2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[CjC]

I was expecting the two cars to run with different wings, I'm really surprised they didn't.

Do we know they brought any other wings? Do they actually have anything else to bolt on?

If they haven't done it now them I don't think they will, FP3 is not the time to be playing with wings, unless they need to fly something out in a very big hurry.

But.... it's a nothing race anyway and don't hate me but I'd be happier finishing 5th

5th in the constructors?

Yeah, there's no glory for me in 4th or 5th, I want the biggest swing as possible at 1st

Don’t get me started….
I remember having the same debate with Smallsolider back in ‘21. They suggested similar to you, to stop updating the car in the fight with Ferrari for P3 to fully concentrate on getting the new ‘22 car developed for the best shot a jumping up the order. Look how that turned out??
We need to see Mclaren win in which ever fight they are in the present, that’s what F1 is all about surely?

[Emag]

5th in the constructors?

Yeah, there's no glory for me in 4th or 5th, I want the biggest swing as possible at 1st

Don’t get me started….
I remember having the same debate with Smallsolider back in ‘21. They suggested similar to you, to stop updating the car in the fight with Ferrari for P3 to fully concentrate on getting the new ‘22 car developed for the best shot a jumping up the order. Look how that turned out??
We need to see Mclaren win in which ever fight they are in the present, that’s what F1 is all about surely?

I think he just means there's no big satisfaction in getting 4th or 5th because a team like McLaren should always be striving for P1

[mwillems]

Rpm of Merc is also high. See compared to McLaren..

Yeah but go look at the Red Bull and they are running a bit lower than us, Ferrari only a little more than us. Comparing to the front runners it's not looking wonderful. But your right about Alonso, he will drop back, the difference is massive, it's not where the focus is though, or at least for me I'm comparing to the lead.

In fact Brandon also confirms this with his later tweets of Ferrari running a lower engine mode.

[mwillems]

5th in the constructors?

Yeah, there's no glory for me in 4th or 5th, I want the biggest swing as possible at 1st

Don’t get me started….
I remember having the same debate with Smallsolider back in ‘21. They suggested similar to you, to stop updating the car in the fight with Ferrari for P3 to fully concentrate on getting the new ‘22 car developed for the best shot a jumping up the order. Look how that turned out??
We need to see Mclaren win in which ever fight they are in the present, that’s what F1 is all about surely?

It's a strategic approach to the game. What is the target? The championship. Does an action today, no matter how nice it might feel, impede on that target? If it does, I wouldn't do it. I'd play the long game. When I settle for fifth it's because I'm winding up my arm to reach for 1st.

[Dafnalina]

[billamend]

I have the perception that McLaren always struggles with new circuits.

[CjC]

Wow look at how slow Norris is. He said he was going through his tyres

[Dafnalina]

Wow look at how slow Norris is. He said he was going through his tyres

Hoping it's a combination of traffic + being on 4-lap older mediums, but yeah, not looking good. Mercedes' mediums were dropping after 12 laps. Oscar had 6-lap old mediums and Lando 10 I think.

Also he was losing a lot of time in turns 2-3.

Red bull have this in the bag though. Max's mediums were 12 laps older than leclerc's and he was still lapping faster.

[mwillems]

Check out the poor guys head

[mwillems]

It has been suggested that Mclaren are attempting to replicate some DRS aero effects, but it doesn't sound like it is working currently? They are slowest on the straights.

I've just read this article and seen the pictures of the new beam wing. Is this behind the porpoising and the struggle to get the car dialed in? It's got to be high on suspicions of why we are bad everywhere and seem to have taken a step backwards.

Makes you wonder if the beam wing is just part of the solution for a better DRS performance.

[AR3-GP]

It has been suggested that Mclaren are attempting to replicate some DRS aero effects, but it doesn't sound like it is working currently? They are slowest on the straights.

I've just read this article and seen the pictures of the new beam wing. Is this behind the porpoising and the struggle to get the car dialed in? It's got to be high on suspicions of why we are bad everywhere and seem to have taken a step backwards.

Makes you wonder if the beam wing is just part of the solution for a better DRS performance.

Yes it's possible that the floor is not bleeding off downforce/stalling as a result of the changes.

[CjC]

Check out the poor guys head

Nah I think he’s just listening to Kerrang radio

[CjC]

Yeah, there's no glory for me in 4th or 5th, I want the biggest swing as possible at 1st

Don’t get me started….
I remember having the same debate with Smallsolider back in ‘21. They suggested similar to you, to stop updating the car in the fight with Ferrari for P3 to fully concentrate on getting the new ‘22 car developed for the best shot a jumping up the order. Look how that turned out??
We need to see Mclaren win in which ever fight they are in the present, that’s what F1 is all about surely?

It's a strategic approach to the game. What is the target? The championship. Does an action today, no matter how nice it might feel, impede on that target? If it does, I wouldn't do it. I'd play the long game. When I settle for fifth it's because I'm winding up my arm to reach for 1st.

I understand your approach but after finishing last in the constructors did the Williams or Haas guys patch each other on the back and say good job this season people- we have the most CFD/ wind tunnel allocations for next season
?

[mwillems]

Don’t get me started….
I remember having the same debate with Smallsolider back in ‘21. They suggested similar to you, to stop updating the car in the fight with Ferrari for P3 to fully concentrate on getting the new ‘22 car developed for the best shot a jumping up the order. Look how that turned out??
We need to see Mclaren win in which ever fight they are in the present, that’s what F1 is all about surely?

It's a strategic approach to the game. What is the target? The championship. Does an action today, no matter how nice it might feel, impede on that target? If it does, I wouldn't do it. I'd play the long game. When I settle for fifth it's because I'm winding up my arm to reach for 1st.

I understand your approach but after finishing last in the constructors did the Williams or Haas guys patch each other on the back and say good job this season people- we have the most CFD/ wind tunnel allocations for next season
?

Did they finish the season with what looks to be the second fastest car and the only team that has got remotely close to Red Bull in the second half of the season I'm genuinely happy with where we are to be honest, I wouldn't take pats on the back away from any of them for what they have achieved whether we are 4th or 5th.

[mwillems]

It has been suggested that Mclaren are attempting to replicate some DRS aero effects, but it doesn't sound like it is working currently? They are slowest on the straights.

I've just read this article and seen the pictures of the new beam wing. Is this behind the porpoising and the struggle to get the car dialed in? It's got to be high on suspicions of why we are bad everywhere and seem to have taken a step backwards.

Makes you wonder if the beam wing is just part of the solution for a better DRS performance.

Yes it's possible that the floor is not bleeding off downforce/stalling as a result of the changes.

Yeah my suspicion is that the behaviour of the floor has changed quite dramatically with this part and that more work is required to get it to work consistently with the diffuser and RW. Or they just don't understand how to make it work now. Either way, everything about this looks different to what we have seen since Austria, I don't recognise the data this car has produced or the behaviour we can see in some of the footage, like the porpoising, whatever is causing it. It could still be issues with the temps and the tyres for all we know, but that wouldn't explain the return of the bouncing.