McLaren turns projects back on - resumes F1 'masterplan'

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McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown says the Woking-based outfit has now resumed the crucial infrastructure masterplan that was halted earlier this year by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the outset of 2020, McLaren was scheduled to implement a plan devised by team boss Andreas Seidl which included a new windtunnel and simulator facility.

But the onslaught of the coronavirus and its impact on Formula 1 led to a period of uncertainty that forced the papaya squad to put its projects on the backburner.

While the pandemic continues to linger, a recent influx of fresh capital has allowed McLaren to resume its plan destined to carry the team back to the front of the grid and into the winner's circle.

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"Now we’re – I’m reluctant to call it post-COVID because I think we’re far from post-COVID – moving forward, everything that we need for the future is on plan," Bron explained last weekend at Silverstone.

"We’ve turned projects back on, so we’ve got a timeline and very comfortable that we’ve got the investment in what we need in the right places in the right timeline.

"So we’re coming out of COVID and now moving forward with our master plan, if you want to call it that."

Halting the projects last spring has led to inevitable delays, but a rational Seidl accepts the situation as it is, insisting that his focus is on F1's calendar and the subsequent clarity regarding revenue that additional races will bring.

"With this pandemic we have now, we have several months of delays compared to the initial dates we wanted to have this infrastructure in place," said the German.

"But that’s the situation we’re in at the moment.

"The most important thing is that the clearer the race calendars gets, the clearer the revenue side also is for this year, the better the chance now to get going again rather shortly.

"That’s the most important thing for me.

"Because we are all clear, within McLaren that if we reduce these deficits compared to the teams that are running ahead of us at the moment, if you want to have a real chance to get back to where we all want to be in the future."

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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.