2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[mwillems]

Hate to break it to everyone, but Piastri is just 4kmh faster on the straight with the Low DF wing at the start of his fastest lap, which was lap 4 for Oscar and Lap 6 for Lando, both on Softs.

If they are running similar setups, fuel etc... then they will use the higher DF wing. The Lower DF wing doesn't look like it works too well on this car, but more data is needed to really understand that, not a single lap comparison.

Well, not just because Stella said that their rear wing with low downforce is not effective. On braking, there is less stability, at the entrance to the turn, too. But this is not based on telemetry, but simply observation over the past 10-12 years.

Let's see which rear wing both drivers will choose for the second practice. I also noticed that in the first practice at some point in time Lando rode with the front wing without trimming, I was surprised to see this.

Lando was running a medium downforce wing, he has no need to trim.

We also know the trade off between tyres, speed, corners etc. The point being made is that the overall top speed is not much different between the wings. On that straight the exit should be surmounted if it is a problem and braking will have little to do with it, you can see from the telemetry they brake at similar times.

But there is not sufficient data to understand fully. What we can see if that the data we do have for the low DF wing shows it to be a poor choice so far, but everything can change and we may not have all the facts we need. It jus doesn't look good so far.

[SmallSoldier]

When you hear Stella discussing these things, development is everything in the process up to sign off, which is to say it has been signed off/released to be manufactured. Manufacturing will continue for various reasons after development. The new floor and Sidepods are not ready for instance, new parts will be required to fix damage or wear and tear.

The manufacturing team will be slowing down after the final update up until the new prototype design for the 24 car is ready to be produced for initial tunnel testing later in the year. Well, probably in a couple of months.

And the team will delay that until the last possible second, every new iteration brings gains and there is no point in building something as long as you are still finding gains… It has always been this way, but it is extremely important now that you have a budget cap to adhere to, efficiency is the name of the game at this stage of the current regulations.

Delay which? Sidepod and floor are signed off already and the 24 chassis has deadlines due to crash testing which will be completed this year.

On that note, it'll be great to see how the new composites facility aids developing the car for testing and bringing any new parts and wether we get more capability to develop from testing to the races.

Unless you mean the replacement parts. These will be held of unless needed but fortunately the cost doesn't hit the budget cap unless they are used or go to a race IIRC so there is flexibility.

I meant that you delay manufacturing a part until the last possible moment, because every day of additional CFD Iteration can bring gains, that’s why teams some times barely make it to testing with all the intended parts

[mwillems]

And the team will delay that until the last possible second, every new iteration brings gains and there is no point in building something as long as you are still finding gains… It has always been this way, but it is extremely important now that you have a budget cap to adhere to, efficiency is the name of the game at this stage of the current regulations.

Delay which? Sidepod and floor are signed off already and the 24 chassis has deadlines due to crash testing which will be completed this year.

On that note, it'll be great to see how the new composites facility aids developing the car for testing and bringing any new parts and wether we get more capability to develop from testing to the races.

Unless you mean the replacement parts. These will be held of unless needed but fortunately the cost doesn't hit the budget cap unless they are used or go to a race IIRC so there is flexibility.

I meant that you delay manufacturing a part until the last possible moment, because every day of additional CFD Iteration can bring gains, that’s why teams some times barely make it to testing with all the intended parts

I see you have risen from your West Coast slumber!

Yes that is true in particular for in season development. For the 24 car they have a deadline to get things in to crash testing so the chassis will be ready fairly early and there is less scope for slippage.

[LionsHeart]

Lando in the slipstream behind the Mercedes car, without DRS, developed 332 km/h, not bad.
A couple of minutes later, Oscar without slipstream and without DRS developed 319 km/h.

[mwillems]

Stella suggesting the new Technical Directive won't impact Mclaren.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-te ... /10514484/

[mwillems]

Lando in the slipstream behind the Mercedes car, without DRS, developed 332 km/h, not bad.
A couple of minutes later, Oscar without slipstream and without DRS developed 319 km/h.

I just looked at the very fastest each could go on the lap. If Oscar got a tow to get that speed that we are screwed but if Lando got a tow on his fastest lap then the difference between the wings is greater. Plenty of unknowns. I can't watch the onboards of the cars, just rewatch the original footage which I don't think had the Mclaren Laps.

We don't know fuel loads or if the two drivers were operating at the same engine setting, but you'd think they would be.

[mwillems]

OK a little more data now. Oscars fastest lap had a slow top speed of 332 as I stated previously, but on a slower lap he set a top speed of 340kph. I don't know what lap that was or if it had a tow but that is promising.

[MrGapes]

I believe they have gone with the low df rearwing.

edit: nvm Oscar and Lando swapped rear wings

[LionsHeart]

Meanwhile, Oscar left with the big wing and Lando now with the small wing.

[LionsHeart]

Lando in the slipstream behind the Mercedes car, without DRS, developed 332 km/h, not bad.
A couple of minutes later, Oscar without slipstream and without DRS developed 319 km/h.

I just looked at the very fastest each could go on the lap. If Oscar got a tow to get that speed that we are screwed but if Lando got a tow on his fastest lap then the difference between the wings is greater. Plenty of unknowns. I can't watch the onboards of the cars, just rewatch the original footage which I don't think had the Mclaren Laps.

We don't know fuel loads or if the two drivers were operating at the same engine setting, but you'd think they would be.

I gave these speeds when both drivers were driving with filled tanks of fuel 20 minutes before the end of practice. And at that moment, Lando was 3.5 seconds behind the first time, and Oscar was almost 4.5 seconds behind, if I remember correctly.

[mwillems]

I've just started playing again with the fastf1 API and have extracted the complete telemetry for both Lando and Oscar from FP1. I can see that when Oscar set his fastest speed of 340 has was receiving a tow from car 10 that was 170m ahead. On Lando's lap the nearest driver ahead was nearly 1km away.

[LionsHeart]

Lando and Oscar! Unbelievable!

So close with different setup.

[MCLvamos]

Think we are still a little behind Ferrari based on the two sessions so far. But if that quali sim is representative, we are in a range where they could be caught with tweaks overnight. Btw Norris had a decent tow on his lap, any idea on what the others had?

[Emag]

I am trackside at ascari and Lando threw the car in there. It was incredible.

Just one thing to note. The McLarens are noticably louder than any other car through here. I don't know if that means anything in terms of engine modes.

[mwillems]

I am trackside at ascari and Lando threw the car in there. It was incredible.

Just one thing to note. The McLarens are noticably louder than any other car through here. I don't know if that means anything in terms of engine modes.

You LUCKY, LUCKY B*STARD.

Thanks for the update. It could well be we are pushing it.