As predicted, McLaren is operating from a temporary setup at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend as their regular Team Hub unit undergoes a deep clean following a fire in Barcelona.
Disaster struck McLaren during the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday morning when a suspected electrical issue sparked a blaze in the kitchen of the Woking-based outfit’s hospitality center.
Thankfully, everyone was evacuated safely, with only one team member requiring a precautionary hospital visit due to smoke inhalation. However, the fire significantly damaged the motorhome, rendering it unusable for the rest of the race weekend.
McLaren’s crews have been working tirelessly to clean and repair the damage. But initial efforts focused on a quick turnaround for the next race, but a more thorough deep clean is now underway in Germany.
While there's a chance the Team Hub might be ready for the British Grand Prix, a return before the summer break seems more likely.
Unwilling to let the setback hinder their operations, McLaren has secured a temporary motorhome from their German engineering base partner, Schuler.
While obviously smaller than their usual Team Hub unit, the limited number of guests expected at the Red Bull Ring this weekend allows McLaren to function with minimal disruption.
Sauber F1 team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi with McLaren's Andrea Stella.
The temporary facility offers adequate space for engineers and can provide meals for mechanics when needed. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have had their driver rooms relocated to the Performance Centre, alongside team principal Andrea Stella's office.
While the fight for victory on the track is fierce, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella highlighted the remarkable logistical support his team received from its rivals, and the FIA, in Barcelona.
“The assistance, the solidarity, the sympathy, the support we received from each and every one of all the other teams, F1, and the FIA, it gave us, I think a genuine true emotion," commented the Italian. "We were touched.
"I was talking with another member of the team about the sense of community that we have in this paddock, and that sometimes we forget about that because we are here to compete with each other."
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