01/03/2023
NEWS STORY
Lando Norris: "It's finally race week and I can't wait to jump back in the MCL60 and get on track. I'm entering my fifth season in Formula 1 now but I'm as excited as ever to go racing and get the season underway.
"Testing wasn't without its challenges, but we're working hard to continue to push us forward to get us back to where we want to be on the grid. We've learned a lot about the car, and we've already implemented some tweaks to optimise performance where we can.
"Thank you to the whole team for their work in building the MCL60 and the effort that's gone into getting us racing. Let's get the season underway."
Oscar Piastri: "I'm excited for my first race in Formula 1 and for it to be in papaya is really special. I've been waiting a long time for my Formula 1 debut so it's great that the moment is finally here.
"I'm feeling prepared for the challenges ahead and to get back on track in a competitive environment. It's been a while since I last raced so I'm itching to get going again. The work I've put in with the team over the past few months and the welcome I've had from McLaren and the fans has set me up well for the season ahead. I still have a lot to learn and some bits to get my head around with the MCL60. As a team, we've still got a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be, but I'm feeling optimistic for the season.
"I'm looking forward to the battles, the challenges and everything ahead of me as I properly kick start this journey. Let's go racing."
Andrea Stella, Team Principal: "After a busy off-season and a productive few days of testing, the whole team is looking forward to the first grand prix in Bahrain. We're ready to go racing in an exciting year as we celebrate our 60th anniversary.
"The entire team has worked incredibly hard to deliver the MCL60 and my thanks go to them for their hard work and commitment in pushing through to prepare us for the season. We've got a long season ahead of us, 23 races and some challenges on the horizon, but we can count on an exciting new driver line-up in Lando and Oscar, a team of hard-working and talented people, a strong partnership with HPP and the support of our commercial partners and our incredible fans. We feel the strength of this united team.
"It's too early to make predictions about how the grid will shape up, but we have our sights set on reclaiming a place within the best four teams over the course of the year. We know it will be challenging and we have a lot of work to do but we're optimistic about the season as a whole."
Bahrain International Circuit
Race laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.412km/3.363 miles
Total race distance: 308.238km/191.530 miles
Number of corners: 15 (9 right, 6 left)
Allocated tyre compounds: Hard: C1, Medium: C2 & Soft: C3