F1 Data Analysis: How Quickly Are McLaren-Honda Improving?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: April 21, 2015

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It was always going to be a struggle for McLaren this year, taking on a new engine manufacturer one year after Formula One introduced its new V6 hybrid power units.

Yes, Honda had an additional year to observe the other manufacturers and develop their engine, but they were also missing a year of on-track data and race experience. Through four races in 2015, those deficiencies have manifested themselves in McLaren's inability to score a point—the only team other than Manor (using a modified 2014 chassis and engine) yet to to so.

The key question for McLaren is: How quickly can they improve? By comparing some of the lap times from the first four grands prix, maybe we will be able to quantify that improvement—even if it is not always apparent from the final race results.

For example, a McLaren has twice failed to make it to the starting grid this season: Kevin Magnussen (filling in for an injured Fernando Alonso) in Australia and Jenson Button last weekend in Bahrain. To put that in perspective, the last time McLaren had two 'Did Not Start' results due to car problems in the same season was 1969, their fourth year in F1.

The team also suffered a double-retirement in Malaysia.



Ironically, McLaren's best results this year also came in Australia and Bahrain—the races where one car did not make the start—where Button and Alonso each scored an 11th-place finish.

Because the team missed so much preseason testing, though, these early races are acting as an extended test session for the team. McLaren have long been targeting the Spanish Grand Prix, the next race, as the one where they would truly be able to battle, at least among the mid-field teams.

Last weekend, per the BBC's Andrew Benson, Alonso said:

In Barcelona we should see a good step and from that moment we can start enjoying races and doing a normal development phase. This year we sta...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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