Report Friday – McLaren: ‘Let the battle begin’

The Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team began its 2008 Formula 1 season at Albert Park in Melbourne with very good performances.

The drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen finished first and fourth respectively in the second testing session with times of 1’26”559 and 1’27”605.

They were previously second and fourth at the end of the first session with times of 1:26.948 and 1:27.114 respectively.

Lewis Hamilton – 2nd and 1st

It’s great to be back racing and to be here in Melbourne where I started my Formula 1 career just a year ago. It’s always a special feeling to leave the pits for the first time during practice for the first round of the season. There have been improvements on the car.

« But our main competitor is very strong, but it is still too early to say exactly where we stand in relation to him. It’s a good start to the Australian Grand Prix and the season. »

Heikki Kovalainen – 4th and 4th

It’s a pleasant feeling that I experienced when I came out of the pits because it’s the first time with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. I appreciate the professionalism of the team and how they managed these two practice sessions.

« It was a bit warmer than expected, but it’s a good sign ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix. The wind is also a factor to consider, but we have made some progress with the car. There was little grip due to a still dirty track, but things will improve. »

Ron Dennis – Technical Director

Lewis and Heikki had a very good start to the weekend. We are pleased with the balance of the car. It was necessary to get familiar with the track during the first session.

During the second session, we began our work on the set-up for qualification and tire evaluation. The strong wind today was an additional challenge to overcome, but we encountered no problems. The entire team based in Woking, Brixworth, and Stuttgart has worked very hard to find ourselves in the position we are in today. I hope their efforts will be rewarded with a good start to the season.

Norbert Haug – Director of Mercedes Motorsport

« A lot of great work has been done within the team since January, when we unveiled our MP4-23 for the first time in Spain. We were all keen to see how the first day of free practice would go. It looks like we are in a good position to fight for the top spots on the starting grid, tomorrow and hopefully Sunday. »