Coronavirus decisions pose ‘challenge’ for McLaren

With the 2021 car delayed, switching to Mercedes will have cost implications for McLaren

(GMM) With the entire F1 world in disarray over the coronavirus pandemic, McLaren is facing another "interesting challenge".

That is the view of Lawrence Barretto, a writer for F1's official website.

He is referring to the fact that the British team is currently scheduled to switch from Renault to Mercedes power for 2021.

However, the teams have now agreed with the FIA and Liberty Media that the current 2020 cars will in fact be raced again in 2021, with the new regulations delayed a year.

"Each manufacturer's power unit has a very different architecture, so it's not as simple as taking a Renault out and plugging a Mercedes in," said Barretto.

"Changing tack to make it (the Mercedes engine) work with their 2020 car will likely have cost implications," he added.

The good news for McLaren is that the staff member who had been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Melbourne is now "free of symptoms".

Additionally, "all seven of (our) race team members who were tested for coronavirus while in quarantine in Melbourne have returned negative results", McLaren added.