McLaren could pose a threat to Red Bull next season, according to design guru Adrian Newey, and even Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene is wary about the progress McLaren and Honda could make.
Whilst it’s unlikely McLaren will jump Ferrari, which many expect will remain as Mercedes’ biggest rival and could even challenge for the title in 2016, Arrivabene warned that the two companies shouldn’t be underestimated.
“For sure we will see a more competitive McLaren, because Honda is not someone to underestimate,” said the Italian. “I think it will definitely be a much more interesting championship than the one just concluded.”
Meanwhile Red Bull’s Newey believes the problems faced by Honda are relatively easy to fix over the winter period and he too expects them to jump up the order.
“I believe Honda, what we have seen, will make a good step. I think their internal combustion engine is a reasonable engine,” he told Motorsport.
“Their problem this year has been that they made the recovery units on the turbo, the MGU-H, far too small. But that is an easy problem to address over the winter.”
The Briton also warned that Red Bull could drop down the order as those behind take steps forward, particularly with their power units, whilst Renault continues to struggle.
“If we start the season with the same power as we have had throughout 2014 and 2015, which I think may well be the case, then we are going to be even further behind.”
