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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has left the Barcelona shakedown with a smile on his face, confident that the reigning constructors' champions are fully on schedule for the new season. The Woking-based squad enjoyed a trouble-free test with their new challenger, gathering valuable aerodynamic data. However, Brown revealed that the team wasn't just focused on their own car—they were busy gathering intelligence on everyone else, too.
The Art of Pit Lane Espionage
In the ultra-competitive world of Formula 1, knowledge is power. Brown candidly admitted that McLaren photographers snapped "lots of photos" of rival cars throughout the week. "It’s useful to see what other people have done," Brown explained. "It just gives you a few extra ideas about the next development direction you can take." With the regulations being brand new, seeing how teams like Mercedes and Ferrari interpreted the rules can provide critical shortcuts for development.
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Validating the Virtual World
The primary focus for McLaren, however, was correlating their new wind tunnel and simulator data with the real world. Brown noted that the initial feedback from the track has allowed them to improve the realism of their simulation tools immediately. With the aerodynamic foundation looking solid and "flow vis" paint providing the engineers with confirmation of their designs, McLaren believes they are well-positioned to defend their title, armed with both their own data and the secrets of their competitors.
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