2019 Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[diffuser]

I honestly doubt there is a performance difference between the engines. It would be illegal and would be very risky for Renault to do if McLaren found out. Again, if McLaren found out, why would McLaren go about it so casually letting them have it and moving to Mercedes after a season and a half. Renault may be able to better utilize their engine or have their parts pass through a more rigorous QA process but I doubt they are giving less horse power.

My gut feeling is that Seidl is probably betting that Mercedes will end their F1 participation in the next 5-10 years.

Today there is a major issue if Mercedes pulls out and that is that their current customers are not capable of wins. It's unlikely they will challenge for wins in the near future. This means that Mercedes either needs to stay in F1 as a works team, or they need to accept having their engines in midfield cars. When McLaren gets Mercedes power, if they are able to fight for wins and podiums, this makes it possible for Mercedes to pull out as chassis manufacturer and still have their engines fight for wins.

Toto Wolff said that they wanted to have a more competitive customer team. This kind of statement is in allignment with Mercedes having more options for pullout if McLaren does OK. Seidl is probably well informed and can guess what the board of Mercedes might want to do down the line.

In the end, having Mercedes power will give McLaren a clear benchmark and remove any kind of potential excuses. Hopefully it will mean an power increase and reliability improvement, all of which will help them catch up to top 3.

They do not (by rule) have to have an equivalent performance engine, just the same spec and standard engine.

If there are 10 engines on the pre issue test bed, they can vary by several KW and be slightly finer balanced etc but be identical engines.

By picking the best 4 engines, best 4 electrical sets etc the end result can easily be that the factory team is substantially better than that issued to a customer even though they are 'identical in spec and detail'.

All within the rules and above board, but result in being well above the customer.

I don't know how true that is today with manufacturing tollarances being so much smaller. The differences in power will be much smaller as well.

[Jambier]

For me the most important thing is fuel.

For instance we know that Ferrari works team use a special fuel, that customer don't have access to.
And it means a significant cap in engine performance

[M840TR]

For me the most important thing is fuel.

For instance we know that Ferrari works team use a special fuel, that customer don't have access to.
And it means a significant cap in engine performance

Yes they do.

[Jambier]

For me the most important thing is fuel.

For instance we know that Ferrari works team use a special fuel, that customer don't have access to.
And it means a significant cap in engine performance

Yes they do.

Oh really?
I remember like last year or something like that, Ferrari wasn't using same fuel.

Rumor was that Shell fuel for Ferrari was special with a special additive.
According to rules, they have to propose customer to use it as well, but pricing is very very high, hence only Ferrari uses it

[M840TR]

For me the most important thing is fuel.

For instance we know that Ferrari works team use a special fuel, that customer don't have access to.
And it means a significant cap in engine performance

Yes they do.

Oh really?
I remember like last year or something like that, Ferrari wasn't using same fuel.

Rumor was that Shell fuel for Ferrari was special with a special additive.
According to rules, they have to propose customer to use it as well, but pricing is very very high, hence only Ferrari uses it

Nothing tangible to go on really in which case better to consider the overall picture. No motive for Ferrari to provide lower grade fuel to its customers; they're miles off pace anyway. Neither has any regulatory restriction been hinted at for the fuel. Shell even sponsors Alfa.
This is the first I'm hearing of the pricing rumour. I heard something similar about the spec 3 PU but Kimi is using that since Monza.

[charliesmithhd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jfGmJUxDXA

Video shows how norris lost out to albon and perez, one area of improvement for lando is that he needs to learn what fights to pick

[Big Tea]

I honestly doubt there is a performance difference between the engines. It would be illegal and would be very risky for Renault to do if McLaren found out. Again, if McLaren found out, why would McLaren go about it so casually letting them have it and moving to Mercedes after a season and a half. Renault may be able to better utilize their engine or have their parts pass through a more rigorous QA process but I doubt they are giving less horse power.

My gut feeling is that Seidl is probably betting that Mercedes will end their F1 participation in the next 5-10 years.

