McLaren hopes to unleash potential in Singapore

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McLaren racing director Eric Boullier is hopeful his team will be able to "show what our package is truly capable of" at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Honda introduced a power unit update at Spa-Francorchamps which helped McLaren remain competitive in Belgium, with Fernando Alonso finishing an impressive seventh from the back of the field. Boullier says there were also some positive signs at Monza even though the team failed to score, and he believes Singapore will allow McLaren to display its full potential on a less power-sensitive circuit.

“The combination of the stunning Marina Bay backdrop, state-of-the-art paddock facilities, unique circuit characteristics, and a vibrant atmosphere from the passionate fans, makes Singapore one of the most impressive spectacles on the Formula 1 calendar," Boullier said.

“As we begin the final set of fly-aways before the end of the season, we go to territories where we race at circuits that require a more technical car set-up, with less reliance on pure power. Despite spending the next few weeks far away from the UK, our development push is still ongoing and we’re still working hard on achieving performance improvements right up to the end of the season.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how the ultrasoft tyre fares on the bumpy asphalt this street circuit is so famous for. Strategy will be an important factor in this year’s grand prix, especially given the unusually high likelihood of a Safety Car appearance.

"Although we weren’t in a points-paying position in Monza, we did see some promising performances throughout the weekend, so we’re hopeful of a greater chance to show what our package is truly capable of at the Singapore Grand Prix.”

In 2015, both McLaren drivers retired from the race in Singapore with gearbox problems having each made it through to Q2 in qualifying.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.