McLaren: New components for the MCL60 in Baku

The car Lando Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri has disappointed, so much so James Key got the boot as the fall guy, while the team set a course for recovery but, for now, a handful of points on race weekends is their current reality, unless, of course, over the past three weeks they found a magic switch (Aston Martin style) to put them up there with fellow Mercedes powered customers.

Nevertheless, the mood at the team is upbeat, despite the preseason departure of Andreas Seidl to Sauber's Audi F1 project and the revolving door of personnel at Woking, coupled with the winds of change fanned by seismic upheavals in the team's upper hierarchy, the technical side in particular - which let the team down again, this season - is weak.

En route to Baku, Andrea Stella - who is getting rave reviews in his role as McLaren TP - said in McLaren's preview of the weekend ahead: “We come to Baku following a solid result in Australia, a short period away from track to refocus and with good spirits in the team so we’re ready to go again for the first doubleheader of the season. Whilst the result in Australia was positive, we know we’ve still got a lot of work to do and this time away from the track has actually been very busy at the factory.

“We also bring some new components to the MCL60. Although we recognise that in Baku we may not immediately see most of the benefits of these new spec parts, this is just one of many steps in a wider plan to push us forward in the Constructors’ Championship.

“The team are also looking forward to the first weekend of the new Sprint format. At any street circuit, there is always more risk associated with events like this, but the team have prepared well and we look forward to going back to racing," added Stella.

In the driving seat as McLaren 'team leader' while Piastri finds his feet in F1, Norris will be chomping at the bit to have a car with podium chances, instead the Englishman tends to find something mighty in qualifying but then spend's Sundays going backwards as the car at his disposal is mired in packed midfield which has concertina-ed inwards, with McLaren in the middle of all that.

Nevertheless, Norris is fired up: "I’m looking forward to Baku and to go racing again. It’s been a productive three weeks off with sim work and analysis with my engineers but also taking time to rest and reset ahead of a busy few races.

"I’m also excited that we’re at another street circuit and trying out the new sprint format. It will be interesting to see how it works and hopefully it will make good viewing for the fans. The track is narrow so it’s as important as ever to be on it as there are lots of opportunities for mistakes. This is even more important as we optimise and learn everything we can about the new parts we’re bringing to the track this weekend. Let’s get back to it!" enthused Norris, on the eve of his 86th Grand Prix start, for McLaren in F1 on Sunday.

In the other car, Piastri will be starting his fourth race in F1, and for now has given a solid account of himself, not blitzed by Norris in the manner he destroyed Daniel Ricciardo, is a good start for the team's new Australian.

Piastri said in the team preview of his first Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend as an F1 driver, that lies ahead: “I’m excited to go racing in Baku and I feel rested and ready after the three-week break. I’ve raced here previously in Formula 2 and it's a cool circuit with the backdrop of the city and the castle. It’s a tricky circuit to get right from a car set-up perspective, given the long straight at the end of the lap, combined with the tighter sections of the track.

"We’ve been doing a lot of work in the simulator to ensure we hit the ground running on Friday, especially given the Sprint format, which I'm looking forward to taking on for the first time in Formula 1. I’ll be hoping to build on the momentum from Australia where I achieved my first-ever F1 points. We still have a lot of work to do and a long way to go so I’ll keep my head down and keep working hard," concluded Piastri.

Ahead of Round 4, the season's first Sprint Race, Norris lies 8th in the 2023 F1 drivers' standings on eight points, with Piastri on four points, in 13th; McLaren are fifth on the constructors' table, with 12 points, Red Bull lead on 123 points.

Norris' seventh place at the 2019 edition of the race in Baku is McLaren's best result at the city venue since it became part of the F1 calendar in 2017; plus a couple of ninth-place finishes to show for their visits.