McLaren unable to test with old-spec car ahead of first race

McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl says the Woking-based outfit won't be able to test ahead of Formula 1's opening race as it does not have a suitable car at its disposal.

Several teams will be taking to the track this month with older-spec cars, with the Mercedes outfit running at Silverstone this week with a 2018 W09 Silver Arrow.

The tests, destined to help teams warm up after a three-month hiatus and validate the safety procedures that will be in force at events this summer, are authorized by the FIA under the condition that only older cars are used.

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"On the driver side, unfortunately we don’t have this possibility of having a car that is two years old that we could operate because of all the powertrain switches we had here in recent years," explained Seidl.

"But as you have seen already, Lando [Norri] was doing some karting and the free testing [in an F3 car] and we look into the same thing also with Carlos [Sainz] to have the drivers ready.

"Of course, we will do some simulator work as well with them."

While McLaren won't enjoy a track day to get itself in gear, the team's racing crews have been preparing and going through their work procedures at the factory.

"We started the race team again last week so we are preparing the cars at the moment and to try and to go through a lot of procedures and processes in the garage under these new circumstances with all the social distancing, etc…" added Seidl.

"With what we know now with the process that has been outlined from FIA and Formula 1 in terms of how we actually execute the race weekend in Austria, we have clarity there.

"Now it’s simply important to focus on preparation in the next three or four weeks and then hopefully we have a good start in Austria."

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