The benefits of McLaren's new wind tunnel and simulator will be fully felt in the development of the 2025 Formula 1 car, according to Zak Brown.

The Woking-based team pioneered the use of simulators in F1, but they are now obsolete, and the Toyota wind tunnel the team used in Cologne, Germany, is also outdated. James Key, the technical director previously admitted that McLaren has been compensating for the infrastructure and that will end this year. In the meantime, the development of the car for 2024 is then well under way, meaning the team's investment will not be fully utilised until the 2025 season.

Impact

"It's starting to impact our 2024 car and it will have full impact for our 2025 car because it's coming online in the middle of this year, which means we've already started on our 2024 car," the McLaren CEO explained in an exclusive interview on Speedcafe.com.

He continued: "So I think we have everything we need for the 2025 season fully in place. We are 80 per cent ready for the 2024 season."

Future

The wind tunnel is not the only new acquisition for McLaren this year, as Oscar Piastri begins his first season as an F1 driver after taking over the seat from his Australian colleague Daniel Ricciardo. With Piastri still only 21 years old and 23-year-old Lando Norris, it is a young driver duo at the team and Brown believes the timing of the infrastructure projects fits well for the future. "I think it fits well with Oscar becoming a rookie this year," he added. Brown himself says that Piastri does need to get a bit of the rust off as the young Australian has not raced for a year, but this will not last long.

Finally, Brown said he is happy with the trajectory they are on and where they are with the drivers and technology infrastructure. "I feel like everything is really going to come together in 2024 and 2025."