McLaren: Sepang demands compromise

McLaren will seek to maintain the advantage over Toro Rosso at the Malaysian Grand Prix contested this weekend six races from the end of the season where it only has a seven-point lead. If the Woking team has good reliability on its MP4-31s, it can hope to win new points to maintain its sixth place in the Championship.

“The challenge on this circuit is to find a good balance between straights, heavy braking and long turns, while keeping in mind that the conditions are very changeable, underlined Éric Boullier, Team Principal of McLaren F1. After a series of bad luck with one car, we hope to achieve good reliability with both cars at the finish. »

“Since the first Malaysian Grand Prix in 1999, Sepang has become a popular venue for drivers and the public, added Éric Boullier. There have been some memorable races here due to the climate and the nature of the circuit where you can have unpredictable results. There are good overtaking opportunities and numerous run-off areas which should offer us a promising test. »

“The Sepang circuit is a very technical challenge for our mechanics and engineers who must find a good compromise between the cooling system, aero performance and balance. Friday testing will be important to assess the impact of the track resurfacing…, said the Frenchman. If we benefit from good reliability, I am optimistic about the outcome of the weekend. Our package is competitive in the middle of the pack and should allow us to finish ahead of strong teams. »

Jenson Button will be keen to shine at the Malaysian Grand Prix after his disappointing race in Singapore since the 2009 world champion will make his 300th start. But the McLaren drivers could be condemned to a comeback race if Honda decides to install developments on the Power Units.