The McLaren team unveiled its car for the 2018 Formula 1 season – MCL33. The MCL33 marks the first time in McLaren’s 52-year history that it has run a car powered by Renault engines.
The car will race in a new livery that draws its inspiration directly from the team’s iconic papaya orange and blue colour scheme that McLaren first raced in Formula 1 50 years ago. The MCL33 will be driven by Spain’s Fernando Alonso, the F1 double world champion entering his fourth consecutive season with McLaren, and his team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne of Belgium, who is starting his second season in Formula 1.
The engineering philosophy of the MCL33 follows the roots established by its predecessor. Data accumulated from the 2017 season fed a range of improvements. Much of the work on the MCL33 has been around optimising the packaging of the new Renault engine. The other challenge was the incorporation of the new halo device.
The MCL33 will conduct a filming day at a Spanish test track on Friday. After that, it will begin eight days of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next Monday.
Fernando Alonso:
“My winter has felt somewhat shorter than usual, as I’ve already been in the cockpit for a 24-hour race and several sports car tests! That said, I’m really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time in three months.
“Looking at our new car, I feel incredibly excited – but also apprehensive. I know just how important this car is to the team, and I just hope that it delivers in the way we all want it to.”
“If we’re able to develop the key strengths of last year’s chassis and marry it to an improved Renault power unit, then I think we’ll be able to take a step forwards. The car certainly looks very neat and well thought-out, and I think the new colour looks really great; really eye-catching.”
“I just want to get behind the wheel now!”
Stoffel Vandoorne:
“The arrival of a new car is always one of the most tense and exciting moments of the season. For everyone at McLaren, this is an important car. We all know exactly how much rests on it being successful. And we’re all extremely keen to see just how well it performs when we start testing it next week.”
“From my perspective, I really hope we can start the season with a stable platform that we’re able to develop quickly and easily. It would be great to have a smooth few weeks of winter testing. And to go to Australia feeling confident about the year ahead.”
“I’ve been training hard all winter and feel as ready as I can be to get back into the cockpit. I’m fit and focused, but I’m also relaxed because I think we’ve had a very productive winter and have designed a very capable new car.”
“I can’t wait to put it to the test.”
When the sign turns orange at MTC. ? It’s #MCL33 launch day, folks. pic.twitter.com/1bgz4arQfF
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) February 23, 2018
