2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[LionsHeart]

I am currently staying in upper Austria and the weather is really nice, but the weekend is forecast for some rain.

Yup, weather in Styria always was strange I remember couple a years ago being for FRECA races at RedBull Ring and over an hour we had plenty of sun, heavy rain, sun with clouds, light rain, hot sun....a real chaos due to the natural place of the track. You never know what is coming from behind the hills

This happens in mountainous areas and regions.

[mwillems]

McLaren and Red Bull performance levels now ‘very, very close’ says Stella as Verstappen praises rivals

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... X2uR1.html

[mwillems]

I am currently staying in upper Austria and the weather is really nice, but the weekend is forecast for some rain.

Yup, weather in Styria always was strange I remember couple a years ago being for FRECA races at RedBull Ring and over an hour we had plenty of sun, heavy rain, sun with clouds, light rain, hot sun....a real chaos due to the natural place of the track. You never know what is coming from behind the hills

This happens in mountainous areas and regions.

Yes and valleys in particular, which can have their own weather systems. Air pressure and temps are different in a valley and can be quite different from the regional weather.

[AR3-GP]

McLaren and Red Bull performance levels now ‘very, very close’ says Stella as Verstappen praises rivals

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... X2uR1.html

From that interview:

but people at McLaren are very committed and I'm optimistic for the future.”

-Stella

A pessimist says he is optimistic. Frightening.

[mwillems]

[BMMR61]

Interesting term used by Stella "the personality of the car" has changed. This of course became apparent at Miami where the low speed improvement was unexpected and we have seen a variety of circuit types and conditions since. The "personality" is now that of an all rounder and the possibility of losing some of that high speed personality seemed to have happened before the upgrade - Suzuka 2023 v Suzuka 2024 as an example. So any assumptions about things like "Lando goes well on this track" should be tempered with caution. For sure, the Red Bull Ring has been a venue for some great McLaren comeback drives as well as the start of the 2023 revival. For a reference of how far we have come in 12 months, the F1 media were astounded by the massively improved MCL60 in the hands of Lando, yet he only finished 5th (later to become 4th). This time around we will be disappointed not to bag a win, right?

[LionsHeart]

Interesting term used by Stella "the personality of the car" has changed. This of course became apparent at Miami where the low speed improvement was unexpected and we have seen a variety of circuit types and conditions since. The "personality" is now that of an all rounder and the possibility of losing some of that high speed personality seemed to have happened before the upgrade - Suzuka 2023 v Suzuka 2024 as an example. So any assumptions about things like "Lando goes well on this track" should be tempered with caution. For sure, the Red Bull Ring has been a venue for some great McLaren comeback drives as well as the start of the 2023 revival. For a reference of how far we have come in 12 months, the F1 media were astounded by the massively improved MCL60 in the hands of Lando, yet he only finished 5th (later to become 4th). This time around we will be disappointed not to bag a win, right?

I won't be disappointed if Lando comes in second or even third. The density of results in RBRing is always high due to the short lap and long straights, of which there are also many. You need to have an advantage, and I'm not even sure that we can have one. On the straights, McLaren is not the fastest of the top teams, it's a little behind. In fast corners, Red Bull and Mercedes are comparable, although it also depends on the package and what rear and beam wing the teams use… but the MCL38B is now good in medium-speed corners, although here too we will, at best, most likely just be comparable with Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari. There are slow corners where McLaren may have a slight advantage. And even that is not a fact yet. We are not the fastest under braking either. Ferrari has a clear advantage here.

So where will the gain be? I think Austria will have average downforce, like Saudi Arabia and Australia and even Miami. But it depends on what kind of beam wing you have to use to balance the front and rear. DRS efficiency? I think at best McLaren will not give in, but there will be no gain.

But I did find one advantage. McLaren usually picks the basic settings well, thanks to the updated simulator. With one Friday practice, you can get an advantage in the sprint qualifying and sprint race. But here, too, you can adjust the settings later, so that rivals can catch up by the main qualifying or the race.

[mwillems]

Something that will play into the benefit of Mclaren is that most of the exits onto straights are from corners that will likely please the Mclaren more than Red Bull or Mercedes. The low and medium speeds of all but one entrance of the straight should give us an advantage in the first half of the straight, something you can often see in the telemetry at these kinds of exits.

However, some of the artifacts of the cars performance will also be down to setup. but Austria is not a complicated track and all the teams should be fine. But then again fine differences do count now. The Red Bull does seem very good in high speed corners but there are no high speed corners leading to straights here and they aren't that long either. Not that they gained much from them compared to us in Spain, but every little bit helps.

[Mostlyeels]

Is there a car that looks to have an advantage on turn 3? Last year I would've said Ferrari.

[BMMR61]

Is there a high altitude differential between the PUs?

[venkyhere]

Is there a car that looks to have an advantage on turn 3? Last year I would've said Ferrari.

an uphill braking zone for entry, with a reflex angle (more than 270 degrees, in fact) slow turn and an uphill traction contest at the exit. I would say McLaren and Ferrari have a big advantage

[Tomsky]

[Tomsky]

Something that will play into the benefit of Mclaren is that most of the exits onto straights are from corners that will likely please the Mclaren more than Red Bull or Mercedes. The low and medium speeds of all but one entrance of the straight should give us an advantage in the first half of the straight, something you can often see in the telemetry at these kinds of exits.

However, some of the artifacts of the cars performance will also be down to setup. but Austria is not a complicated track and all the teams should be fine. But then again fine differences do count now. The Red Bull does seem very good in high speed corners but there are no high speed corners leading to straights here and they aren't that long either. Not that they gained much from them compared to us in Spain, but every little bit helps.

https://www.motorsport-magazin.com/bild ... t_2020.gif

Austria has a very long drs zone. McLaren's drs is not the most effective. It will be very difficult to qualify.

[FittingMechanics]

Austria has a very long drs zone. McLaren's drs is not the most effective. It will be very difficult to qualify.

I've been reading other team threads here - pretty much everyone is expecting McLaren to dominate. Red Bull thinks they can't ride the kerbs and Austria needs that.

I feel the same, I think we will get pole and a win.

[Tomsky]

Austria has a very long drs zone. McLaren's drs is not the most effective. It will be very difficult to qualify.

I've been reading other team threads here - pretty much everyone is expecting McLaren to dominate. Red Bull thinks they can't ride the kerbs and Austria needs that.

I feel the same, I think we will get pole and a win.

I think Leclerc or Max will have the pole, but I'll be glad to make a mistake.