2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[CjC]

But we know that anyway. I think it's becoming clear that the gap is at least, the same

He does talk of us closing the gap still, but I think from his words, the RB is a minor setback to our plans, but one he thinks we can still surmount this year.

RB?
Red Bull or Red Bull 2??

[organic]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/what- ... /10578852/

It’s behind a paywall so I’ll summarise what Stella said.
Grip at the rear axle has improved. Overall more grip. There is still a margin to work on the mechanical set up.

Overall more aerodynamic load needs to be brought to the car with the upcoming updates. There no architecture shortfalls.

Sounds very good. I suppose the margin with mechanical side explains their slow corner T1 and T10 deficit atm

Does he say when the updates will come

T10 deficit? The car didn’t seem to have a deficit in T10… I haven’t immersed myself on the data because it’s testing and it’s hard to make assessments, but I haven’t seeing anything in the telemetry that indicates a deficit in T10… If anything, with the same compound, the MCL38 was carrying more speed through T10 than RB / Ferrari

I was just basing it on the C3 comparison lap between lando and Max on day 1. Lando lost 2 tenths there relative to the Red bull. Also locked up there a few times on his race sim on day 1

[SmallSoldier]

Sounds very good. I suppose the margin with mechanical side explains their slow corner T1 and T10 deficit atm

Does he say when the updates will come

T10 deficit? The car didn’t seem to have a deficit in T10… I haven’t immersed myself on the data because it’s testing and it’s hard to make assessments, but I haven’t seeing anything in the telemetry that indicates a deficit in T10… If anything, with the same compound, the MCL38 was carrying more speed through T10 than RB / Ferrari

I was just basing it on the C3 comparison lap between lando and Max on day 1. Lando lost 2 tenths there relative to the Red bull. Also locked up there a few times on his race sim on day 1

I see, I would just be careful of making an assertion based on testing, specially day 1… Today, it was a different picture… The teams are all working on setup changes and understanding… I don’t know if we can determine “weaknesses” at this point yet.

[organic]

Stella full comments:

“In terms of report from the two days, I would say that starting from a performance point of view, the car delivers what we expected,” Stella said. “No big surprises — which in itself is some good news, because there are some elements of innovation in the car. So we wanted to see how they would have worked trackside, and they seem in line with expectations.

“I think the car is a good foundation for development — it’s a step forward compared to last year’s car. But overall, I can see that many cars have made a step forward, which is normal. Everyone finds performance in every week of development.

“There’s one car that seems to have found a big step — unfortunately, the car that was already the quickest last year. Some cars, I would say the group was already quite compact last year and, to me, it looks even more compact this year. That’s what we have learned from a competitiveness point of view.

“Otherwise, apart from this little setback on the fuel system, it’s been a relatively smooth session. Oscar and Lando could learn everything pretty much we could learn in a couple of days; a bit more to do tomorrow, especially for Oscar who has run the afternoon session. There’s quite a bit to cash in because clearly the track improves dramatically from like four o’clock onwards, and what you do in the morning session is relevant but not fully representative.”

“We had to check something in the fuel tank this afternoon. It allowed us to run while we were starting race simulation, but actually we needed to stop the race simulation, so we didn’t bring this achievement home today, because we needed to get into the fuel system. We changed some parts and the car was in condition to go again. So, a little setback but we have identified and will look into what the exact reason is.”

[mwillems]

But we know that anyway. I think it's becoming clear that the gap is at least, the same

He does talk of us closing the gap still, but I think from his words, the RB is a minor setback to our plans, but one he thinks we can still surmount this year.

RB?
Red Bull or Red Bull 2??

Yeah sorry, Red Bull. That's going to be annoying...

[CjC]

But we know that anyway. I think it's becoming clear that the gap is at least, the same

He does talk of us closing the gap still, but I think from his words, the RB is a minor setback to our plans, but one he thinks we can still surmount this year.

RB?
Red Bull or Red Bull 2??

Yeah sorry, Red Bull. That's going to be annoying...

Indeed. Thanks for clarifying. Just had a mini heart attack thinking you meant RB2!

From Stella’s comments it’s already looking tight pack behind Reb Bull with Mclaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin- we don’t need RB2 in there as well!

[mwillems]

Pat Symonds was putting Aston Martin and Mclaren as the closest to RB in his interview shown today.

Pat probably does have CFD eyes.

[CjC]

Pat Symonds was putting Aston Martin and Mclaren as the closest to RB in his interview shown today.

I’m not surprised about Aston, to me it looks like they have taken the underbite sidepods to the point where I would have expected Red Bull and McLaren to have taken them as well if they stuck to the underbite concept.
Now McLaren and Red Bull have switched to an overbite concept I’d expect them to ‘mature’ somewhat and have a bigger development curve (away from Aston)

[trinidefender]

Pat Symonds was putting Aston Martin and Mclaren as the closest to RB in his interview shown today.

Pat probably does have CFD eyes.

Mind sharing where the interview was shown?

Also, I missed the bit about the step in red bull performance from Stella. Appreciate being called out on it by the 3 commenters who did.

[FittingMechanics]

It was always to be expected that Red Bull would make a big step forward. They were so dominant they did not have to push updates to the car. I am still quite positive about MCL38, I believe it is quite fast and that Red Bull will not have as dominant season as last year.

