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Seidl: McLaren will take more risks with 2019 development

Seidl: McLaren will take more risks with 2019 development

07-07-2019 10:15
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Jake Williams-Smith

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says the team will be taking more risks with car development this season as McLaren works its way back to the top of Formula 1.

Having started the 2019 season on the right foot, and with upgrades and progress being made on a seemingly race-by-race basis currently, Seidl says the team cannot afford to sit back and will continue flat-out on its development path.

“What is the most important thing for me is to see continuous development, and continuous improvement for the team back home and back here [at the track],” he told Autosport.

“For me what is important is that we take our time to make sure we go into detail, in terms of the methods and tools we are using to develop this stuff.

“Because this is the foundation in the end for an aggressive development that is required when you have a gap like we have [to the leading teams].

“We need to build up this confidence again inside the team and to be brave enough to take risky or adventurous concept decisions. That is something that other teams with a lot of experience and confidence like Mercedes can do.

“It is important to be good in categories like pitstops, race strategy, and we [are] already showing now that we can take the fight to the big ones because it is clear that the gap on the performance side is something that will take time.”

McLaren has worked its way to fourth in the constructor standings in 2019, ahead of power unit supplier Renault. The team will be hoping for further progress next weekend at the team's home event at Silverstone.

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