McLaren’s radical choice to lose weight
Daniel Ricciardo was deprived of a certain amount of water during the Miami Grand Prix in order to reduce the weight of his car.
During the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix, an exchange between Kimi Räikkönen and his engineer was memorable «. Kimi, you will not have the drink ». Almost four years later, this same phrase could have been heard again on the radio between Daniel Ricciardo and the McLaren team.
While with the new regulations, teams are racking their brains to reduce the weight of their cars, some have found radical solutions. Williams can be mentioned, as they have removed paint from their cars to reduce weight. But the most radical solution, for now, remains that of McLaren.
Interviewed by our colleagues at Motorsport.com about the difficulties of the race in the face of weather conditions, Daniel Ricciardo stated that he has less water than before. « It’s also challenging because everyone is fighting to lose weight. So we don’t have the luxury of putting three liters in the drink system. We have a little, and it’s never enough. So naturally, we become dehydrated. Everyone has worked hard today, it’s hot, the drivers, the mechanics, everyone feels the heat. »
Unfortunately for him and his team, this “trick” did not allow them to enter the Top 10, as he crossed the finish line just outside the points, before being relegated to 13th place due to a penalty.
