McLaren 'on the road to recovery'

McLaren chief Zak Brown believes that the team are "on the road to recovery" following another Formula 1 season in which they failed to live up to expectations. Despite their pre-season confidence that they could potentially compete further up the grid, they finished sixth in the constructor rankings for 2018.

The team once again had two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in their ranks, as well as Stoffel Vandoorne, but the pair failed to make an impact on the season in their uncompetitive car, with both finishing outside the top 10 without as much as a podium position.

Brown reckons that the atmosphere within the camp is improving ahead of 2019, as they once again attempt to develop a car capable of competing.

“I think we’re now on the road to recovery as I tell the men and women at McLaren, it’s going to feel good before it looks good,” Brown told the official Formula 1 website.

“Meaning that they’re doing some great work now but until you see the race car on the track so I think it kind of feels good inside McLaren.

“Development is going well, teamwork, collaboration, communication, responsibilities, all those things that we fell short of are now going well.

“But until that race car hits the track that’s the ultimate measurement and that’s when everyone will be able to visibly see what type of improvement over the winter.

“I certainly think this year is a low spot, and this era is a low spot, in McLaren history and working hard to be on the road to recovery now. But it takes some time.”

Before the 2018 season, McLaren ditched their engine provider, Honda, in favour of Renault in an attempt to gain more power on the track. The new partnership hasn't paid off yet, but Brown is adamant McLaren remain content with the French manufacturer for the moment.

“We’re very happy with Renault,” the McLaren boss continued.

“We have a very good relationship with them. I got my report (in Abu Dhabi) on how next year’s power unit is coming along and that’s very encouraging.

“They’ve given us a reliable engine this year and so it’s going well we’re happy with the decision that we’ve made, we’re very happy with Renault.

“I think we’ll benefit from having two teams on the grid next year, so they’ll be focused on ourselves and themselves, and excited to have a long term future with them.”

McLaren have a new driving line-up for the 2019 F1 season, with Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz joining the team as replacements for Alonso and Vandoorne.

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