McLaren boosted by improved F1 testing performance compared to 2015

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier believes the team's improved pre-season testing performance compared to 2015 is a "big boost" heading into the new season.

Following the return of Honda as engine supplier, McLaren went on to suffer one of the worst years in its history.

But after completing just 380 laps across 12 test days in 2015, the team showed some progress by managing 780 in eight days of pre-season this year.

Boullier said: "Last year we couldn't do anything on the car. Checking nothing, actually.

"At least this year we went through a lot - job list, to-do lists,and check lists.

"In terms of systems and even the car itself, we pushed some limits on some new designs we had on the car.

"Some of them failed, some of them not, which is a normal process of testing, but I am happy with the results.

"At least now we have covered this mileage over the last eight days, so we are much more prepared and comfortable.

"We are also feeding back into the machine more data, so we know where to go and it's going to be a big boost to us for development."

McLaren's full-spec 2016 car will not appear until the first practice session of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix later this month.

Due to a slight delay in the team's manufacturing and production programme, it meant some parts were unable to make it onto the car that ran in Spain, so McLaren's expected improvement was not as significant as expected during testing.

"If you ask me for a date, a commitment or something, we can't say anything and we don't want to say anything," said Boullier.

"We have a comparison, which is a laptime, when we are obviously competing in the same conditions.

"From that point we know where we are and what we want to achieve and we will see where we go.

"Right now we don't want to create words, we are not in a position to give any accurate predictions, so we don't want to have any wrong expectations."