While most teams are evolving their cars, Carlos Sainz claims McLaren "pushed the reset button" to come up with their 2020 design.
Last season saw the British team enjoy their best results since 2014, finishing fourth in the Constructors' standings with Sainz himself an impressive sixth in the Drivers' standings, ahead of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon.
This season, repeating that result is considered McLaren's best target but to achieve it, Sainz says the Woking-based team has left no stone unturned.
“Many may consider 2020 to be just a gap year between the old and the new regulations, a mere continuation of 2019 into 2021.
“However, at McLaren, we pushed the ‘reset’ button after the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi and we’ve worked extremely hard to try and improve every single detail of our car," Sainz stated.
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“The solid jump forward we made last season was a huge motivation but, at the same time, a strong reminder of how tight the fight continues to be in the midfield.
“We can’t afford to sit back in 2020 if we want to close the gap to the top.
“The ambition is to push myself and the team to take another step forward this season.”
The result of that work was revealed on Thursday when McLaren launched the MCL35 at their Woking base, and now Sainz is eager to find out how it feels before laying any solid goals.
“I first need to try the car and see what the car is going to allow me to do,” he said via Crash.net.
“In Formula 1 you understand you’re very much dictated by the performance of your car but at the same time this year, McLaren, I like what I’m seeing, I like the project, I like the car.
“When we revealed it today I like how tidy it looks and hopefully it’s a faster car than last year, and hopefully it is a car that is closer to the top teams. I don’t know what I’m going to fight for.
“I’m going to try my best and if there is a podium opportunity I’ll try to take it, if there’s an opportunity to finish higher than seventh I’m going to try, but to improve on last year in terms of only positions it’s not going to be easy.”
