McLaren Admit Problems with the MP4-24

The fact that McLaren's MP4-24 is far from delivering the performances everyone had been looking for in the offseason is no news. In recent tests, both Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen have had a hard time climbing up the time sheets, while also fighting some reliability problems from their car at Jerez.

When asked what they think about the behavior of McLaren's 2009-spec car through the winter testing, most drivers in the F1 paddock have raised their eyebrows. While arguing that McLaren will bounce back by the Australian Grand Prix, both Nick Heidfeld and Jarno Trulli agreed the car is not in a very good place right now.

Having no other way but to submit to the obvious, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Director Norbert Haug admitted McLaren were hoping to end the testing at a higher level than the one at Barcelona this week. Kovalainen was last on the time charts on Monday, while only managing the 9th best time during yesterday's testing. And it happened despite the new aerodynamic features introduced on the MP4-24 before the Barcelona test.

“For sure we are not yet where we want to be,” said Norbert Haug in an interview for German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. Nevertheless, he insisted improvements on the car can be made even after the Melbourne event, despite the in-season testing ban imposed by the FIA for 2009.

“The test ban will make developments during the season more difficult, but by no means impossible,” added the German official.

As reported by GMM news agency, McLaren have proceeded to adding one more testing date on their schedule, prior to the Albert Park race, at Jerez next week. Apart from McLaren, Brawn GP and Force India (likely) are also expected to conduct a further testing session after the Barcelona meeting this week.