Carlos Sainz Jr. said that the two-day post-Bahrain Grand Prix Formula 1 test at the Bahrain International Circuit was “productive” for the McLaren F1 Team.
Sainz Jr. was on testing duties for McLaren for both Tuesday and Wednesday’s running, alongside team-mate Lando Norris and McLaren ambassador and reserve driver Fernando Alonso.
Rain on Tuesday late morning and early afternoon ensured sparse running for the whole field, with Sainz Jr. only managing 32 laps, but Wednesday brought better conditions and fourth place for the Spaniard with a best laptime of a 1:29.795 – recording 80 laps spread over testing for McLaren as well as Pirelli Motorsport on its 2020 development tyre.
“No rain in the desert meant we could enjoy a normal day of testing today,” said Sainz Jr.
“In the morning, I completed a good programme to test the Pirelli compounds – I switched to the McLaren test car in the afternoon for the last hour of the test and completed part of the runs I missed yesterday due to the rain.”
The ex-Renault F1 Team driver said that McLaren has managed to compile “valuable data” for the MCL34, a car that Alonso said betters the team’s 2018 effort in “every aspect”.
McLaren has started the 2019 campaign in promising fashion, despite two retirements in as many races for Sainz Jr. after good early race performances, with Norris collecting the team’s first points of the season in Bahrain last Sunday with sixth place.
“In general, I would say this has been a productive and positive test for us,” Sainz Jr. added.
“We’ve managed to gather valuable data to analyse back at the factory.
“Now it’s a couple of days to recharge batteries and we’ll be back for the Chinese Grand Prix next week.”
