tranquility2k9
Podium Finisher
There's one thing wrong with your posting. Your source appears to assume McLaren will be starting the season playing catch up to Red Bull. The teams haven't had enough track time yet to have any idea how they compare with each other. Both Red Bull and McLaren have commented on this years cars having less rear grip. You can be sure of one thing, McLaren have no intention of having to wait until China to be at Red Bulls level, they intend being competitive from race one in Australia. For what its worth, I think Red Bull will have its struggles this year.
I see your point. Of course McLaren will want to be competitive at the first race and will try and do everything to do so. But, 1 thing is immediately obvious from the 1st test and that is that the Red Bull looks very ominous again. I know nothing is conclusive but you can see by watching it on track, irrelevant of fuel loads that it looks "like it is on rails" as many have said, and I agree from the footage I've seen. Teams also have ways of approximately working out fuel loads of other cars by gear shifts and engine notes and they do use this internally to get an idea of what other teams are doing even though they do not openly talk about it in the press. I've read many reports during the past couple of years of testing that this happens.
Anyway, I think the idea is that if McLaren do think they are behind Red Bull at this stage then it is logical for them to set a target, e.g. they will be on the level of Red Bull by China at the latest. They obviously will have an update schedule and it is probably that they are expecting big updates around this time.
I know it is just hearsay but @joseluisf1 is usually spot on with his information and does not make up random rumours. He has good contacts within the teams and people like @ScarbsF1 often get information out of him way before it is out in the press. We'll see what happens in Barcelona
Happy birthday by the way : )
