Mercedes now admits: "With the new car, we're not there"

Norbert Haug has publicly acknowledged that the new McLaren Mercedes MP4-24 is not currently proving to be the top car in Formula 1. With pre-season winding down, it has become clear that 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton's team is struggling quite a bit to keep up with the best in the test sessions.

Some rumors indicate the poor effectiveness of the rear aerodynamics as the main cause of the single-seater's modest competitiveness and the news reports in fact numerous and noticeable adjustments to the wing profiles, as well as the application of a green liquid dye on the bodywork to track the flows of air at the same time as the track tests. “We are not yet where we would like to be,” – admitted sports activities manager Haug to the German newspaper BILD – ” and the ban on freely carrying out tests during the season will make developments more difficult. This does not mean, however, that they will be impossible."

Unlike many teams who will move their testing activities to Barcelona, ​​McLaren has scheduled four additional days in Jerez next week.

(d.09)