Eric Boullier thinks McLaren could have won races in 2016

  • Published on 23 Dec 2016 11:29
  • comments 4
  • By: Dominik Wilde

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has made the bold claim that McLaren could have won races in 2016 if they had the best engine.

Although the British team improved from ninth to sixth place in the constructors' championship, they still went the year without winning a race for the fourth successive season.

Much of their struggles have been put down to Honda's engine, and Boullier thinks that had the engine been different, they would have been more successful.

"If we had the best engine this year, we would have won races," Boullier told Autosport.

"We know, the GPS traces [of corner speeds] tell us."

However, Boullier said that not only improvements to the engine, but to the car as well are necessary.

"There is room for improvement everywhere with Honda," he said.

"It also drives your chassis development. Everything is connected.

"You can't make a car too draggy if you don't have enough power deployment because you lose time.

"You have to balance all the time. We work as one team with Honda to achieve what we want."

Replies (4)

Login to reply
  • ianf1

    Posts: 185

    Eh? Surely anyone with the best engine would win races by definition? Best by how much!? 1%? 100%? More McLaren empty words for sponsor pacification methinks.

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2016 - 12:18
  • The news blogs cry its RB which was in top in GPS corner speeds. If only a standardized way of knowing it.

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2016 - 18:06
  • Barron

    Posts: 625

    Good to see Eric received his early herbal Christmas present...

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2016 - 20:19
  • Eric needs psychiatric help. Working at Woking has a high price

    • + 0
    • Dec 25 2016 - 10:06

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar