McLaren has announced it will not participate on the first day of the upcoming Formula 1 testing event in Barcelona, prioritizing development time for its new car, the MCL40. The private testing session begins on January 26, 2024, and spans a full week, with several teams, including Audi, Cadillac, and Alpine, already having conducted shakedown events to prepare for this crucial period.
The team decided to forgo the opening day to ensure it maximizes the remaining time available for testing. Instead, McLaren plans to retrieve its car from the AVL facilities in Graz, Austria, where it has undergone rigorous testing on a dynamometer. This strategic choice reflects a commitment to enhancing the car’s performance before the official launch.
Andrea Stella, the team principal, confirmed, “We plan to start testing either on day two or day three. We wanted to give ourselves as much time as possible for development.” McLaren is allowed to utilize three out of the five days available at the Barcelona test, and Stella emphasized the importance of thorough preparation over immediate track performance.
While other teams may have an advantage from earlier shakedowns, Stella believes that rushing to track testing could lead to compromises in design. “Actually, this was always going to be plan A to hold off on running,” he stated. “There’s also so much of a change that we don’t need to be necessarily the first on track.”
The ongoing design process for the MCL40 has been dynamic, with McLaren discovering performance enhancements regularly. Stella explained the rationale behind delaying testing, highlighting that early participation could limit the team’s flexibility in refining crucial design elements. “Every day of development adds a little bit of performance,” he noted.
He further outlined that while teams may implement updates between testing sessions and the season opener, McLaren aims to launch its car in the most competitive configuration possible. “We thought that in the economy of a season, it was important to start and launch the car in the most competitive package,” Stella concluded.
The team will debut the MCL40 with a testing livery at the Barcelona circuit, ahead of its full livery launch scheduled for February 9, 2024. As McLaren prepares for this pivotal moment in its 2024 season, the focus remains firmly on development and performance.
