McLaren confirms February launch for MCL36
McLaren has become the third Formula 1 team to announce the launch plans for its 2022 car ahead of the new season.
Despite slipping to fourth in the constructors’ championship last year, McLaren’s recent upward trajectory continued as it ended its nine-year wait for a victory at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Woking-based outfit reinvigorated its historic rivalry with Ferrari as both teams fought over the 22-race season to finish best of the rest in the standings.
While it held a 17.5 point lead over the Scuderia with seven rounds remaining, McLaren’s form tailed off in the final races, eventually falling to a 48.5-point deficit at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren’s 2021 season saw it reunite with former engine partners Mercedes for the first time in seven years, using its allocated tokens to make room for the new power unit.
Last year also saw regular driver Lando Norris joined by Daniel Ricciardo, who was signed to replace the departing Carlos Sainz.
Norris cemented his place as one of the most exciting young drivers on the current grid in 2021, scoring four podium finishes and a pole position in Sochi on his way to finishing sixth in the drivers’ championship.
Although he arrived as a former grand prix winner, Ricciardo initially struggled to adapt to the characteristics of McLaren’s car, but showed promise in the second half of the season by claiming the eighth win of his career at Monza.
The MCL36 is set to unveiled on February 11, before being let unleashed in pre-season testing which begins on February 23 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
McLaren’s announcement of its launch date follows Aston Martin and Ferrari’s recent confirmation of when they plan to unveil their new challengers for the major regulation overhaul.