McLaren are hoping a large upgrade package for the Japanese grand prix will see them catch-up with pace setters Red Bull and Ferrari as the British team push for the title.
McLaren’s managing director Jonathan Neale told a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in that the team would be “throwing everything [including] the kitchen sink at [the title].”
The team will be bringing a ‘reasonable sized package’ to Suzuka which includes various parts, some which featured in practice at Singapore but didn’t make the race, and some brand new pieces.
“We are taking a reasonable sized package to Suzuka,” he confirmed.
“We’ve got a front wing upgrade, we’ve got a new rear wing and there are some aerodynamic details. I think what we’ve got is a big test package for Friday and after that we will be in a position to say what we are actually going to run in anger. Certainly we’re taking everything we had in Singapore and some more to Japan.”
Currently the outfit has slipped down the standings after some poor races for Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 world champion hasn’t finished the last two races after coming together with Felipe Massa in Italy and Mark Webber in Singapore.
Both DNF’s were caused by damage to the suspension, which Neale doesn’t believe was caused by McLaren building a fragile car.
“We don’t design the car to have a Red Bull torpedo it amid-ships, no… That’s not a part of the design preparation really. The fact is, the wheel broke, the tyre deflated and he was going nowhere. There’s nothing fragile about the car,” he concluded.
