The previous Formula 1 champions achieved a fourth-place finish overall in 2023, with 24-year-old Lando Norris and 22-year-old Oscar Piastri occupying the McLaren cockpits. This marked their second year as teammates. Piastri, the Australian driver, experienced his second season in F1, while Norris, the British driver, entered his sixth season in the premier flight with the Woking team.
During the previous season, Norris achieved seven podium finishes, including six second-place finishes, while Piastri secured second place in Qatar and third place in Japan.
On the occasion of the unveiling of the MCL38 at Silverstone, Brown expressed his satisfaction to Sky Sports, stating, “We feel positive about the winter period. Our development has been satisfactory, and it feels like we have continued to progress from the second half of last year.”
“As long as the data is accurate, we anticipate a strong start. However, one can never be certain about the actions of our competitors. Nonetheless, we firmly believe that we have taken a step forward,” Brown added.
Norris has yet to secure a Grand Prix victory in his 104 starts, while Piastri has participated in only 22 Grands Prix. Despite this, Piastri has already emerged as a winner in an F1 Sprint Race. Brown expressed the possibility of the team achieving their first “proper” GP win since Daniel Ricciardo’s triumph at Monza in 2021.
When asked about his expectations for the team, Brown responded, “I would say our ambition outweighs our expectations. The actions of our competitors and the constant evolution of the sport make it difficult to predict outcomes. However, our hope and ambition are definitely to progress further. Although we finished fourth in the championship last year, we were the second or third fastest team in the second half of the season. Therefore, we aim to build upon that progress.”
“We see no reason why we cannot win races at some point during the year. Our objective is to achieve numerous podium finishes and secure some victories. However, it is important to remain realistic, considering the competitiveness of the sport and the progress made by other teams during the off-season. The true test of our progress will be seen during qualifying in Bahrain,” Brown explained.
He concluded by acknowledging the excitement for the upcoming racing season but also emphasized the need for hard work to ensure continued progress throughout the year.
Lando Norris recently announced his contract extension with the Woking team. This news came before the driver market became abuzz with reports of Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025.
Zak Brown, the team’s CEO, clarified that Norris’ signing was not influenced by any prior knowledge of Hamilton’s decision. “We had already secured his contract before any news about Hamilton and Ferrari emerged. We were simply waiting for Norris to return from his winter break to make the official announcement,” Brown explained.
Andrea Stella, the team principal, further emphasized the team’s preparations for the upcoming season. “Before we begin competitive sessions, we have a lot of work to do, including testing the MCL38 during the Bahrain pre-season test. We are confident in the team’s progress over the winter, but there are still areas we need to address before the launch of our car. These areas will be the focus of our ongoing development throughout the season,” Stella stated.
Stella also expressed gratitude towards the entire team, both on and off the track, for their efforts in ensuring the car was ready for testing. He also acknowledged the collaboration with Mercedes HPP.
With the car ready, the team now shifts its focus to the upcoming season and the Bahrain Testing that awaits them next week.
According to the Source grandprix247.com