McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh confirmed today that the team will reduce development of this year’s car after the next race in Budapest and throw most of its efforts into ensuring that it has a race winning car in 2010.
Speaking to Radio 5 Live today, Whitmarsh said, “This race and Hungary we will have a big push from the team and let’s hope it puts us in the hunt. Then inevitably we have to put effort into making sure we have a very fast car next year. There’s a lot of effort as the car will be radically different from this year’s car.”
Brawn has enjoyed a significant advantage this season thanks to spending most of last season developing its 2009 car, rather than develop its 2008 car. With next year’s car likely to have a longer wheelbase due to doubling the size of the fuel tank, many teams are tempted to give up on 2009 and ’do a Brawn’ on next year’s car.
McLaren has a range of new parts on the car here this weekend. In Friday practice Heikki Kovalainen is using a new front wing, while Lewis Hamilton has a new floor and top body as well as new rear suspension. According to Whitmarsh many of the parts were scheduled for Budapest and have been brought forward.
Fernando Alonso
Kimi Räikkönen
Felipe Massa
Sebastian Vettel
Mark Webber Nico Rosberg
Paul di Resta Jenson Button
Sergio Perez Daniel Ricciardo Sebastian Vettel Kimi Räikkönen Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Felipe Massa Mark Webber
Romain Grosjean Paul di Resta Nico Rosberg Jenson Button Sergio Perez Daniel Ricciardo Adrian Sutil Nico Hulkenberg Jean-Eric Vergne Esteban Gutierrez Valtteri Bottas
Pastor Maldonado Jules Bianchi Charles Pic
Giedo van der Garde Max Chilton
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1. Posted By: Jonathan
Date: July 10th, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
Great news, as a Mclaren fan its great to finally hear the direction in which Martin Whitmarsh has decided to invest Mclarens resources.. After a dismal 2006 campaign it was evident Mclaren gave up the development ghost in exchange for the 2007 season, with two world champions in their respective catagories on board Mclaren became the most competitive team in the field.
So i’m hoping a simular outcome will appear in 2010, with Tim Goss, De La Rosa and Hamilton’s input hopefully the Mp4-25 will reignite Mclarens rightful status as the best team in Formula 1..
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2. Posted By: Red Bull vai confirmando favoritismo para o Gp da Alemanha « F1 Around
Date: July 10th, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
[...] Falando para a BBC hoje, o Chefe da Equipe, Martin Whitmarsh, garantiu que a partir da Hungria a equipe abandona o atual carro e prol do novo modelo para o ano que vem, que promete ser radicalmente diferente. [...]
3. Posted By: Martinco5
Date: July 11th, 2009 @ 6:14 am
Hasn’t Hamilton been saying they need to keep working on this year’s car to understand it’s problems and avoid making the same mistakes again next year?
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