McLaren hopes development rate can offset car weaknesses

McLaren-Honda racing director Eric Boullier admits the power-sensitive nature of the Canadian Grand Prix venue is not the MP4-31’s strong suit, but hopes the team’s development rate will help it to another points haul in Montreal.

Despite claiming a double top-10 results in Monaco, McLaren-Honda was slightly disappointed with its performance around the streets of Monte Carlo.

With Circuit Gilles Villeneuve putting more emphasis on outright power, the British outfit and Japanese manufacturer are braced for a challenging outing, but Boullier thinks the team’s current form can make up for the shortcomings of its car.

“Monaco for us was a bag of mixed fortunes,” the Frenchman said. “A double-points finish was an encouraging boost for the team and a reward in some way for all the hard work going on behind the scenes in Woking, Milton Keynes and Sakura – but it’s no secret that until we are back at the front, we cannot be satisfied.

“Like Monaco, [the Canadian Grand Prix] is a gem of an event and holds a justifiable reputation for creating great racing on its formidable asphalt. That’s where the similarities end, as its demands present a unique set of challenges for our engineers, mechanics and ultimately, drivers.

“On paper, this power-hungry, demanding circuit is not among those that would play to the strengths of our car, but such is our rate of development that we are aiming to continue the momentum we’ve built over the last couple of races, and firmly push for more valuable points.”

With 24 points after six races in 2016, McLaren-Honda has amassed six times the amount of points it had scored last year at the same stage.

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