The compromises McLaren made to address its braking problem in pre-season testing are not the only cause of its uncompetitive start to the season, according to team principal Andreas Seidl.
After a difficult second test, in which the team’s running was limited by braking problems, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris finished outside the points in Bahrain, taking 14th and 15th respectively.
Norris was able to take seventh in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but Ricciardo was forced out of the race by a mechanical problem on his car.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said the team’s focus would be on “understanding more the current strengths and weaknesses of the car” before this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. “We need to see which improvements we can make already for Melbourne,” he added. “At the same time I don’t expect big miracles there, we simply need a bit more time.”
The braking problem the team encountered for the first time in Bahrain forced it to run an…