Boullier: ‘We’re ready to step it up’

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has said that the team are ready to increase their engine power after an encouraging start to the season.

Despite sitting near the back of the field, the team’s reliability has vastly improved since winter testing and Boullier now believes that they can focus on getting quicker.

He told AUTOSPORT: "We've made some progress and it's actually a good achievement because we had a reliable package here and it's good to see the race was absolutely trouble free.

"So it's a very good sign and very encouraging and rewarding for Honda and the guys back in McLaren. So it's very good.”

Boullier says that the team expect to climb up the grid as soon as the European leg of the season starts in Spain next month.

He added: "Now we can power up a little bit and we know the potential. There's a lot of potential coming from this point.

"We have some new specs coming from Europe. In terms of chassis as well, we'll keep bringing parts in Bahrain.

"We have a good package coming in Barcelona so we're ramping up. I think it's as we said - it's not tenths by tenths but half a second by half a second.

"So as Fernando [Alonso] said, we started from too far behind but we are catching up. Now we are just behind the midfield pack so hopefully in a few races we will be in front."

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