2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[_cerber1]

[AR3-GP]

They are much more competitive with their DRS now. Interesting.

[Slahinki]

So is this when the season really gets interesting?

[mwillems]

Top speed is better and should be true over a lap or a race. But what is more important is what is the car like through the corners when fully fuelled. We were always pretty good in qualification though we do look closer, but the real results won't come until Sunday even if we do well today and tomorrow.

[Arcanum]

The new tunnel was available for the new car development after the summer break - https://www.mclaren.com/racing/formula- ... nd-tunnel/

Note this comment from the above link:

An old-specification McLaren model was used for the basic correlation of the wind tunnel ahead of the Summer Shutdown, which was the final stage of the process. Now complete, we notified the FIA that we would be leaving Toyota’s wind tunnel and moving into our new one. This is an important step in the evolution of McLaren Racing and the acceleration of our 2024 car design.

The recent interview in "The Race" with Otmar indicates that teams don't work on the new car until after the break - https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/rena ... r-verdict/


Based on the above points, can the narrative in this thread from some posters that the 2024 car was designed with the old wind tunnel end? It wasn't.

Didn't the team say, the car that started the season was the old Tunnel with upgrades from the new.

I'm pretty sure that's tge case.

It's not logical that if the new tunnel was available from the beginning of September, a car arriving over 7-months later for winter testing came from the old tunnel. The 2024 car wasn't finished at the end of July 2023 before the shutdown. But if people want something a little more factual, then the above comments from McLaren and Otmar should remove doubt.

[FittingMechanics]

It's not logical that if the new tunnel was available from the beginning of September, a car arriving over 7-months later for winter testing came from the old tunnel. The 2024 car wasn't finished at the end of July 2023 before the shutdown. But if people want something a little more factual, then the above comments from McLaren and Otmar should remove doubt.

I am pretty sure that there was an article saying that this update will be the first time all of the development was done in the new tunnel. But, I am unable to find the article to see the exact phrasing and who the source is.

As you say - it does sound strange that the lead up time is so long and that is exactly why we were here commenting about it at the time.

[Emag]

This weekend is like the ultimate test. Slow speed corners, long straights, high temperatures.

Let's see how the upgraded car tackles what's seemingly the worst McLaren could hope for before them.

[Mansell89]

In general and putting lap time to one side, I thought the car just looked really nice today- hard to explain but to me it had a better agility- I thought sometimes it looked a little stiff and complaining where Red Bull excels, but my untrained eye thought we could see a car that did things more easily.

Very rare for us to be near top of times in an opening session too- bodes well

[LionsHeart]

DRS power!

[LionsHeart]

mwillems, I don’t agree with you on one thing. You don't have to wait until Saturday and Sunday to see the effectiveness of DRS. I don’t remember what the increase was exactly a year ago here in Miami, but what I saw now is very, very impressive.

[Ground Effect]

Any long runs available?

[mwillems]

It's not logical that if the new tunnel was available from the beginning of September, a car arriving over 7-months later for winter testing came from the old tunnel. The 2024 car wasn't finished at the end of July 2023 before the shutdown. But if people want something a little more factual, then the above comments from McLaren and Otmar should remove doubt.

I am pretty sure that there was an article saying that this update will be the first time all of the development was done in the new tunnel. But, I am unable to find the article to see the exact phrasing and who the source is.

As you say - it does sound strange that the lead up time is so long and that is exactly why we were here commenting about it at the time.

The Aero on the MCL38 wasn't much developed until now, compared to last year. Some work on the floor and other areas but nothing like this overhaul. I'd like to think that some of that work was in the new tunnel. But what is for sure is that this package is the first set of parts that have tested the tunnel in anger.

[mwillems]

mwillems, I don’t agree with you on one thing. You don't have to wait until Saturday and Sunday to see the effectiveness of DRS. I don’t remember what the increase was exactly a year ago here in Miami, but what I saw now is very, very impressive.

But I did say that top speed would be improved in both Qualy and Race, so you are agreeing with me, it's just that you don't like to do that

It is the corners and the tyre deg that will not be fully revealed until Sunday as you also state.

Top speed is better and should be true over a lap or a race. But what is more important is what is the car like through the corners when fully fuelled. We were always pretty good in qualification though we do look closer, but the real results won't come until Sunday even if we do well today and tomorrow.

[BMMR61]

mwillems, I don’t agree with you on one thing. You don't have to wait until Saturday and Sunday to see the effectiveness of DRS. I don’t remember what the increase was exactly a year ago here in Miami, but what I saw now is very, very impressive.

Indeed it is. A lot to digest here - imagine what the data analysis team's going through before SQ! I suspect (as I did at Austria '23) that not running the full upgrade on Oscar's car is comparison analysis rather than manufacturing constraints. Really good for understanding the package. Interestingly Lando's top speeds were better than the car with less upgrades - do we know which components?

After a lot of confusing and contradictory comments by Stella, Norris and Piastri in recent weeks about the upgrade we are now seeing a full-send, radical set of upgrades as we hoped back in March. It will as you say, be interesting to see the DRS offset in following sessions.

[Emag]

Any long runs available?

Nobody did any "real" longrun stints. But the cars were relatively heavy-fueled early in the session.

A comparable stint with Carlos and Lando had them pacing at similar laptimes immediately after setting their respective fastest laps.

Carlos -> opened with 31.5 then 31.8 and 31.8
Lando -> opened with 31.0 then 31.5, 31.6 and 31.9

Not sure if that's indicative of bad degradation compared to Ferrari, or just a bad closing lap by Lando.