McLaren have arrived in Singapore with a new sidepod configuration, as they look to score a strong result.
Lando Norris finished seventh with the British side the last time Formula 1 visited the Marina Bay Street Circuit in 2019.
There has been no race there in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the track has been resurfaced since, providing a new challenge for the drivers.
The cars themselves are also largely different due to the ground effect aerodynamics, and the lower ride height has led to stiffer suspension.
READ: McLaren to save $13.5mn as Oscar Piastri’s salary a fraction of Daniel Ricciardo’s
This will make it even more physically demanding to wrestle the cars round the track 61 times over on Sunday night, so a pointy front end will be preferred.
Downforce is something Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo have not always had at their disposal this season, so the Woking-based team have improvised.
Andreas Haupt, a journalist for Auto Motor und Sport, has likened their new sidepods to those of Red Bull, and the different design almost certainly means that a new floor has also been introduced.
There are one or two relatively long straights for McLaren to take advantage of, but the main point of emphasis will be on the chassis’ effectiveness through the corners.
Between them, Ricciardo and Norris have scored points five times at street tracks this year, managing a best haul of 18 points at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
READ: Oscar Piastri reveals why his respect for Daniel Ricciardo has increased
McLaren’s revisions will be among a host of them up and down the paddock this weekend, with Aston Martin’s 2021-inspired rear wing expected to be used by a number of the teams.
McLaren have scored four podiums at the Singapore Grand Prix’s inception in 2008, with Sir Lewis Hamilton taking their only win there in 2009.
Ricciardo and Norris will be driving a car complete with a Cyberpunk-inspired, futuristic livery this weekend as part of their partnership with OKX.