McLaren looking to ‘reset and refresh’ in Singapore

McLaren are looking for a fresh start in Singapore after securing just one point from the previous two race weekends combined.

The Woking team have occupied the P4 spot in the Constructors’ Championship for much of the season, but Renault have closed the gap to their customer team to 21 points with seven races of the season remaining.

Team principal Andreas Seidl said that Spa and Monza show just how even the smallest setback can have big consequences, but wants the team to see Singapore as a clean slate.

“We go to Singapore looking to reset and refresh following two difficult weekends in Belgium and Italy,” Seidl said in McLaren’s Singapore preview.

“Those races demonstrated just how close the midfield pack is, and that even the smallest issue can cost a lot in the Constructors’ Championship.

“We know the areas we need to work on between now and the end of the season, and the team is pushing hard right through to Abu Dhabi.

“The night race in Singapore creates a unique environment. It offers an interesting challenge from an operational point of view, with the team working on a European-time schedule, but through the night due to the local time zone.

“But, as ever, we are focused on maximising our capabilities as a team throughout the race weekend and extracting performance at every opportunity.”

Sainz has suffered back-to-back retirements at Spa and Monza, but is still full of positivity heading to Singapore.

“The last two European races of the season didn’t go to plan, so I‘m looking forward to recovering some positive momentum in the upcoming flyaway races,” Sainz added.

“Spa and Monza were unfortunate but there is no reason to not stay positive. As always, we need to keep our heads down and fight for every opportunity.”

The unique Singapore experience is all new to Lando Norris, meanwhile, and he is flying out early to get fully accustomed to the conditions and schedule.

“I’m excited to head to Singapore for the first time and I’ve been doing a lot of prep back in the factory to get ready for the weekend,” he said.

“From my work in the simulator, the street circuit seems to be an exciting challenge and I’m really looking forward to my first laps on Friday.

“I’ll be heading out to Singapore a few days early so I can get used to the temperatures with some specialist training, take in some of the city and prepare myself for the weekend ahead.”

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