2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[SilviuAgo]

In an earlier post I suggested that the now reported use of the old tunnel to assist the design of the MCL38 may be hampering the aero as appeared at Bahrain. The narrowness of the old tunnel is speculated to compromise the testing for yaw, which can heavily impact slow corner performance. I would have thought the new tunnel would be fully at play, maybe the package of updates planned will all benefit from this improved facility. In addition to the size of the wind tunnel structure it is reasonable to assume that as this is the most modern of all F1 tunnels, there will be other measurement tools now available to McLaren which are uniquely beneficial to McLaren.

Three days till Saudi qualifying - we can be optimistic of a stronger showing at this track which suits the general McLaren characteristics.

You did suggest that and I think you are right. This is clearly a new chassis with some modified Aero, but not MCL38 Aero.

Though I don't think they are hampered. I think there was a choice made to separate work from the old and new tunnel and to release a car with last year's Aero on it. Hopefully giving them the chance to bring a lot of development and learning from the test and initial races, from ours and others cars, to the Mclaren.

Not hampered, developments put onto future agenda. Yep, I can go with that!
It runs in sync with the methodical approach of Stella, introduce something when you're confident you already have the building blocks to make a fair validation of what you're bringing to the car. I like it, there haven't been a lot of missteps since the Bahrain 2023 debacle. We saw the team caught short on low downforce rear wings at Spa, thanks to the intense work put into the Austria - Silverstone updates consuming team resources. Actually we may be seeing something a little similar at Bahrain over two weekends. Stella intimated they ran out of time (resources) to introduce some of the projects, especially aero as you have pointed out, into the MCL38 in time for the start of the season.

As you mentioned, the team wants first to understand the baseline of it's MCL38 and after to bring updates that 100% will work.

[mwillems]

He's basically saying it isn't cost effective to keep bringing parts to the track, but that you have to be careful that your logical gains do become demonstrable gains, because the longer you go between putting parts on track, the higher the chance that you might have taken a wrong turn and you don't get the time that you want.

He didn't mention anything about a baseline but naturally any team will want to learn from all available data to be able improve their car, including using the data from testing and the races, as well as any data and ideas they can gather from other cars.

[SilviuAgo]

Some rumors' about RB going after Oscar

[PapayaFan481]

Some rumors' about RB going after Oscar

Well, if Oscar was to leave for Reb Bull then we have the obvious replacement available....

Bring back Carlando!!

[the EDGE]

Some rumors' about RB going after Oscar

I wouldn’t trust rumours from people that don’t even know when Piastri’s contract ends

[Darth-Piekus]

Well if Piastri leaves we could always snatch Max Verstappen for the team. Still the Thais have no idea that they could lose Newey in the following year as they seem to take Newey for granted.

[Jambier]

Last year they were also agressive in wanting Norris.

It will be increasingly difficult to keep Lando at McLaren if they are not starting to grab wins

[LionsHeart]

Last year they were also agressive in wanting Norris.

It will be increasingly difficult to keep Lando at McLaren if they are not starting to grab wins

All this just goes to show that their youth system has failed. They should have put Lawson away a long time ago. I don't see any other talent in their youth system that is ready to drive yet.
Lando signed a long term contract with confidence in the team. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have signed so early. So we won't have long to wait for progress from McLaren.

[CjC]

Last year they were also agressive in wanting Norris.

It will be increasingly difficult to keep Lando at McLaren if they are not starting to grab wins

Yes, he will look for another team if he still hasn’t won a race with McLaren but what surprised me about Landos most recent contract renewal was that it was Lando himself who initiated the negotiations with McLaren first. It wasn’t a panic extension by McLaren to fend off other teams.

[Darth-Piekus]

To "read into" something has a different meaning.

They can try to put as much money as they want but sometimes when something is not for sale then its not for sale. Why would Oscar risk the possibility joining a team that might collapse instead of being with a team on an upwards trajectory? The team has the best facilities in the grid and a Dream Team of aerodynamisists who could possibly nail the 2026 regulations resulting on a new age of Mclaren.

[Tomsky]

[mwillems]

Whether this article is definitive or not, but it states the long term issues as a weak front end and inconsistent balance.

It would seem the delays might be because of struggles to get the design right?

[Ground Effect]

Whether this article is definitive or not, but it states the long term issues as a weak front end and inconsistent balance.

Does anyone remember which car it was that started the trend of the weak front end? I'm not sure, but it seems to be the MCL34, which ironically was spearheaded by Pat Fry and Andrea Stella, during the transition year before Key joined.

[mwillems]

I think Carlos mentioned it, so at least as far back as 19 or 20.

[Tomsky]

Whether this article is definitive or not, but it states the long term issues as a weak front end and inconsistent balance.

Does anyone remember which car it was that started the trend of the weak front end? I'm not sure, but it seems to be the MCL34, which ironically was spearheaded by Pat Fry and Andrea Stella, during the transition year before Key joined.

Mp4-28