McLaren ‘recovery plan’ helps fix engine

McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier has said that the team have overcome teething problems with their new Honda engine.

Test driver Stoffel Vandoorne completed just five laps in the two-day test in Abu Dhabi last month, as the new engine got its first run-out.

But Boullier says that the team have been in close contact with new suppliers Honda, and the issues which blighted the test have been fixed.

He told reporters: “We changed a little bit the schedule and we sent Honda, McLaren people and the car itself back here (Woking) for full investigations.

“They worked very hard for a week and they found out everything. A recovery plan is in place. Part of it has already been fixed, so there are now further tests to do on dynos to validate.”

McLaren have been in the sport’s doldrums for a couple of years and have failed to win a race since 2012.

Last season they announced they would re-start their famous relationship with Honda, who supplied their engines during the late 80’s when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost dominated the sport.

There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the new engine as they are a year behind the more developed Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault engines.

Boss Ron Dennis described his driver line-up as “possibly the best driver line-up that’s ever existed in F1” after they announced that Fernando Alonso would join Jenson Button next year.

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