2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[Mostlyeels]

According to Stella they haven’t even changed 50% of the MCL60 they want to….. and they still won’t be able to implement the full 100% of changes on the 2024 car !

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... /10522653/

I posted the same article in the car thread but I feel the chat will be more appropriate to this thread

Looking at the full quote, I don't think that article title or interpretation is quite on the money...

“I think we have gained a good understanding of where the limitations in low speed are coming from,” he said. “They have to do with some mechanical aspects and some aerodynamic aspects.

“On the aerodynamic side, that package we have here has addressed a portion of these limitations but actually there's still quite a lot of work to do.

“I will say that from the car we had in Bahrain, with the improvement in Baku, then in Austria, and then here, we haven't even achieved the 50% of where we would like the aerodynamic behaviour to be to solve these sorts of issues.

I see it as the not being able to change 50% thing refers specifically to component changes that will help cure their low speed limitation, not things in general on the car

The way I read it as well was that aero is only part of the fix, and the other part is mechanical, and my assumption was that they'd look at that only next year. Is that what people are thinking?

[mwillems]

According to Stella they haven’t even changed 50% of the MCL60 they want to….. and they still won’t be able to implement the full 100% of changes on the 2024 car !

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... /10522653/

I posted the same article in the car thread but I feel the chat will be more appropriate to this thread

Looking at the full quote, I don't think that article title or interpretation is quite on the money...

“I think we have gained a good understanding of where the limitations in low speed are coming from,” he said. “They have to do with some mechanical aspects and some aerodynamic aspects.

“On the aerodynamic side, that package we have here has addressed a portion of these limitations but actually there's still quite a lot of work to do.

“I will say that from the car we had in Bahrain, with the improvement in Baku, then in Austria, and then here, we haven't even achieved the 50% of where we would like the aerodynamic behaviour to be to solve these sorts of issues.

I see it as the not being able to change 50% thing refers specifically to component changes that will help cure their low speed limitation, not things in general on the car

Reading it again this seems reasonable, but I can see how the sort of issue may not actually mean low speed issue given that these updates are all issues with floor and sidepod behaviour and only Singapore was looking at low speed aero (Baku was High Speed, Austria I think was Mid-High but may be all round?). So it feels like the "sorts of issues" dealt with by these sorts of updates, which is many issues. I can understand that original interpretation.

We aren't halfway to RB yet and we need to be faster than them in all corner profiles and efficiency. Not halfway there seems reasonable.

[Tomsky]

[mwillems]

That's the race making noise. 2.5 years left on his contract, that is almost long term in this sport and he isn't halfway through his long term contract. The focus now is provide a platform for success, the contract should come easy if we do that.

I'll be surprised if they don't look at getting this over the line next year around summer if it is a good car.

[PikeStance]

I am not worried about Lando at this time. He wants to win and the only way to show him that is to give him a car that he can win with. if we have a car we have Lando if we want him. If we don't have the car, then Lando would be an expensive driver we do not need.

[FittingMechanics]

That's the race making noise. 2.5 years left on his contract, that is almost long term in this sport and he isn't halfway through his long term contract. The focus now is provide a platform for success, the contract should come easy if we do that.

I'll be surprised if they don't look at getting this over the line next year around summer if it is a good car.

Yeah, they need to make content.

If the car keep delivering next year, I am sure it won't be hard to get Lando to extend. In 2024 big name signings are coming into the team and the wind tunnel investment should start paying dividends. What is not to like? Especially as there are no clearly better positions available (Perez one maybe but I doubt many want to stake their career on beating Max in the same car).

[_cerber1]

The car has a lot of wing on it ahead of fp1. The same RW as Singapore and with a two element BW. Its a lot more than others

Rain is promised for tomorrow, maybe this is a setup for a wet track.

[mwillems]

Everyone seems consistent with their wing choices bar Williams who look a little slimmer on the bottom. The Mclaren shot appears to be closer to the wing so the wing appears bigger than others but in general I think it is similar.

[FittingMechanics]

Everyone seems consistent with their wing choices bar Williams who look a little slimmer on the bottom. The Mclaren shot appears to be closer to the wing so the wing appears bigger than others but in general I think it is similar.

Does anyone remember McLaren wing levels for Silverstone? It's possible they need to run bigger rear wing to balance the downforce.

EDIT: I looked it up, this is Silverstone

[mwillems]

Everyone seems consistent with their wing choices bar Williams who look a little slimmer on the bottom. The Mclaren shot appears to be closer to the wing so the wing appears bigger than others but in general I think it is similar.

Does anyone remember McLaren wing levels for Silverstone? It's possible they need to run bigger rear wing to balance the downforce.

EDIT: I looked it up, this is Silverstone
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0WaFniX0AE ... name=small

Bar the cutout it looks the same to me?

Do I need a new lens prescription?

[LionsHeart]

Everyone seems consistent with their wing choices bar Williams who look a little slimmer on the bottom. The Mclaren shot appears to be closer to the wing so the wing appears bigger than others but in general I think it is similar.

Does anyone remember McLaren wing levels for Silverstone? It's possible they need to run bigger rear wing to balance the downforce.

EDIT: I looked it up, this is Silverstone
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0WaFniX0AE ... name=small

Not sure. At Silverstone the downforce was average. Here in Suzuka I have so far only seen a high pressure straight from Singapore. Perhaps later we will see the Bahrain wing.

[Farnborough]

Remember its test track origins, its specific characteristics to really, really work any chassis over to the extreme. Couple of fast section without much in the way of lateral load, but the rest needs very good "sticking" to go fast.

[CjC]

More interesting statements from Stella

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mcla ... /10522940/

Regarding the 2026 power supply:

‘Stella said that the 2026 power unit has been a factor in the Piastri contract too, but said things had moved forward because McLaren was closing in on what it wanted to do.

“2026 was part of the [Piastri] discussions but it wasn't a difficult discussion,” he explained.’

So Piastri signed up 90% knowing he’ll have a ‘insert name here’ PU behind him in 26.

Also about next years car and this is a tiny snippet really:

“Even though this conversation happened actually some time ago, already we had not only seen the improvements on track, but we had also seen that the developments kept being good, which is what led to the Singapore upgrade, and also what seems to lead onto next year's car, which in the background seems promising.

[mwillems]

It would have a similar wing to Silverstone. It has some high speed sections but has plenty of medium speed twisty sections and corners that need downforce and a hairpin to mix it up. Some high speed corners that probably don't need much wing so not worth discussing.

I mean immediately after the straight there's the decelerating high to med speed right hander where you scrub speed as you come through that leads to some minor twists of 3,4,5,6 but at the speeds they carry there is quite a bit of load on the car, and then 9, 13,14 and 16,17 all require good downforce, particularly as you enter onto the home straight.

Suzuka is one of my favourite tracks but overtaking here is harder with the larger cars, sadly.

[f1rules]

lets hope Russell is right

George Russell tells http://Motorsport-Total.com: I think It's going to be a close battle between Ferrari and McLaren. I think Lando could be the favorite this weekend with his top speed. If you look at the corners at Silverstone in the 230 km/h region, they were exceptionally fast.