Formula One News

Formula One News » McLaren looking for harmony at Monza Posted on 08/09/2010

Having started the 2010 F1 season dismissing doubts about whether its two high-profile drivers could work together, McLaren is heading into the final European race of the campaign hoping that it can achieve harmony in other areas.

Lewis Hamilton moved back to the top of the point standings with a hard-earned victory in Belgium ten days ago, but his lead is slim and McLaren knows that it needs to capitalise on circuits perceived to play to the strengths of the MP4-25 to build an advantage over the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari before the five ‘flyaway’ rounds that close the campaign.

“Even though, on paper, the Monza circuit’s characteristics appear to suit our package, developing a car that performs well on one of the most unique venues on the F1 calendar is no easy job,” team principal Martin Whitmarsh confirmed.

“The low-downforce, extreme high-speed nature of Monza demands its own bespoke aero package – and getting that downforce level correct is not as straightforward as it seems. We require a complex number of mechanical and aerodynamic variables to work harmoniously if we are to provide both Jenson and Lewis with front-running machinery this weekend.

“Obviously, Lewis’ victory at Spa was perfectly timed, and has substantially motivated the entire workforce ahead of these closing races. After Jenson’s unfortunate failure to finish in Belgium, we are determined to reignite his championship push this weekend to get him back into the hunt for the drivers’ title.

“It’s no secret that there’s a tremendous amount of fight in this team – and I’m proud of every single person’s efforts to provide us with a winning edge.”

Hamilton holds a three-point advantage over Red Bull’s Mark Webber as the series heads to Italy, but still trails the Australian in terms of how many races each has won this season. However, despite a chequered history at the fastest circuit on the calendar, the Briton is determined to draw level with his rival, and strengthen his overall position, this weekend.

“Our victory in Belgium showed that, as a team, we never give up, and that we’ll always bounce back from adversity feeling stronger and more determined than before,” Hamilton claimed, “This team has such an incredible fighting spirit – we strive to win, and I hope that Spa is only the start of a run of stronger form for us as we head into the final races of the championship.

“I pretty much grew up racing karts in Italy, so I’ve always appreciated and understood the passion of the fans for F1 and, even if it’s not always obvious, I know that McLaren has a deep pocket of support in Italy.

“I’ve made no secret of my wish to win this race. Monza is an incredible circuit – full of history and stories from the past, and it has a special feeling in the air that you don’t find anywhere else in the world. It’s a circuit that inspires you to race at your limit, so I’ll be pushing hard all weekend.”

While Hamilton enjoys a position of strength in the championship, team-mate – and reigning champion – Jenson Button knows that he has to overcome a 35-point deficit caused by RBR rival Sebastian Vettel’s assault on his car in Belgium, and do it quickly, if he is to retain hopes of repeating as number one.

“Obviously, my non-finish in Spa wasn’t ideal for my championship aspirations, so I head to Monza next weekend determined to put myself back in the hunt for the title,” the Briton confirmed.

“Our pace over the whole weekend in Belgium was extremely encouraging – we’re developing the car at a very rapid rate, and we’re learning more about it all the time, so I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to maintain that form in Italy next weekend.

“We still have some work to do to make sure the package we bring to Italy is perfectly suited to the track, but I’m confident that our engineers have made some good steps forward with their understanding of our car, so we should be in good shape.”

http://www.f1.co.uk/mclaren/

http://www.f1.co.uk/lewis-hamilton/

http://www.f1.co.uk/jenson-button/

Your Bet on the forthcoming F1 race – click here