Kimi Raikkonen tested the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-19B, with which the team hopes to return to the front of the F1 grid, at Silverstone on Tuesday and we have pictures of the new car.
Kimi Raikkonen tested the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-19B, which the team hopes will return it to the front of the F1 grid, at Silverstone on Tuesday and we have pictures of the new car.
As can be seen from these photographs, the new car features a revised nose, but retains the low, sharply-pointed characteristics from the MP4-19. The heavily updated chassis also has revised sidepods and rear winglets similar in style to the Renault and a more tapered rear end than its predecessor.
While rain hampered McLaren’s testing programme, Raikkonen completed 45 laps of the circuit and despite being early days, was impressed with the car’s handling.
“We only managed to do a few laps in the morning because of the weather but we were able to do more in the afternoon,” he said. “My first impression is that it feels good, but it takes time to develop a new car so we still have two very busy days ahead, but the car seems to feel and behave really well so far.”
It was believed the team would race the car at the German Grand Prix, but McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh suggested that the date could be brought forward to the French Grand Prix on July 4, adding “it all depends on the car’s progress.”
“We did what we could today considering the weather. Hopefully, the weather will improve so we can go through a planned testing programme,” he said. “The car appears to be a step in the right direction but it’s too early to say anymore.
The car is set to carry out a day’s straight-line testing at Avon Park in Yorkshire followed by another four-day test after the US Grand Prix. A decision on its race introduction will be made during this time.