McLaren first to announce 2016 car unveiling

McLaren have become the first team to confirm a launch date for their 2016 car. The Honda-powered MP4-31 will be revealed on February 21, on the eve of this year’s opening pre-season test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in Spain.

McLaren hope the new machine will revive their fortunes after a hugely disappointing 2015 campaign, in which the Woking team dropped to ninth in the standings as drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button scored just 27 points between them.

The MP4-31 is the second car of McLaren’s revived partnership with Honda, and despite the extensive teething problems experienced last year, they are expected to retain the ‘size-zero’ design concept for the car’s packaging.

The two pre-season tests of 2016 both take place in Barcelona, the first on February 22-25 and the second on March 1-4. The opening Grand Prix of the year is in Australia on March 20.