F1. McLaren will try to “minimize the damage” in China

Formula 1 returns to China for the first time since 2019. The British team is unsure whether the Shanghai international circuit matches McLaren’s capabilities this year. A team that has a good start to the season and a competitive car.

The Shanghai circuit has several low-speed hairpins and medium-speed corners, something McLaren has struggled with over the past two years. Unsurprisingly, Andrea Stella is worried about McLaren’s competition as the weekend in China approaches.

“I have to say that in this first part of the season, China is the track that worries me the most from a competitive point of view. It has a lot of low-speed pins. Even in turns two and three, you spend a lot of time in the long corners”said Stella.

“And I think that’s a theme I’ve been repeating.” So far we haven’t been able to improve the car enough in these long low and medium speed corners. So, from a competitive point of view, we would expect more difficult conditions than here in Suzuka, Australia and during the first part of the season.

MCL38 is afraid of possible damage.“China can be a little damage limit for us. And then from Miami, I hope that we will start the best stage of this 2024 season and that more will be in the second part of the season.says the boss.

New control race design

Formula 1 racing returns this weekend as the first of six events on the 2024 calendar.

Given that there will be only one practice session before long-distance qualifying on Friday, Stella is confident that there will still be opportunities for surprises due to the nature of the format.

“It will certainly be a difficult test, from several points of view”he added. “What will the situation be like on the tarmac? »

“At the same time, let’s not forget that China was one of the toughest tracks in terms of grain. So how will the tires cope with this? It’s also a tricky track in terms of balancing some very high-speed corners, such as corner entry first, and then many low-speed parts »

“Seeing it alone is a headache. But once you look at it from a competitive point of view, I think you have to think that if I’m not doing a perfect job, but a better job than others, then this could be a good opportunity. »