With every Formula 1 team set to unveil their 2023 car within the next month, fans’ excitement is reaching an all-time high.
These launches will be the first time that the public will see the brand-new car designs and stunning new liveries ahead of the 2023 season.
Ahead of all of these public launches, the teams have somewhat of a private launch at the factory, called a ‘fire up’.
This is where the teams are able to start up their new car’s engine for the very first time, often surrounded by all of the staff, engineers and drivers as a mini event and celebration.
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McLaren showed off their fire up on social media the other day, with the likes of CEO Zak Brown and rookie driver Oscar Piastri in attendance to see the MCL37 come to life for the very first time.
The team’s director of Formula 1 build, car assembly and hydraulics Jonathan Brookes has now explained why these fire ups are such a significant moment for the teams.
“[It marks] the birth of a new car and a new season,” he said in an official McLaren interview.
“The car comes alive at that point. Fire up is a culmination of many people’s work over months, possibly even years, depending on where they work within the team.
“It is a big moment for the whole factory because so many people have put so much work into it. As I said, it is like the birth of the car, and everyone want to be there to hear it fire up for the first time.
“Getting to fire up is a long process of late nights and a lot of hours worked across the whole team. Lots of things have to be checked and signed off in isolation before they get fitted onto the car.
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“Fire up is confirmation that everything works correctly and as it should, once it all comes together.”
McLaren will be hoping that the MCL37 can perform better than last year’s car, as the team struggled to make strides forward under the new regulations.
With a title challenge still a few seasons away, the McLaren will be hoping to regain their title as the best of the rest in 2023.