McLaren set for 'decent step' with 2020 design - Seidl

©McLaren

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McLaren's 2020 contender will include several concept changes relative to its predecessor destined to help the papaya squad achieve "a decent step" and inch closer to F1's front-runners says team boss Andreas Seidl.

With each passing race, McLaren is strengthening its grip on its fourth-place position in the Constructors' standings and heading towards its best season since the introduction of the hybrid era in F1.

While the Woking-based outfit's engineers continue to implement small updates on this year's MCL34, the bulk of the team's resources are shifted towards next season's design.

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McLaren will incorporate a few new concepts into its MCL35, with little carry-over from its current car.

"At the moment we don’t see anything in terms of carryover parts - it wouldn’t make sense," explained the McLaren F1 boss.

"We still have stuff that we bring for this year’s car. I mean the regulations are pretty much the same, there are stuff you can carryover then to next year but it’s not like we develop our stuff for next year’s car and then bring it.

©McLaren

While McLaren's design philosophy for its MCL35 has followed a few novel approaches, Seidl stopped short of calling the changes "radical".

"I wouldn’t call it radical but of course with the gap we’re having to the top cars, under the same regulations, we try to make a big or a decent step which means that some of the concept stuff of the car we will change."

After Carlos Sainz delivered another solid bag of points to the team in Japan, Seidl believes the honorary title of 'best of the rest' is now McLaren's to lose in the final four races of 2019 as it balances its efforts with its work on next season's car.

"I think we have everything in our hands now to secure this P4 at the end of the season which will be a great achievement for us as a team, and at the same time it’s important now to stay flat out for next year’s car to make the next step."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.