McLaren was right to pursue "size zero" concept - Boullier
McLaren-Honda's decision to go aggressive with its "size zero" concept was the right thing to do, claims racing director Eric Boullier, despite the troubles the team has faced this season.











The Woking-based outfit endured a difficult time as engine partner Honda struggled on its return to Formula 1, and the team got to grips with a new aerodynamic philosophy.
Its troubles came after McLaren elected to go ultra-aggressive with its packaging of both the engine and bodywork - in a move that some have suggested may have been too ambitious for the first year of its renewed Honda partnership.
But Boullier says that being conservative was not an option for the team, because the only way it will beat Mercedes in the future is if it pushes everything to the limit.
When asked if "size zero" had been too much too soon, Boullier said: “We will see. Don't forget, during the season we could not change everything we wanted to [on the engine].
“One of the basic elements involving recovery [of energy] from the engine was not delivering what was expected, and that did hurt us a lot – because it costs seconds per lap during the race.
“But in principle – if you want to beat Mercedes, you have to do something better. So the way we decided to design and work was to go another path. Over ambitious? I think it is too early to say it is. We have to wait.”
Boullier is also adamant that McLaren's desire for tight packaging at the rear of the car did not lead Honda to make any compromises with the design of its power unit.
“It never impacted on the engine at all,” he said. “We told them we wanted the tightest car as possible. But we never imposed on them in terms of size of whatever.”
Gain from pain
Although the relationship between McLaren and Honda became strained at time, Boullier thinks that the partnership has come through its difficulties in better shape.
“Maybe in the pain you build a stronger relationship with your partner,” he said. “With Honda, we have a much more mature relationship.
“The positive as well is that Honda understood the commitment they need to be winning one day. They have readjusted a little bit their resources level, which is good, so there are some positives out of this.
“As for the company itself, McLaren, we have regrouped together and we have changed what we needed to change in the way we operate.
“If you look at the performance over the season, we have caught up on the top guys. We caught up with restricted regulations, so there are some positives in some way.
“But we have had to take the pain together and we will come out of this mess much stronger, and much more efficient as a one-team act.”

Previous article
Thoughts on the Formula 1 year that lies ahead in 2016
Next article
Verstappen and Sainz can be as successful as Vettel - Tost

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Jenson Button , Fernando Alonso |
Teams | McLaren |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
McLaren was right to pursue "size zero" concept - Boullier
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix