2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[AR3-GP]

It will not be worth a second. Can't even recall the last time a team gained 1 second of relative delta from a single upgrade package.

The AMR23

Lol… That’s a new car, not an upgrade package

B-spec AMR22 went from dead last, to leading the midfield at some GPs.

[SmallSoldier]

The AMR23

Lol… That’s a new car, not an upgrade package

Mercedes 2019 & RB 2022 spring to mind

The cars they started testing with were significantly different to how they finished testing. Maybe not a full second, but probably came close to it

Would you consider those an upgrade package? I would argue those were their actual cars (the latest version), while the first ones on track were simply place holders to either allow for one more week of parts production or simply hide things from the competition (imagine having the budget to do that! (Thinking about Mercedes 2019)… We can add Mercedes 2022 to that list also

[101FlyingDutchman]

The interesting bit was the middle sector. It was very nice and quick. The car clearly produced plenty of DF whether it’s as efficient is another matter. I feel this is where the Baku update will make its presence felt. They’ve found a much better way to produce the df with higher efficiency. Effectively gaining free lap time.

[SmallSoldier]

The AMR23

Lol… That’s a new car, not an upgrade package

B-spec AMR22 went from dead last, to leading the midfield at some GPs.

That was definitely a B-Car… good point… Although, when you finish the season with a third of the points of the cars in P4 - P5 in the Championship I wouldn’t consider that a huge step forward, especially when the team (AM / RP) were already fighting in that upper midfield in previous seasons.

[the EDGE]

Lol… That’s a new car, not an upgrade package

Mercedes 2019 & RB 2022 spring to mind

The cars they started testing with were significantly different to how they finished testing. Maybe not a full second, but probably came close to it

Would you consider those an upgrade package? I would argue those were their actual cars (the latest version), while the first ones on track were simply place holders to either allow for one more week of parts production or simply hide things from the competition (imagine having the budget to do that! (Thinking about Mercedes 2019)… We can add Mercedes 2022 to that list also

Depending on the scale of McLaren’s upgrade you could easily argue that’s exactly what McLaren have done too, just with bigger gap between introducing it.

[SmallSoldier]

The interesting bit was the middle sector. It was very nice and quick. The car clearly produced plenty of DF whether it’s as efficient is another matter. I feel this is where the Baku update will make its presence felt. They’ve found a much better way to produce the df with higher efficiency. Effectively gaining free lap time.

That’s a very good point… Piastri was actually matching Hamilton’s lap in Turn 10 and very close all the way to the last corner, were most of the lap time was lost… Still early to tell, but I have a feeling that braking performance is going to be one of McLaren’s strengths this season (which is funny given how it was what brought a lot of pain at the beginning of 2022)

[SmallSoldier]

Mercedes 2019 & RB 2022 spring to mind

The cars they started testing with were significantly different to how they finished testing. Maybe not a full second, but probably came close to it

Would you consider those an upgrade package? I would argue those were their actual cars (the latest version), while the first ones on track were simply place holders to either allow for one more week of parts production or simply hide things from the competition (imagine having the budget to do that! (Thinking about Mercedes 2019)… We can add Mercedes 2022 to that list also

Depending on the scale of McLaren’s upgrade you could easily argue that’s exactly what McLaren have done too, just with bigger gap between introducing it.

You have a very good point and believe you are right… I hope that the upgrade is as extensive as we hope it will be!

We get 2 launches in 1 season

[mwillems]

I don’t think it will be 1s either. It does leave the question open of what “a chunk of time” really means. With the field being as close as it is, a chunk of time could be 2 tenths even. But that would not really fit in the ambitions the team have set for themselves. I think if it is 5 or 6 tenths that would be astonishing.

I nice step is one or 2 tenths, a significant step is anything upwards of that, in my view. But I'd cap at half a second. This is all conjecture, but I'm hoping for 3 to 5 tenths just as a gut instinct.

Given that this is half of our winter development and eating into the season, if this update brings 2 tenths then I I'll be really surprised and disappointed.

We’ll have to be careful not only with expectations of the new package, but also assessing it when it is delivered… It will depend on where the lap time comes from… Since it could help more in low speed or high speed, therefore it could show more lap time gain in X type of track and less lap time gain in Y type of track (let’s say Hungary vs Monza if we want to go to extremes).

I would simply wait until Baku and try to understand it at that point, reading too much into the comments will create only disappointment I’m afraid.

I think based on the time it has been in development and the fact it had no parallel car development that we'd be right to expect something more than 1 or 2 tenths. This is to do with Aero Efficiency which could simply be straight line speed but could potentially mean that we are able to run more downforce and maintain a good speed, Baku being a track with very high speed but still the requirement for a decent amount of downforce.

We will see what happens in time of course, but I am expecting something to come then I think I'll be a bit disappointed.

[SmallSoldier]

I nice step is one or 2 tenths, a significant step is anything upwards of that, in my view. But I'd cap at half a second. This is all conjecture, but I'm hoping for 3 to 5 tenths just as a gut instinct.

Given that this is half of our winter development and eating into the season, if this update brings 2 tenths then I I'll be really surprised and disappointed.

We’ll have to be careful not only with expectations of the new package, but also assessing it when it is delivered… It will depend on where the lap time comes from… Since it could help more in low speed or high speed, therefore it could show more lap time gain in X type of track and less lap time gain in Y type of track (let’s say Hungary vs Monza if we want to go to extremes).

I would simply wait until Baku and try to understand it at that point, reading too much into the comments will create only disappointment I’m afraid.

I think based on the time it has been in development and the fact it had no parallel car development that we'd be right to expect something more than 1 or 2 tenths. This is to do with Aero Efficiency which could simply be straight line speed but could potentially mean that we are able to run more downforce and maintain a good speed, Baku being a track with very high speed but still the requirement for a decent amount of downforce.

We will see what happens in time of course, but I am expecting something to come then I think I'll be a bit disappointed.

The team most definitely know what to expect from it… Below you can find the result of loading and Aero Map into a Lap Time Simulation tool:



Vía: @Maxtayloraero

[Ir3NiCuS]

According to F1 Data Analysis McLaren is now the one with the lowest top speed together with AT, also McLaren has the lowest "time at maximum throttle" during the quickest lap
I guess the engine was in a very low mod plus Mclaren may have a problem with overheating the tires

My prediction is easy Q3 with both car

[AR3-GP]

According to F1 Data Analysis McLaren is now the one with the lowest top speed together with AT, also McLaren has the lowest "time at maximum throttle" during the quickest lap
I guess the engine was in a very low mod plus Mclaren may have a problem with overheating the tires

My prediction is easy Q3 with both car

Team said car is draggy.

[Darth-Piekus]

The time has arrived. In Qualifying we will see where Mclaren stands now that everyone will open their engines to full and go all out. Also I can't wait to see if Fernando Alonso brings the battle to Max Verstappen. Let's have a good starting season for once.

[the EDGE]

C’mon boys… burn some rubber and make us proud!

[geogate]

i do worry piastri last run in p3 might have had engine full beans, which would explain a lot, but we will soon see. interesting to see ferrari just lost a front fairing - exactly the thing mclaren got all the flak for at test

[101FlyingDutchman]

So 0.5s off just in S1. It’s got df but it’s dirty df once more. 0.25 in S3. 3 corners do mostly losses on straights