McLaren rules out reverting to 2012 F1 car despite early struggles
McLaren has ruled out the idea of reverting to last year's car, despite the difficulties it is facing with its 2013 challenger
Jenson Button could manage no better than ninth in the Australian Grand Prix after a weekend where McLaren admitted it was surprised by how far off the pace it was.
Its problems, allied to the fact that the 2012 car ended the year as the pace-setter, led to talk in Australia that the team could update last year's MP4-27.
However, following analysis by its engineers of where the 2013 car is lacking, McLaren is convinced that sticking to the current model is the best way forward.
Its stance has been sealed by the fact its data suggests the car is not lacking downforce, but its operating window is too 'peaky'.
McLAREN'S BELEAGUERED START TO 2013
McLaren recovery 'will be long process'
Button says McLaren outclassed in dry
Button: points all McLaren can hope for
McLaren admits it faces very tough start
Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "At the moment we have to work hard on this car.
"We know it has got some areas of high potential and we know it has potentially more downforce than last year's car.
"We just need to understand it and make sure it [the performance] is accessible.
"We have all had cars in the past which have been difficult to get performance out of even though some of the [downforce] figures are quite impressive.
"This car seems to be difficult in that regard and we need to work on it, understand it and fix it."
Whitmarsh concedes that there is no quick fix for McLaren's problems, but he has no doubt the MP4-28 can be improved.
When asked if he was confident his engineers had a grip on what was needed to make the car better, Whitmarsh said: "I think coming out of a weekend like this and saying the engineers are confident would probably be a bit strong.
"But we believe in what we can do as a team. I am sure we are going to get there.
"It probably won't get there as quickly as I would like it to, but I will be encouraging them to do so."
Lotus plays down title talk despite Raikkonen win in Australia
Ferrari: pace more important than tyre management
Tanak scores first Puma win in preparation for WRC Rally Sweden
Ott Tanak claimed his first victory driving an M-Sport Ford Puma after winning the Otepaa Winter Rally in preparation for next week’s World Rally Championship round in Sweden.
Ranking the worst Formula 1 cars to win a grand prix
Cars that rarely looked like contenders for victory have occasionally slipped through the net to become winners of world championship Formula 1 races. But which was the worst of the bunch?
Schumacher radio criticism highlighted F1 privacy change for Russell
George Russell says that the way an off-the-cuff radio remark criticising Mick Schumacher last year became a big deal shows how he is more under the spotlight in Formula 1.
Newgarden impressed by Chevrolet on IndyCar's new renewable fuel
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden says he’s been impressed with the drivability of his Chevrolet engine following the switch to renewable fuel and has seen no loss in performance.
How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1
Formula 1’s transformation into a global sport meant the gradual extinction for a small team determined to stay true to its low-budget roots. But Tyrrell would eventually be reborn as a world-beating outfit again, explains MAURICE HAMILTON, albeit in different colours…
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.