McLaren is second only to Ferrari in Formula 1 World Championships, having won 12 constructors’ titles, three less than the Scuderia. Yet the 2011 season has not lived up to the team’s expectations despite winning six races, because the combination of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull was clearly superior.
Speaking at the opening of McLaren’s new Production Center, the F1 team’s principal, Martin Whitmarsh, admitted that they underperformed this year.
“By the high standards of McLaren, this has not been a vintage year,” said Whitmarsh. “We’re very proud of the performance in Abu Dhabi, which brings us to six victories, and obviously we’d like it to make it seven before the end of this year. We’ve secured second place in the constructor’s championship, but clearly we want to win more races than this.”
Whitmarsh blames the slow start of the team, which gave Vettel and Red Bull an early advantage that proved valuable in winning both the 2011 drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
Therefore, in 2012 McLaren has to be competitive right from the start: “We’ve got two great drivers and a fantastic team of men and women here. So we’re optimistic about next year”, said Whitmarsh. “But we’ve got to get out of the blocks quickly and effectively next year to make sure that we are winning races straightaway.”
Story References: ESPN
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