Wednesday, May 28, 2014

McLaren will be in even better shape in Montreal - Boullier



McLaren racing director Eric Boullier is convinced McLaren will take another step forward in Canada, as new upgrades and a changing philosophy continue to lift the team.

Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen both broke into the top ten in last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix - the first time both men have scored in the same race since Malaysia - helping to lift McLaren above Williams and into fifth in the constructors' championship.

Boullier expects the progress to continue in Canada, where he thinks McLaren's competitiveness will be boosted not only by internal improvements but also by the track layout and characteristics.

"I think the double points finish [in Monaco] was mostly due to the track layout which suited our car - but it also rewarded the hard work we are doing here in Woking," Boullier said during a Vodafone phone-in.

"We have been bringing upgrades regularly since the beginning of the season, but clearly we had a strong push since Barcelona and you can see that on the car. In Monaco we had a lot of mechanical upgrades on the car. That [will continue] through the next few races.

"Canada should suit our car as well - the track has a lot of high-speed straights, but no real high speed corners and a lot of chicanes. So we should be in better shape in Canada than we were in Monaco."

Boullier added that he was actively trying to change the team's approach to Formula One in order for success to return.

He said he shared the view of four-time world champion and former McLaren driver Alain Prost, who had said prior to Monaco that the team needed to "do something a little bit different" to once again challenge at the front of the field.

"Yes, I agree with the comments of Alain, and this is what I have been doing since I started," Boullier said. 

"[Our progress] is partially due to the change of direction, and what we have been picking at in terms of performance."

After six rounds of the 2014 championship, McLaren have scored one podium - in the Australian season opener - and sit fifth in the constructors' championship on 52 points, 15 behind Force India and 26 behind Ferrari.