Today there is a major issue if Mercedes pulls out and that is that their current customers are not capable of wins. It's unlikely they will challenge for wins in the near future. This means that Mercedes either needs to stay in F1 as a works team, or they need to accept having their engines in midfield cars. When McLaren gets Mercedes power, if they are able to fight for wins and podiums, this makes it possible for Mercedes to pull out as chassis manufacturer and still have their engines fight for wins.

Toto Wolff said that they wanted to have a more competitive customer team. This kind of statement is in allignment with Mercedes having more options for pullout if McLaren does OK. Seidl is probably well informed and can guess what the board of Mercedes might want to do down the line.

In the end, having Mercedes power will give McLaren a clear benchmark and remove any kind of potential excuses. Hopefully it will mean an power increase and reliability improvement, all of which will help them catch up to top 3.

They do not (by rule) have to have an equivalent performance engine, just the same spec and standard engine.

If there are 10 engines on the pre issue test bed, they can vary by several KW and be slightly finer balanced etc but be identical engines.

By picking the best 4 engines, best 4 electrical sets etc the end result can easily be that the factory team is substantially better than that issued to a customer even though they are 'identical in spec and detail'.

All within the rules and above board, but result in being well above the customer.

I don't know how true that is today with manufacturing tollarances being so much smaller. The differences in power will be much smaller as well.

I quite agree, but if you consider just 0.2% on each 'section' it could easily add up to 10hp in the end. Not much, but if all other things are equal it is winner and second.

[Andres125sx]

Look how easy Verstappen passes us on the straights. Honda definitely a better engine than Renault atm.

Not necessarily, more down to downforce levels on setup

I don’t think we are running a high downforce setup either. If Honda were slower than Renault, it would never be so easy to pass on similar strategy. Honda has made massive gains.

Sainz said before the race they switched the rear wing to a higher downforce setup so they will be slow in the straights

[M840TR]

Not necessarily, more down to downforce levels on setup

I don’t think we are running a high downforce setup either. If Honda were slower than Renault, it would never be so easy to pass on similar strategy. Honda has made massive gains.

Sainz said before the race they switched the rear wing to a higher downforce setup so they will be slow in the straights

They also ran the T-wing. Proper high DF setup.

[diffuser]

I don’t think we are running a high downforce setup either. If Honda were slower than Renault, it would never be so easy to pass on similar strategy. Honda has made massive gains.

Sainz said before the race they switched the rear wing to a higher downforce setup so they will be slow in the straights

They also ran the T-wing. Proper high DF setup.

Sainz also said he let him past. He didn't want to fight it. RBR is a better all around car than the McLaren.

[Andres125sx]

Actually the team told him to not loose any time defending

[McG]

Why would McLaren be works team over RP and William's?

[Lucky]

In general, the papaya-yellow car lacks contact pressure compared to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. Since the aerodynamics have ran. The window where the car works should be wider. According to the engineers, the performance of the car varies too much this year, depending on the track layout, the condition of the asphalt, temperatures and tires. "Of course we are still at an early stage of development. But the values ​​from wind tunnel and CFD simulation are encouraging, "says team boss Seidl.
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... ung-mcl35/

[Emag]

That is good news. If they are indeed changing the concept of the car for next year, and it works out for them in terms of closing the gap to the top 3 in 2020, it can definitely boost their confidence to try unique ideas to the table just like the old McLaren used to do. I really hope they do well next year. It will be an indication if they truly are on their way up in the grid. I miss pre 2013 McLaren. Such an iconic team and to see them struggling in the last couple of years has been really tough. Especially for me who has always supported them even when my favorite driver was driving for another team. It has really been hard to watch how two teams bearing legendary names like McLaren and Williams fell so low. It still is painful watching Williams struggling for survival, but on the bright side McLaren sent out signs of hope this year. I hope we get our old team back in the near future.

[Manoah2u]

Why would McLaren be works team over RP and William's?

is that a question?