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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed when his team plans to introduce the bulk of its initial upgrades to the MCL60.
Earlier this year, Stella revealed the team had a large package in the works that effectively amounted to a B-spec car.
Previously, he’d stated upgraded components would make their way onto the car for the Canadian and British Grands Prix, avoiding the Sprint weekend in Austria.
Speaking with Speedcafe, Stella has now revealed the bulk will arrive for the Silverstone event.
“We are working on delivering the main round of upgrades between Austria and Silverstone,” the Italian confirmed.
“It will be a very noticeably different car.
“We hope to do another round post [summer] shutdown.”
McLaren B-spec plan
McLaren has embarked on an “aggressive” development strategy this year after failing to reach its own targets with the MCL60.
That saw new parts arrive in time for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with more updates in Monaco this weekend.
In Baku, the team looked to have taken a step forward with Lando Norris finishing ninth and an unwell Oscar Piastri just missing out on the points.
The squad then struggled in Miami as the circuit highlighted weaknesses in the car, while the heat did it no favours either.
The upgrades this weekend are largely circuit-specific, though developments to a winglet on the rear corner are designed to increase ‘local load’ – F1 engineer speak for downforce.
McLaren currently sits fifth in the constructors’ championship, tied on points with Alpine, after the opening five races.
It remains in the middle of a rebuilding phase, with new facilities set to come online in the coming months which will help inform the design of the 2024 car.
There have been a number of new appointments too, and a restructuring of the team’s technical department.
That has come since Stella was appointed team principal in the wake of Andreas Seidl’s switch to Sauber during the European winter.
The British Grand Prix in Silverstone is McLaren’s home race and is the second leg of a doubleheader with the Austrian Grand Prix a week prior.
Two more races follow before the summer break, namely the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix.
