McLaren 'giggling' with excitement for 2018 Formula 1 season
McLaren says it is "giggling" with excitement about what it can achieve in Formula 1 next year, on the back of its engine switch and progress with its chassis
After securing a Renault customer supply to replace its Honda engine deal, the Woking-based team has been buoyed by the step forward in pace a new front wing concept has brought.
The development has been so good that Fernando Alonso reckons that McLaren now has the 'best' car in qualifying.
McLaren executive director Zak Brown said the step forward the team has made in recent races is hugely encouraging for next year, and is raising excitement levels about what can be achieved in 2018.
"Almost everything that we have developed over the year in the factory corresponds to the car, so we have a high strike rate of success," Brown told Autosport.
"Sometimes it can work in the factory and not on the car, but the chassis has been getting better and better and better.
"Our GPS says we are right near Red Bull: maybe a little better at some tracks and a little worse at other circuits.
"But they have won a couple of races, so we are cautiously optimistic [for 2018]. We almost have a few giggles getting ready for next year. We are excited."
Although there is no dramatic change to the F1 car regulations for next year, some tweaks to the rules - including the arrival of the halo, plus the banning of monkey-seats and T-wings - will have an impact on aero designs.
That is why McLaren racing director Eric Boullier is slightly cautious about having total confidence in his team fighting right at the front in 2018.
"You can never ever have faith of this," he said. "If it was the same regulations 100% then I would say yes.
"But obviously there will be some changes next year: no T-wing, no monkey seat, a lot of cleaning up at the back of the car which makes it a little bit harder - plus the halo, which obviously is a disaster in terms of aero. So there is a lot of work to do around this.
"But I trust the team we have, and what they achieved in the last three years.
"There is no reason why they cannot keep doing it, building up and catching up."
When asked if he was at least confident of McLaren joining the fight among Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, Boullier said: "Yes. 100%."
Felipe Massa announces he will retire from F1 at the end of 2017
Bottas didn't realise how hard Hamilton works at Mercedes F1 team
Armstrong joins Ganassi for IndyCar road and street courses
Formula 2 race winner Marcus Armstrong has signed a deal to drive a fourth Chip Ganassi Racing entry on 2023’s road and street courses.
Watch Qualifying Now – Le Mans Virtual Series, 500 Miles of Sebring
Watch qualifying for the fourth round of the 2022 Le Mans Virtual Series which will take place at Sebring
Mercedes' F1 strategy chief Vowles eyes next racing challenge
After Formula 1's gruelling 2022 schedule, you could forgive hard-working team personnel for wanting to switch off completely and not see a motor racing paddock for a while.
Ferrari’s Binotto F1 split looks ‘strange’, says Brundle
Ferrari’s parting of ways with team boss Mattia Binotto appears ‘strange’ if no top-level figure has been lined up to replace him, reckons Sky Formula 1 pundit Martin Brundle.
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Autosport in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best of an F1 midfield star
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s team-mate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot
The Abu Dhabi momentum that can propel Leclerc and Ferrari to F1 2023 success
OPINION: Charles Leclerc achieved his target of sealing runner-up in the 2022 world championship with a masterful drive behind Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. And that race contained key elements that may help him, and Ferrari, go one better in Formula 1 2023