As Stella said in that interview - the idea is to keep the pace of development as fast as it was and to catch Red Bull, but obviously that means we hope Red Bull has a slower pace of development. We will see what happens.

[AR3-GP]

Stella full comments:

“In terms of report from the two days, I would say that starting from a performance point of view, the car delivers what we expected,” Stella said. “No big surprises — which in itself is some good news, because there are some elements of innovation in the car. So we wanted to see how they would have worked trackside, and they seem in line with expectations.

“I think the car is a good foundation for development — it’s a step forward compared to last year’s car. But overall, I can see that many cars have made a step forward, which is normal. Everyone finds performance in every week of development.

“There’s one car that seems to have found a big step — unfortunately, the car that was already the quickest last year. Some cars, I would say the group was already quite compact last year and, to me, it looks even more compact this year. That’s what we have learned from a competitiveness point of view.

“Otherwise, apart from this little setback on the fuel system, it’s been a relatively smooth session. Oscar and Lando could learn everything pretty much we could learn in a couple of days; a bit more to do tomorrow, especially for Oscar who has run the afternoon session. There’s quite a bit to cash in because clearly the track improves dramatically from like four o’clock onwards, and what you do in the morning session is relevant but not fully representative.”

“We had to check something in the fuel tank this afternoon. It allowed us to run while we were starting race simulation, but actually we needed to stop the race simulation, so we didn’t bring this achievement home today, because we needed to get into the fuel system. We changed some parts and the car was in condition to go again. So, a little setback but we have identified and will look into what the exact reason is.”

This is more or less the 3rd time that I noticed Stella tempering expectation and pointing to future developments rather than being particularly effusive about the car's current state. The message is clear to me. I don't think they are going to be as high as they would like to start, but they know they have stuff in the pipeline and there is a big upgrade in Japan in order to try and close the gap to RB.

[mwillems]

Pat Symonds was putting Aston Martin and Mclaren as the closest to RB in his interview shown today.

Pat probably does have CFD eyes.

Mind sharing where the interview was shown?

Also, I missed the bit about the step in red bull performance from Stella. Appreciate being called out on it by the 3 commenters who did.

It was on Sky today, I couldn't find it on YouTube. All in all it was a great interview, highly informative and saying what Strlla and others have said, RB are in a league of their own doing things that no one else is.

He spoke around the vertical inlets on the RB and how it was designed to take just the thin boundary layer. Reducing drag and improving efficiency as the inlets were taking in less energised air and leaving the energised air to flow to the rear.

[mwillems]

Stella full comments:

“In terms of report from the two days, I would say that starting from a performance point of view, the car delivers what we expected,” Stella said. “No big surprises — which in itself is some good news, because there are some elements of innovation in the car. So we wanted to see how they would have worked trackside, and they seem in line with expectations.

“I think the car is a good foundation for development — it’s a step forward compared to last year’s car. But overall, I can see that many cars have made a step forward, which is normal. Everyone finds performance in every week of development.

“There’s one car that seems to have found a big step — unfortunately, the car that was already the quickest last year. Some cars, I would say the group was already quite compact last year and, to me, it looks even more compact this year. That’s what we have learned from a competitiveness point of view.

“Otherwise, apart from this little setback on the fuel system, it’s been a relatively smooth session. Oscar and Lando could learn everything pretty much we could learn in a couple of days; a bit more to do tomorrow, especially for Oscar who has run the afternoon session. There’s quite a bit to cash in because clearly the track improves dramatically from like four o’clock onwards, and what you do in the morning session is relevant but not fully representative.”

“We had to check something in the fuel tank this afternoon. It allowed us to run while we were starting race simulation, but actually we needed to stop the race simulation, so we didn’t bring this achievement home today, because we needed to get into the fuel system. We changed some parts and the car was in condition to go again. So, a little setback but we have identified and will look into what the exact reason is.”

This is more or less the 3rd time that I noticed Stella tempering expectation and pointing to future developments rather than being particularly effusive about the car's current state. The message is clear to me. I don't think they are going to be as high as they would like to start, but they know they have stuff in the pipeline and there is a big upgrade in Japan in order to try and close the gap to RB.

I sort of thought he was tempering in relation to RB more than anything else, but you may be right.

[AR3-GP]

Stella full comments:

This is more or less the 3rd time that I noticed Stella tempering expectation and pointing to future developments rather than being particularly effusive about the car's current state. The message is clear to me. I don't think they are going to be as high as they would like to start, but they know they have stuff in the pipeline and there is a big upgrade in Japan in order to try and close the gap to RB.

I sort of thought he was tempering in relation to RB more than anything else, but you may be right.

Yes I think I mean the same thing. I actually don't know specifically where Mclaren falls amongst the other cars, but certainly looking at RB, I don't think Mclaren feel they will be challenging them right away. That's something they will only be able to aim for with upgrades to the current car and Stella has been talking like Mclaren knows these areas and has the solutions in the windtunnel already for Japan.

[mwillems]

Youre right i think. RB appear to have done great work.

Pat Symonds was saying that one of the best things about the Red Bull is its airflow through the car, suggesting it was a big part of their efficiency.

As Stella suggests, there's only so far the bodywork can take you, the big wins appear to be under the skin.