Apr
The much-hyped upgrade package from McLaren is expected to make its appearance in Azerbaijan, and team manager Andrea Stella played down any potential problems.
Andrea Stella says that despite the Azerbaijan Grand Prix becoming a Sprint race, it will be “relatively easy” for McLaren to introduce their eagerly anticipated Formula 1 upgrade package there.
The squad chose to limit expectations for the first three races until the floor components became available in time for Baku after finding a new development path late in the design of their MCL60.
Nevertheless, instead of the three hours on a typical race weekend, there will be just one hour of practice before qualifying and the cars enter parc ferme because the Grand Prix weekend will include a Sprint event.
Furthermore, there will be a second race start, with cars frequently colliding on the first lap in Baku as they jockey for position.
Stella is certain that the upgrades will nonetheless be implemented without any difficulties.
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Stella told the media, including RacingNews365.com, “If there’s no anomalous behaviours, then it is relatively easy [to bring upgrades on a Sprint weekend], because in modern Formula 1, you have the data.
“You can read the aerodynamic performance through the forces that you measure and through the pressure map around the car to the dozens of pressure sensors.
“We are not too worried in assessing whether it is positive or not unless there are some anomalies, but the cars have proven to be correlating well with the development.
“That is why we decided to introduce it even if it is a Sprint race.”
Stella agreed with the new Sprint race format, which will now have no bearing on the main Grand Prix and will be set up by a separate qualifying session that is expected to be accepted.
“We support what F1 are trying to achieve, we support making Saturday even more exciting and with more racing content, compared to simply having the Free Practice 2 session where you have cars running around, but we don’t think that’s a very useful session – so we are supportive.”
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F1, F1 2023, FIA, Formula 1, FIA Grand Prix, Andrea Stella, McLaren, Azerbaijan Grand Prix, MCL60
