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McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl believes their surge in performance at the Australian GP was track-related. While the result was encouraging for the team, the German believes they have not made any major changes to the car.
Speaking to the Motorsport Network, Seidl said:
“There were a few things that we did well and we also got a little bit more performance out of the car because we understood a few things better and took a little different direction with the set-up. But at the same time it was probably mainly because of the track.”
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According to Seidl, they made a few set-up changes to the McLaren car which helped them extract performances at the Albert Park circuit. The 46-year-old revealed they had not brought any significant updates to the circuit that made a difference.
Describing the reasons behind their car performing better in Melbourne, Seidl said:
“We didn’t really bring anything that changed a lot. And it’s not like we can do much more with the set-up to get much faster. It’s not like we brought anything crazy this weekend. We brought a few minor upgrades that worked. Then I think our car currently suits a track like this one with these flowing corners. The season is still very, very fresh. The cars are still new and I think all of that together has put us back in a position where we’ve made a step forward again.”
The German revealed their car lacks performance in the corners, but now they have a better understanding of it which will help them improve in the future. The McLaren MCL36 did have some minor upgrades, however, the flowing nature of the circuit improved their performance.
Highlighting the negatives and the positives of their car, the McLaren team principal said:
“You can see that we lack grip. That’s where we’re weakest compared to the top teams. In the end, the result is great motivation for everyone in the team to keep working hard. Because we are now in a position to fight for top 10 positions with our package. That’s a step forward compared to the start of the season.”
McLaren have found a temporary fix for their brake issues but need more development
Andreas Seidl claims the team has an interim fix for the brake issues but it is not a permanent one. The McLaren team principal believes they need to find a permanent solution for the brakes from overheating to secure their ability to race.
Speaking about improvements to their brake issues, Seidl said:
“If you look at the material, it’s definitely not the final solution. But this is again an issue where you have to manage your resources. For now, the most important thing is that we have fixed the brake cooling issues through the interim solution, which allows us to race safely. But I’m sure there will be developments throughout the year.”
With performance woes compromising their first two races, McLaren have not been able to maximize the potential of their package. From Seidl’s statements, it is understood that they are still understanding their car and will be bringing more updates to reduce their performance deficit.
