McLaren-Honda ready for another move up the ladder

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McLaren's momentum appears to be slowly but surely increasing with every race, although the Woking outfit still remains at a distance from Formula 1's victory circle.

But prospects have improved dramatically this season compared to McLaren's dismal 2015 season, and according to race director Eric Boullier, the team and its engine partner Honda will be ready to move another step up the ladder in 2017.

The Frenchman admits that the road taken by McLaren has not been the easiest to navigate, but it remains committed to its engineering approach and ultimate vision of success.

"We had to decide on a concept that we believed would be a winning one and develop it over the years, not just months.

"That is what Red Bull have been doing for seven years, Mercedes for five years. When you take an average of all the races, we are fighting with Ferrari in terms of chassis. Red Bull and Mercedes are better than us, but we are the best of the rest."

McLaren will be banking ever more on its Honda partner next season, with the belief that the Japanese power unit will raise its game to the level enjoyed by Mercedes.

A prospect which, if verified, shall enable the team's designers to depart from its current conservative aerodynamic approach in favour of a more daring design.

"We have to be very efficient aerodynamically. If you bring downforce you can't bring drag," explained Boullier.

"If you have Mercedes power, you can change you aggressiveness in car development."

In the short term, McLaren will be targeting running consistently in the top 10 mix in Malaysia, but hopefully with both drivers this time out.

"We’ve proved recently that our package is a firm contender in the midfield pack and we have the potential to finish ahead of some strong teams, so we’ll keep fighting to maintain our position and move closer to the front of the grid.

"After a recent run of mixed fortunes on one side of the garage, our aim for the remaining races has to be to iron out reliability niggles and finish with both cars."

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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.