McLaren chief Zak Brown says he has been encouraged by the start the team has made to 2019 but has cautioned against raising expectations.
McLaren moved in to fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship in the wake of Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris finishing seventh and eighth respectively in Azerbaijan.
It marked the team’s first double points finish since last year’s corresponding race at the Baku City Circuit.
“So it’s early, still,” said Brown. “I think this is a big race because as we all know, this is where everyone brings the big package of next upgrades, and I think we’re all trying different things that session.
“I think we’re pleased with the start to the season. Other than China qualifying, we’ve been pretty good so far all sessions, all races, race pace.
“I think the team’s done an excellent job building a much better race car than last year.
“Right now we’re sitting fourth, but one bad weekend and you can go to ninth.
“So I think it’s very early to start coming to conclusions for anyone who is going to be fourth and ninth. But I’d rather be fourth than ninth right now.”
Brown added that finishing fourth would be a “great accomplishment” for McLaren given the underwhelming nature of its 2018 season.
“We would be very pleased with fourth,” he commented. “We know one through three is not a realistic target.
“While we finished sixth last year, it was really seventh because of the points [with Force India], and then by the end of the year we were eighth, ninth, sometimes tenth-quickest team.
“So I think if we can be at the front part of the middle of the grid, I’d be pleased, and I think fourth is about as much as we could achieve, so if we do achieve that, that would be a great accomplishment. But like I said, a long way to go.”
