Christian Horner has provided his input on McLaren’s enhanced speed following their multitude of upgrades in Miami.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted McLaren have “definitely made a step forward” after their raft of upgrades at the Miami Grand Prix.
Lando Norris seized the opportunity presented by a perfectly timed Safety Car to overtake Max Verstappen and claim the race lead on Sunday. In an impressive display, Norris steadily increased his advantage over the second half of the race, ultimately securing a well-deserved first Formula 1 win while triumphing over the formidable Red Bull RB20.
Christian Horner: McLaren have ‘definitely made a step forward’
McLaren caused quite a stir in Miami with an impressive display of 10 upgrades on their car. The FIA’s ‘show and tell’ document allows fans and media to witness the changes made to the cars before every race weekend.
Norris’ car got equipped with all the new parts, while half of them were also made available for his teammate Oscar Piastri. The remaining parts will be installed on Norris’ car at the upcoming race in Imola. The modifications made to the MCL38 were so significant that McLaren CEO Zak Brown compared it to a B-spec car.
And having beaten Red Bull and Max Verstappen in a straight fight in Miami – albeit with the reigning World Champion purportedly carrying damage after a collision with a bollard – the team principal was asked how much of a threat McLaren look set to be moving forward.
“After crossing the finish line in Miami, Horner acknowledged McLaren’s clear victory, attributing their impressive pace during the latter half of the race,”
In the sprint race qualifying, their performance on the medium tires was impressive. However, we had already achieved two pole positions earlier this weekend, won the sprint race, and were leading the main race until the Safety Car came out. Nevertheless, it is evident that they have definitely improved their performance.
It will be intriguing to observe the developments in the upcoming European races.
Last year, McLaren demonstrated impressive speed on certain occasions. This raises the question of how much their performance depends on specific race circuits. As we progress through the upcoming races, we will gain a better understanding. However, it is worth noting that McLaren has displayed remarkable strength throughout this weekend, and Lando truly deserves to emerge victorious.
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Norris himself acknowledged that the upgrade package introduced by McLaren contributed to his strong performance over the weekend. However, he expressed unwavering confidence in the team’s ability to contend for race victories throughout the season, regardless of the upgrades.
“After the race, he reaffirmed, ‘At the start of the year, I declared our potential to win races. Many skeptics questioned my statement and its validity.'”
Despite the doubts surrounding McLaren’s ability to win races and skepticism towards my own capabilities, I held unwavering confidence. I had an innate feeling that our moment for victory was inevitable.
The team has accomplished an incredible feat. Last year at this time, we hadn’t even reached Q2, but now we’re leading the pack and have won a race. The team has made an extraordinary effort to take us from where we were to where we are now.
We have made steady progress, particularly in the past few months. It has required a great deal of effort, as implementing an upgrade is not a simple task of executing and proving its superiority.
However, when all the small factors align, like they did today, it culminates in a perfect day. Therefore, I must express my immense gratitude to the entire McLaren team, both those at the factory and those present here, because without their relentless dedication and the incredible upgrades they’ve provided, it would have been highly improbable for me to emerge victorious today.
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