McLaren plans modest Austin upgrades to improve braking reliability

McLaren will bring a modest package of upgrades to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, chief technical officer and chief designer Rob Marshall says. The changes target braking reliability and performance, while the team will also test small floor changes.

Marshall said McLaren’s recent races had not gone well, but he believes the team is getting stronger again and Austin is probably a better circuit for its car. He also said it had been difficult to predict the leading teams’ relative performance over the past five or six races, with upgrades and the way cars or drivers suit particular circuits among the factors.

Marshall says practice will be important for comparing McLaren’s development tools with track performance. He describes the Circuit of The Americas as physically demanding: its high-speed corners and kerbs generate heavy loads that can unsettle a driver and cause damage.

McLaren enters the weekend third in the Constructors’ Championship with 339 points, 105 behind second.