ferrari are much quicker right now is nonsense just because they were quick in singapore does not mean their car is superior, merley that they had it set up well in singapore the position could well be reversed next time round! The T man pitys anyone that lets their support of a team cloud their judgement! Thats what the T man says.

    From MR T, on Wed 1 Oct 7:25PM

  13. tifosi4eva... number 17... Don't give up on Ferrari yet. There are three races to go and anything can happen, nothing is certain in F1 as we have seen. Massa drove a superb lap to secure pole and he was unlucky that the pit crew made a mistake. Apart from the occasional burst of speed, Kimi just hasn't cut it so far. All the hilarity and banter apart, Ferrari may suprise everyone yet. Whilst I am a Lewis supporter, I would love to see the races go to the wire, with every driver/team finding their optimum performances to the last point. May the best team/driver win on the basis of skill, strategy and exciting racing, so that we may applaud them all & forget the cynicism and conspiracy theories that appear on these pages. A 7 point lead is nothing with 30 left to fight for. We all want our chosen team/driver to be victorious, but the desire to win can all too often blinker us and our enjoyment of a thrilling sport. Massa and Hamilton thrashing it out to the last, I can't wait! If we come away entertained it almost doesn't matter who wins!

    From Steve B, on Wed 1 Oct 7:23PM

  14. Mcl is coming with fire ,,,,,,,,,,,Hamilton the champ

    From andybanda007, on Wed 1 Oct 7:08PM

  15. Mr T says, tifosi4eva, The T man gets the impression you repeat that kind of thing over and over again in your head! Mr T says your a crazy zealot fool!

    From MR T, on Wed 1 Oct 7:08PM

  16. how much faster are they in the wet

    From MGA, on Wed 1 Oct 7:03PM

  17. Ferrari's are much faster at the minute and no matter how much they develop their car they will still lose!

    From tifosi4eva, on Wed 1 Oct 6:52PM

  18. Good point bowesey. I wonder why.

    From Forza Ferrari, on Wed 1 Oct 6:51PM

  19. What ever McL do they will not do another fuel rig nozzle problem dance of death for Ferrari.,its strange McL seem to get the good pick of them hmm I wonder why.

    From wizzo, on Wed 1 Oct 6:50PM

  20. Well, Bristow, the main reason McLaren looks at Ferrari plans is so they can review their OWN designs. Seems Ferrari has more money for printers.

    From pHilo, on Wed 1 Oct 6:36PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account