New McLaren designed for Michelin

McLaren's delayed 2003 challenger should be far better suited to its Michelin tyres than the chassis builder's last two designs, according to technical director Adrian Newey. This is because the new car shakes off any pre-Michelin design legacies

Apr 22, 2003, 4:22 PM

The current 'D' incarnation of the MP4-17 is based on a platform which worked well with Bridgestone tyres, used prior to the team's switch to French rubber in 2001, but the team's 2003 challenger has moved on.

"The new car has been designed for the Michelin tyre as the old car had a precedence that went back to Bridgestones," said Newey. "The rest of it is an evolution of the current car.

"We hope to be testing it in the not too distant future but then you've obviously got to allow yourself de-bugging time and you've got to be confident in its reliability before racing it."

Formula 1 World Championship winning team, Ferrari, has demonstrated how a close correspondence between chassis design and tyre manufacture can improve overall performance. McLaren is hoping to exploit a similar advantage with the MP4-18A.