McLaren has made quite the impression during the first day of testing at the Bahrain Grand Prix, showcasing their competitive edge as the F1 season approaches.
Lando Norris, the British driver who last year competed closely with Max Verstappen for the title, recorded the fastest time during the afternoon session. He expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance and the vehicle's capabilities. "It's nice to be back in the car!" he said enthusiastically. "Huge applause for the team for getting everything prepared. It was a good, fun day on the track, and we accomplished many of the tests we wanted to do. I look forward to pushing the car more over the coming days."
Oscar Piastri, who had the opportunity to take the MCL39 for a spin earlier in the day, echoed Norris's sentiments. "The first day with the MCL39 is done. Thanks to the entire team for their preparations. It was a productive morning for me, as we tried many different things, and it felt great to be back on the track. We still have much more to do to feel the car and see how it works, but overall, it was a good day," he stated.
The early performance of the McLaren MCL39 has also been acknowledged by Andrea Stella, the team principal. He described the first day of testing as productive, with the team delivering well on their busy program. "We concluded the day with more information than we started with. Oscar focused this morning on aero tests, after which we worked with Lando on our baseline setup and made several adjustments," Stella explained.
Stella pointed out the challenging weather conditions which included cooler and windier conditions, presenting difficulties for everyone on the track. Nevertheless, due to the efforts of the team both at the circuit and at the factory, they gathered significant data upon which they can build for the next days of testing.
With these positive early results, the McLaren team is optimistic as they head toward the remainder of the testing period, working to fine-tune their car and strategies. Given their history and fierce competition, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the MCL39 evolves as they prepare for the upcoming F1 season.
This comprehensive testing approach, filled with long runs and performance evaluations, aims to equip McLaren with the insights needed to develop the MCL39 effectively. The outcomes of these tests could be pivotal as the team looks to improve their standings from previous seasons.