McLaren MCL39 Speculation Thread

[Emag]

While Oscar says the car is innovative and Zach was impressed by the bold design decisions in the chassis, I don't see anything like that at the moment. We'll see what happens next.

Remains to be seen what the others have done, but I would be surprised if someone has managed to come up with some radical redesign that works on the final years of these regulations. Excited to see the Ferrari, since they're the ones who are the most hyped at the moment.

2020 -> 2021 cars also had very little changes (externally & visually speaking), with teams just optimizing what they had. Most of the work was in the details.

[f1rules]

This picture today was posted on mclarens instagram during their shakedown, with the new overalls and everything, but!, its a mcl38. Many of of us incl amus fell for it. Now why would you waste time and dress up a mcl38. And this is by the way the only good picture showing the sidepod inlet, only problem, its the 38, but only the ones really paying attention will notice, all other will believe its the new car, and thats what mclaren wanted.
The most obvious changes are hidden in this picture. Airbox inlet hidden by helmet. Mirror attachment to wing cut off
etc.

That they dress up a mcl38 in similar camoflage and post pictures from today to confuse/mislead

What level of secrecy?? The camo livery is just because they can't show the real one until the 75th anniversary show next week.
We will probably see something similar with Williams tomorrow, either a camo or blacked out car

The car on-track today was not the MCL38 though, so I am not sure what you mean by this.

[CjC]

While Oscar says the car is innovative and Zach was impressed by the bold design decisions in the chassis, I don't see anything like that at the moment. We'll see what happens next.

I remember feeling deflated with what I saw when the MCL38 launched….. that turned out alright in the end if I recall?

[trinidefender]

https://youtu.be/IPfSRfoWGgc?si=81JHwvTqrhGCtDGV

[deadhead]

[FittingMechanics]

Not sure what people expected. McLaren developed a WCC winning car last year, developing late into the season. I'm positively surprised with the amount of changes (significant ones) that they have made. Looks like a strong evolutionary development of MCL38. With this being last season of this rule set it is very doubtful anyone will bring something revolutionary.

I'm no "aero eyes" guy though.

[mwillems]

Very hard to tell, but is the distance between front and rear wheels different? Front wheels feel a little further ahead.

Also, is there a splitter inside in the sidepod inlets with two channels or just conditioning, or do I need new glasses?

[organic]

Very hard to tell, but is the distance between front and rear wheels different? Front wheels feel a little further ahead.

Also, is there a splitter inside in the sidepod inlets with two channels or just conditioning, or do I need new glasses?

I see the splitter inside the sidepod as well

[Farnborough]

Not sure what people expected. McLaren developed a WCC winning car last year, developing late into the season. I'm positively surprised with the amount of changes (significant ones) that they have made. Looks like a strong evolutionary development of MCL38. With this being last season of this rule set it is very doubtful anyone will bring something revolutionary.

I'm no "aero eyes" guy though.

Yep, I'd agree with that. I like this sort of development period when a successful merging of different teams design is there, then to see the fine resolution in how they evolve and get to more concentrated racers.

Looks good initially, the 39 issue, this season too with the level of intensity that appears to be coming to us.

I was hoping that this final year wasn't going to be very conservatively played given the big change coming to rules.

[BorisTheBlade]

While Oscar says the car is innovative and Zach was impressed by the bold design decisions in the chassis, I don't see anything like that at the moment. We'll see what happens next.

I remember feeling deflated with what I saw when the MCL38 launched….. that turned out alright in the end if I recall?

Exactly. The MCL38 already was rather boring to me which just shows how little I understand as an armchair after all these years.
The last AST by the way looked like one of the most developed cars to me last year... so well, let's see.

[f1316]

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... tled-6.jpg

Is it me or is there something interesting going on with the rear suspension? Seems like the upper part (which I presume is part of the top wishbone? Edit: maybe that’s actually the pushrod) is kinda curved or something. I had a brief glimpse at the old car and it seems more conventional to my eyes but curious what folks think.

We don't have good enough shots to properly compare yet, but yes, I noticed one of the arms seems slightly curved too.

From the race’s YouTube channel
https://ibb.co/4RmQjtxP

Definitely a kink in rear suspension - this is most “extreme/aggressive/radical” thing I’ve seen on the car so far tbh

Mod edit: fixed the image for you. For it to display, make sure that what you link includes “.jpg”, “.png” or. similar (and then, put it inside image brackets). Poster edit: thanks Mod!

[trinidefender]

Very hard to tell, but is the distance between front and rear wheels different? Front wheels feel a little further ahead.

Also, is there a splitter inside in the sidepod inlets with two channels or just conditioning, or do I need new glasses?

Which pictures best show this? I can’t see

[organic]

Is it me or is there something interesting going on with the rear suspension? Seems like the upper part (which I presume is part of the top wishbone? Edit: maybe that’s actually the pushrod) is kinda curved or something. I had a brief glimpse at the old car and it seems more conventional to my eyes but curious what folks think.

We don't have good enough shots to properly compare yet, but yes, I noticed one of the arms seems slightly curved too.

From the race’s YouTube channel
https://ibb.co/4RmQjtxP

Definitely a kink in rear suspension - this is most “extreme/aggressive/radical” thing I’ve seen on the car so far tbh

Mod edit: fixed the image for you. For it to display, make sure that what you link includes “.jpg”, “.png” or. similar (and then, put it inside image brackets). Poster edit: thanks Mod!
https://i.ibb.co/SwsLKypR/IMG-9390.png

It's not totally novel in this ruleset.

Amr23 & 24 used this at the front suspension and to a lesser extent at the rear

[sucof]

Kyle posted his review. The best review out there

[Seanspeed]

Not sure what people expected. McLaren developed a WCC winning car last year, developing late into the season. I'm positively surprised with the amount of changes (significant ones) that they have made. Looks like a strong evolutionary development of MCL38. With this being last season of this rule set it is very doubtful anyone will bring something revolutionary.

I'm no "aero eyes" guy though.

Even in 2021, which was basically an added filler year that wasn't supposed to exist before the new regulations came in, the cars were largely quite developed from the year before. Teams were not resting on their laurels.

I was surprised then, but after that, I'm certainly not surprised to see a planned last year before new regs seeing some more-than-light advancements from the year prior. Still a championship to play for, and there's always value for many teams in terms of being able to stay ideas-forward and showing the confidence and execution to pull it off. Winning culture doesn't start with complacency.