With the 2023 Bahrain F1 pre-season check almost here, McLaren presented the first gift of a first test race of their MCL60, and they were alone.
Teams and drivers can’t afford to take the time to notice their new creations ahead of the opening circular of F1 2023, with Bahrain’s three-day cheque being the only one they will receive ahead of the season-opening Bahrain GP.
Fortunately, the groups still have a small margin of maneuver since they are entitled to two days of filming in their new challengers, limited to one hundred kilometers.
And ahead of the first day of testing, with the event on 23-25 February, McLaren will use this option and run its MCL60 in Sakhir.
The relative calm of Bahrain’s pit lane was interrupted when McLaren ignited the Mercedes power unit at the rear of this MCL60, and Norris introduced the challenger to a race track for the first time.
Our #MCL60 is on for the first time!pic. twitter. com/hFVWmWr6Ra
– McLaren (@McLarenF1) February 21, 2023
And when Norris put the MCL60 through its paces, the shape of the ground was striking, especially considering the fact that McLaren blurred this segment of the car on its social media.
Certainly, a lot of work has been done on that part of the MCL60 that McLaren is willing to do what we have not yet seen, but in a few days, whatever inventions are going on, they will have nowhere to hide.
– FormulaNerds ?? (@Formula_Nerds) February 21, 2023
The Woking team was pessimistic when talking about the MCL60, it’s a car they’re still not completely satisfied with, one says they want an update at the start of the season and missed key progression tracks for which they weren’t fast enough. place.
Looking at those images, engineers are far from being even in winter.
McLaren’s new recruit, Oscar Piastri, also appears on the scene as he prepares for a rookie season that carries the daunting task of hanging out with Norris — anything his compatriot, eight-time race winner Daniel Ricciardo, can’t do.
And McLaren had a corporate event on that beautiful day in Sakhir, because Haas also put its VF-23 to work.
– Haas MoneyGram F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) February 21, 2023
And that meant a first time behind the wheel of the VF-23 for Nico Hulkenberg, who with Haas returns to a full-time seat in Formula 1 for the first time since 2019.
Haas sought out an experienced pair of Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen to propel their progression through the midfield ranks, and hopes that when the Bahrain test is over, confidence will be greater that this is strength training and challenge to make this happen.
– Haas MoneyGram F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) February 21, 2023
It will be Hulkenberg who kicks off the official Haas preseason when he pilots the VF-23 for the morning consultation on the first day, before giving the turn to Magnussen, a schedule that will change for the day of the moment and return to the original. Order for the 3rd and last day.