McLaren Formula 1 "moved aside" Technical Dir Tim Goss after the team’s new car "failed to live up to expectations in the opening races of the season," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. McLaren issued a statement at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Thursday, without mentioning Goss, confirming a review of technical operations was being carried out as part of a program “to return the team to success." Goss was one of three top engineers at the team, along with Aerodynamics Dir Peter Prodromou and Chief Engineering Officer Matt Morris. McLaren said that the review "addresses a broad range of factors across the organisation." The team added, "More details will be given in due course. Until that time there will be no further comment" (REUTERS, 4/26). The BBC's Andrew Benson reported McLaren driver Fernando Alonso scored 22 points in the first three races of '18 -- more than he scored in the whole of last year -- and is sixth in the championship. But McLaren has "fallen a long way short" of its ambition of racing directly with Red Bull, which also uses Renault engines. The decision to make changes at the top is the "first big shake-up" since Zak Brown was made CEO of McLaren Racing, with direct responsibility for the team, earlier this month (BBC, 4/26).
