A place to discuss the characteristics of the cars in Formula One, both current as well as historical. Laptimes, driver worshipping and team chatter do not belong here.
As cars are evolving aerodynamically for big side pods (and entrance RBR like), maybe McLaren should re-consider its 2022 SIS and radiator arrangement.
That was changed for the launch of the 2023 car already.
As cars are evolving aerodynamically for big side pods (and entrance RBR like), maybe McLaren should re-consider its 2022 SIS and radiator arrangement.
That was changed for the launch of the 2023 car already.
My understanding was that the placement of the SIS was still not optimised for the car as the year went on, and understood it may be adapted to better fit this Aero.
This year, the team does not spoil us with photos; usually, by this time they have posted a couple of pieces. No, I don’t know if this is good or bad.
Well they posted pictures last year, and we all know how that started... So i'm gonna say it's definitely NOT a bad thing. Seat fitting must have been a private event this year
This year, the team does not spoil us with photos; usually, by this time they have posted a couple of pieces. No, I don’t know if this is good or bad.
Well they posted pictures last year, and we all know how that started... So i'm gonna say it's definitely NOT a bad thing. Seat fitting must have been a private event this year
But there was a serious note from last year that I don't know if it ever got resolved. There was a part that people suspect was a cooling technology designed by or in conjunction with Reaction Engines, who make the cutting edge cooling devices used in their Sabre engines. This part was pictured indiscreetly in a photo released by Mclaren during around Jan 23.
Did this ever go anywhere, I don't recall seeing any tech in the MCL60 but given that this is viable technology for F1 and this year we are doing a lot of work under the hood, could this be something we might see this year? Benefits being a lighter more compact system and better cooling.
"We should be able to make a leap forward, if I look at the resources, our skills and the climate, I am optimistic. Our ability to develop will be fundamental, we will bring updates very soon to continue with the pace that began in the second half of last year which allowed us to grow a lot.
"Red Bull will make a big leap, in 2023 they basically haven't developed the car: for this reason, it's my thought, to win GPs we should be very very competitive, growing a lot.
"Twelve months ago we knew that we would suffer and that we would have to change the concept: the MCL38 instead was tested in the new wind tunnel, was produced in the new composites department and was tested in the new simulator. Overall, we're in much better shape. Then it will be up to us to capitalize."
Stella is happy that in conceiving the 2024 car the performance gain gradient is still relatively steep.
“You always get to the point in a set of regulations where diminishing returns set in," he acknowledged. "It could be that there's some areas of the car where you realise maybe the investment here is not worthwhile.
"But effectively, so far, we have not found it [that point]. If you look at the car and the suspension, tyres, aerodynamics; they all have still quite a lot to offer in this generation of regulations.
"So what we are looking at very carefully is to make sure we are in condition to cash-in these performance opportunities that do seem to be available. This is reflected in the numbers.
"We can't fool ourselves, we need to see these numbers go up and right now it's what we seem to be finding in development. But it's a slightly different story when it comes to competitiveness on track because this depends on what your opposition has done.”
And when it comes to said opposition, it is again Red Bull whose RB20 could impose a hard limit on the results available to McLaren and the rest.