McLaren will arrive at the Belgian Grand Prix with a novelty on the MCL40, but without high expectations of an immediate change in its performance. The British team will introduce a new rear wing at Spa-Francorchamps, although it admits that the weekend could be as challenging as it was at the British GP.
Read more F1: Racing Bulls prepares update and aims for top 10 in Spa
This update is part of the car’s development schedule, while a broader package of improvements is planned for the next round in Hungary. After a modest result in Silverstone, where Lando Norris finished only fourth, the team maintains a cautious stance for the rest of the season.
Neil Houldey, McLaren’s technical engineering director, highlighted that the preparation for the Belgian race was intense: “Our preparation was meticulous, with extensive simulation work to anticipate what we know will be a very challenging weekend for energy management. We arrive at Spa with a new rear wing, an update we had already planned as part of the car development process,” he said.
Despite confidence in the novelty, the director made it clear that the team does not expect a significant leap in competitiveness: “We are confident that this update will bring a little more performance to our car, but we are fully aware that, after a difficult British GP, especially in terms of pure performance, this race will not be easy either,” he said.
According to Houldey, the main challenge at Spa-Francorchamps will be related to energy management. The Belgian track, known for its long straights and few heavy braking points, tends to demand a lot from the current generation cars.
Read more F1: Bottas rules out crisis at Cadillac after rumors about his future
“The Belgian GP will be incredibly challenging from an energy management perspective and is, in any case, one of the most critical circuits on the calendar. We expect to have to deal with ‘superclipping’, which will test both the car and the drivers,” he added.
Another factor that may influence McLaren’s performance is the traditional unpredictability of the weather in the Ardennes. The forecast indicates variable conditions throughout the weekend, a scenario that could open an important opportunity for data collection.
“We expect very unstable weather. Although the wet track presents its difficulties, we consider this a valuable opportunity to finally test the car in the rain and understand its behavior in low grip conditions, which can provide crucial data for the rest of the season,” concluded Houldey.
Read more F1: Norris will lose 10 grid positions due to a penalty at the Belgian GP
