Lewis Hamilton has given a subdued response to the new-look McLaren, reporting that he was unable to detect any difference from the MP4-27's higher nose.
Lewis guarded on the MP4-27's new look
Lewis Hamilton has given a subdued response to the new-look McLaren, reporting that he was unable to detect any difference from the MP4-27's higher nose.
Having began Friday's practice sessions using the old, low-nose model, Hamilton soon switched to the
new, high-tip design that McLaren first debuted at last week's Mugello. Yet, having also complained about the car's gear-shift over his car-to-pits radio, Hamilton sounded non-plussed about the high-profile change when summing up his day for Sky Sports News.
"We struggled all day with consistency in the car," the McLaren driver told the station. "The balance is very inconsistent from corner to corner so it's very difficult to pinpoint where we need to make changes to make car set-up better."
And what of the new nose?
"To be honest, you don't really notice the difference. I went out with the first nose and did a very slow installation lap and then I drove the new nose, so I didn't really compare them, but it feels very much the same."
It was a similiar story from Hamilton's team-mate Jenson Button. Although he finished top of the timesheets in Practice Two, the Englishman, unsettled by understeer in both of Friday's sessions, was still stumped afterwards by his struggle to put heat into his Pirelli tyres.
"The car seems to be working pretty well on the softer of the two tyres, but on the hard tyre I just can't get it working," Jenson lamented.
"I just can't get the temperature into the tyres. I don't know why that is but it's something to sort out for Sunday."
