Jenson Button first to sit behind the wheel of the new McLaren car in testing at Jerez, which will start on January 28. Briton will work on the track the first two days, and then him will be replaced by Kevin Magnussen.
Technical Characteristics
Monocoque: Carbon-fibre composite incorporating driver cockpit controls and fuel cell
Front suspension: Carbon-fibre wishbone and pushrod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system
Rear suspension: Carbon-fibre wishbone and pullrod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system
Electronics: McLaren Applied Technologies. Including chassis control, engine control, data acquisition, alternator, sensors, data analysis and telemetry
Bodywork: Carbon-fibre composite. including engine cover, sidepods, floor, nose, front wing and rear wing. Driver-operated drag reduction system
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero
Radio: Kenwood
Race wheels: Enkei
Brake calipers: Akebono calipers cylinders
Master cylinders: Akebono master cylinders
Batteries: Lithium-Ion battery, between 20 and 25 kg, maximum energy storage, 4 MJ per lap
Steering: McLaren Racing power-assisted
Instruments: McLaren Applied Technologies dashboard
Paint solutions: AkzoNobel Car Refinishes system using Sikkens products
“We’ve made no secret of our disappointment at how the 2013 season turned out,” said Sam Michael. “The aim now is to get back to winning – that’s what McLaren exists to do – but there’s a certain amount of growth and regrowth that needs to take place before we return to a position where we can challenge for the world championship.
“The good thing is that we’ve acknowledged that, and we’ve actually been working towards that goal for many months now. We have Honda waiting in the wings, we have a number of key technical staff bolstering our existing design and engineering teams, and we are fostering the careers of our young drivers, all of whom have an incredible amount of potential. The future for McLaren is bright, and we’re now putting in place the processes that will move us closer to our goals.
One thing is for certain, though, there’ll be a lot of cross-pollination of ideas during the season as the best concepts and solutions proliferate. We’re proud of some of the concepts we’ll be introducing with this car but, likewise, there’ll be areas where we can learn and improve.”
