McLaren's performance target is being measured against Formula 1's top teams and not the midfield, Carlos Sainz claims.
The British outfit has enjoyed a much stronger start to 2019 with their first double points finish of the season in Baku moving them up to fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
While that position is their target for this season, Sainz insists the longer-term goal of returning to the front of the grid means McLaren won't rest in terms of development.
"We look at Mercedes, we see where they are, we look at Ferrari, and then you look at the data and you see that every area of the car needs to be improved," he explained to Motorsport.com.
"If we compare ourselves against the midfield, then we only need to improve in little areas to come on top.
"But we are not comparing ourselves against that. We are comparing ourselves to a car that is a second quicker at the moment than us and that's the target, to improve in every area."
Also Read:
- McLaren drivers satisfied with double points finish in Baku
- Norris: Alonso's Bahrain test set the development path with 2019 McLaren
- Sainz pins McLaren's season on delivering positive upgrades
The upcoming start of the Continental Europe season, with the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend, will be the test of what McLaren can accomplish in 2019.
That's because the team has been good at making fast starts, as proven by Fernando Alonso scoring in the first five races last year, but has struggled to maintain the pace throughout the season.
