McLaren couldn’t test with old-spec car ahead of first race

The McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl says the Woking-based outfit won’t be able to test ahead of Formula 1’s opening race as it does not have a suitable car at its disposal.

Meanwhile, several teams will be taking to the track this month with older-spec cars, with the Mercedes outfit running at Silverstone this week with a 2018 W09 Silver Arrow.

However, the tests is destined to help teams warm up after a three-month hiatus and validate the safety procedures that will be in force at events this summer, are authorized by the FIA under the condition that only older cars are used.

“On the driver side, unfortunately we don’t have this possibility of having a car that is two years old that we could operate because of all the powertrain switches we had here in recent years,” Seidl explained.

“But as you have seen already, Lando [Norri] was doing some karting and the free testing [in an F3 car] and we look into the same thing also with Carlos [Sainz] to have the drivers ready

Of course, we will do some simulator work as well with them