McLaren is one of six teams that, for various reasons, did not return to the track before going to Austria for the start of the 2020 season. The Woking team still organized two days of testing in F3 so that Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris can pick up the pace a bit at Silverstone, but for the rest, the work was concentrated between the walls of the factory… and remotely for the employees in telework.
After the period of suspension of activities for several weeks, the return to business revolved around three axes described by Andreas Seidl, requiring compromises to achieve everything. “Our preparation for Austria was a balance between building enough parts for an intense period of racing, and developing and developing the car”says the director of McLaren. “The team is back up and running, whether it’s telework or the factory, and we’re working hard to keep improving the car as best we can. We’ve also spent some time getting used to the news work methods that will allow us to run safely. “
New challenge for new situation
After the postponement of the start of the season caused by the coronavirus crisis, F1 is preparing to restart under special health conditions. This is also the case in terms of timing, with two Grand Prix starting on the same route one week apart: a first that is not lacking in spice. “Doing two Grand Prix in Austria is an interesting new challenge for us”, says Seidl. “We were strong there last year, but with the uncertainty caused by the postponement of the start of the season, we will have to be 100% to maximize our performance in both races.”
This scenario, with a timetable which is also provisional and whose final length is not yet known, risks drastically reducing the right to make mistakes. After a great season last year, finishing in fourth place in the constructors’ championship, McLaren cannot afford to leave points on the way to confirm its status. “Due to the reduced number of races and the strong competition we expect from our rivals, we cannot afford a loss of focus”, warns Carlos Sainz. “We don’t even know how many Grand Prix we are going to do, it’s an unprecedented scenario, so every point we can take will be absolutely crucial. […] It’s hard to confidently predict our level of performance, given the time spent away from the track. “
Alongside the Spanish pilot, who will join Ferrari in 2021, Lando Norris is also curious to see what awaits this unprecedented double appointment on the Red Bull Ring. “It will also be an excellent opportunity to analyze how the first race could have gone differently and to adjust our strategy for the second”, said the Briton at the dawn of his second F1 campaign. “I think the whole grid will feel a little rusty at the start of EL1, but I am sure we will all be ready when qualifying begins on Saturday.”
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