McLaren has quashed Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff’s suggestion that it was gained as much as one second from its recent major upgrade package.
Following a disappointing start to 2023, McLaren debuted the first of its three-step upgrade plan at the Austrian Grand Prix that it hoped would deliver a clear step in performance.
The Woking-based outfit’s form noticeably improved at the Red Bull Ring, with Lando Norris running competitively and finishing in a strong fourth place.
McLaren fitted the second stage of the new parts to both cars at Silverstone where Norris finished second and team-mate Oscar Piastri a season-best fourth.
The final part of the update was scheduled for last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix but has been delayed, but McLaren still secured back-to-back podiums finishes for the first time since 2012 with Norris claiming another P2 finish.
McLaren’s upswing in form has led Mercedes F1 chief Wolff to believe it has gained a second per lap just from the updates.
“You can see how McLaren has leapfrogged everybody else with an update – they didn’t expect to come in that powerful,” Wolff said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“Whatever it was, they gained a second probably. And they leapfrogged Aston Martin and Ferrari, who we’ve seen as really strong contenders at the beginning of the season, and now they’re nowhere.”
When Wolff’s comment were put to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, he was coy on how much time his team had gained from the upgrades but stressed Wolff’s claims were incorrect.
“In fairness, we haven’t done a proper numerical estimate,” he said.
“We had our own internal estimate based on what we saw in the aerodynamic maps. And then you simulate these and this gives you a number, which I cannot share really, but it wasn’t one second.
“So, I think, somehow the behaviour of your car and the development of your car kind of helps with tyres at the same time.
“This gives you further lap time benefit.”
McLaren played down expectations of a strong showing in Hungary due to the circuit’s low-speed nature and hotter temperatures over the weekend, but while its pace at the Hungaroring confirmed the new components work on all variations of circuits, Stella is refusing to get carried away heading to Spa this weekend.
“We certainly come out of this event encouraged that we have made progress in medium speed,” Stella said.
“That’s what we certainly see from comparison with our competition.
“We also see that we do lose time in the three low-speed corners… So confirming that there is still work to do in low speed.”
