2022 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[runningmanz]

My only point is that the team will follow whatever path makes the car the fastest possible, if that path suits Daniel’s style more, fantastic, if it doesn’t, so be it… The drivers always provide feedback, the fact that Carlos said that it was “weird” means that the handling characteristics of the MCL35M were known way before Daniel came on board and I’m sure both Carlos and Lando provided similar feedback back then, the difference is that both of them manage to drive around the issue.

If some want to think that Daniel is responsible for the MCL36 performance, is up to them… Just as I won’t blame him if the performance isn’t there, I won’t praise him if the car’s performance is great… He is supposed to drive the car as fast as the car can go… He is not an engineer, he isn’t a designer, as much what he can do is to tell them that it feels that the car does X, when he is doing A and does Y when he is doing B and how he would like those variables to feel, the team will try to make adjustments to make the car be as close as possible to what he wants, but it’s possible that it won’t be the case (like the 2021 season showed).

You're missing the point. Without Dan's input which Lando also agreed with the car wouldn't be what it is now. I'm not saying it's all his input of course not but it is significant. Lando and Carlos didn't have reference points from a race winning car like the RBR that Dan brings to the team. Your are underestimating how important that information and experience is . Mentioning 2021 is a moot point because Dan had very limited input into that car. Time will tell how good the car is and if it's the right design direction.

This is exactly what I’ve been trying to say, thank you for being so concise.

No worries looking forward to seeing how this new design with Dan's input turns out. Race 1 can't come soon enough! Interesting one of Sky's F1 commentators noted the McLaren looked glued to the track lap after lap with no signs of porpoising. Would love to know how close to baseline we have the car at the moment and how much more to come by race 1 at Bahrain. So many variables it's hard to know where we stand but Landos reaction on his day 1 P1 seemed positive. Also Dan saying the car is well balanced this early is nice to hear too.

[coltmarshmallow]

I've been trying to understand why the mclaren car is seemingly not suffering from proposing, just speculation from my part.

I'm thinking since the mclaren has good front end downforce and rake the the front of the plank is hitting the ground at high speed keeping the rear off the ground avoiding the rear bottoming out and stalling. Might explaining why their plank is so thick compared to some others.

Just a thought experiment.

[_cerber1]

[Emag]

Its a shame we had so many red flags today. I had a feeling Lando might have gone for softer tires towards the end there.

[mclaren111]

Lando:

I don't think we're in an amazing place, but I think we're in a good place. It's been a good start, we've kept things very clean. It's been productive and we have made progress.

[mclaren111]

[Emag]

Right now, I would say Ferrari is looking in best shape. Now, depending on where RedBull and Mercedes stand, that leaves us anywhere from 2nd to 4th.

Which is inline with the team's expectations I would say. Anyway, it's important not to get carried away. This is just testing. We must keep expectations in check so we don't get disappointed when we get racing.

[Macklaren]

Agree, but Ferrari seems to have their "real" car here whereas McLaren (and rumors say Merc) are likely to turn up with a modestly/vastly different machine in Bahrain.
RBR is a real mystery at this point

[Jambier]

Right now, I would say Ferrari is looking in best shape. Now, depending on where RedBull and Mercedes stand, that leaves us anywhere from 2nd to 4th.

Which is inline with the team's expectations I would say. Anyway, it's important not to get carried away. This is just testing. We must keep expectations in check so we don't get disappointed when we get racing.

I agree with that, maybe 4th but hopefully very close to the other top3 teams

[Emag]

Apparently Helmut Marko said "McLaren is after sponsors" when asked about Ferrari and McLaren looking good. It would seem that with the data RedBull has, McLaren is running lighter on fuel.

[JPower]

Agree, but Ferrari seems to have their "real" car here whereas McLaren (and rumors say Merc) are likely to turn up with a modestly/vastly different machine in Bahrain.
RBR is a real mystery at this point

What exactly are you basing this on?

No one has anything close to a final product outside of maybe Haas.

Apparently Helmut Marko said "McLaren is after sponsors" when asked about Ferrari and McLaren looking good. It would seem that with the data RedBull has, McLaren is running lighter on fuel.

Marko doing Marko things.

[SmallSoldier]

Apparently Helmut Marko said "McLaren is after sponsors" when asked about Ferrari and McLaren looking good. It would seem that with the data RedBull has, McLaren is running lighter on fuel.

Or Marko is been Marko and a just a little bit of a… Like usual

[billamend]

That has not been Mclarens style under Seidl. Would really surprise me

[Ground Effect]

Apparently Helmut Marko said "McLaren is after sponsors" when asked about Ferrari and McLaren looking good. It would seem that with the data RedBull has, McLaren is running lighter on fuel.

Apparently, Marko said this in 2019,

“Ferrari is ahead, then we come in front of Mercedes,” the Red Bull advisor told Speed Week.

“And then there is the big midfield, where it will be very tight.

“McLaren and Williams are at the back.”

[SmallSoldier]

Apparently Helmut Marko said "McLaren is after sponsors" when asked about Ferrari and McLaren looking good. It would seem that with the data RedBull has, McLaren is running lighter on fuel.

Apparently, Marko said this in 2019,

“Ferrari is ahead, then we come in front of Mercedes,” the Red Bull advisor told Speed Week.

“And then there is the big midfield, where it will be very tight.

“McLaren and Williams are at the back.”

Isn’t that the season where McLaren finished 4th behind Red Bull?