McLaren's Mercedes dyno testing has been "problem free"
McLaren says it has not encountered any troubles with the new Mercedes Formula 1 engine, despite concerns the German car manufacturer has about its own preparations for the season ahead.
Last week, Mercedes caused some intrigue when its new engine chief Hywel Thomas revealed that it was battling some problems ahead of pre-season testing.
"We have got some issues with the power units," he said in a video released by Mercedes. "We know we have issues but we have plenty of plans in place to fix all of those issues. I'm sure it will all be ready for the first race."
The comments were a carbon copy of what former engine chief Andy Cowell said prior to its troubled 2020 testing programme, where Mercedes was halted several times by reliability problems.
The delayed start to the official season, which did not get going until July, proved to be a welcome boost as it gave it some breathing space to get on top of its troubles.
But although Mercedes' current cautiousness has raised eyebrows, McLaren says its early analysis of the power units has been without any snags.
Asked if McLaren has any worries about the Mercedes engines, technical director James Key said: "I mean that's obviously a question for Mercedes really. We couldn't answer that.
"To date, we have done some full scale testing on a dyno and that's been completely problem free. But I would say Mercedes are definitely the best to answer that, to be honest."
While McLaren wants to wait for pre-season testing in Bahrain to get a better gauge of any performance step it may have made as a result of its Mercedes switch, the team is already impressed with the power unit's packaging.
Key said that that factor had been a huge help in allowing McLaren to get the engine fitted in to the MCL35M amid the homologation restrictions teams are facing.
"I think the Mercedes installation is certainly extremely tidy," he explained. "You can see how much attention to detail has gone into it. It's very straightforward to package in that respect. And that has given us a few plus points.
"What has become clear over recent months is that Mercedes installation is very good to work to.
"We had to install the engine in this homologated environment, and I think working with the Mercedes colleagues, and with the power unit they're supplying us, it has made it reasonably easy to try and shoehorn this engine into an otherwise homologated car with the installation that we've had."
Previous article
The core faults Ferrari must fix in 2021
Next article
Red Bull open to building own F1 engine from 2025
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Teams | McLaren |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
