Zak Brown concedes McLaren will not be fighting at the front of the grid this year but insists the early signs are good as the sleeping giant looks to climb the pecking order.
The Woking outfit’s reunion with Honda has thus far failed to deliver the anticipated success, with the team slumping to ninth in 2015 before improving to sixth last year.
The team has long maintained that its chassis is among the strongest on the grid, meaning the onus is on its engine supplier to up its game before it can make significant strides up the field.
Brown, though, has reaffirmed his faith in the Japanese manufacturer and is encouraged by his team’s initial developments ahead of the new season.
“I’m in constant touch with both Jonathan [Neale] and Eric [Boullier], and our senior engineers too, and I think our 2017 chassis will be a decent one,” the newly-appointed CEO said in an interview with the official F1 website.
“I’m not going to make any precise predictions – I’m not that dumb – but all the indications are that, relative to the targets we thought were realistically attainable under the new regs, our guys have done a very good job.
“Also, let’s not forget, Honda is a fantastic power-unit partner. No company in the world manufactures more engines than Honda does – absolutely none – and the Honda engineers have a tonne of knowledge about turbocharging.”
The American admits the overhaul of the aerodynamic regulations will not be enough to propel McLaren into title contention, with Mercedes and Red Bull expected to be the chief protagonists in the title duel.
“We all know that 2015 and 2016 were learning years, and we won’t be at the front of the grid in 2017 either,” he added. “But we’re working incredibly hard, together, as one team, and the progress is clear to see.
“We know we’ll win together in the end – we don’t know when so don’t ask me to make that prediction – but as I say we’re making progress and that’s the important thing.”
