[ 2020 ] Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[godlameroso]

McLaren will be very strong in Imola, the track really suits them well. If they can control the understeer after the second chicane, they will have good pace.

Do we think Imola will be a high df set up like we’ve just had a Portimao and the likes of Barcelona?

There aren't any hairpins so maybe slightly lower wing level. The McLaren is very good under braking from what we saw in Monza.

[diffuser]

McLaren will be very strong in Imola, the track really suits them well. If they can control the understeer after the second chicane, they will have good pace.

Do we think Imola will be a high df set up like we’ve just had a Portimao and the likes of Barcelona?

There aren't any hairpins so maybe slightly lower wing level. The McLaren is very good under braking from what we saw in Monza.

In Portgal, there was several slow coners. Sainz was 2nd in S1 and 5th in S2 in Quali. Thier issue was really S3. Not sure why that section gave them more issues than S2 ... Maybe the tires were just dead by then....

[godlameroso]

Do we think Imola will be a high df set up like we’ve just had a Portimao and the likes of Barcelona?

There aren't any hairpins so maybe slightly lower wing level. The McLaren is very good under braking from what we saw in Monza.

In Portgal, there was several slow coners. Sainz was 2nd in S1 and 5th in S2 in Quali. Thier issue was really S3. Not sure why that section gave them more issues than S2 ... Maybe the tires were just dead by then....


https://i.redd.it/xth3gqhsyiu51.jpg

Very windy, and consecutive slow corners. McLaren's Kryptonite.

There was a tailwind coming out of 11 and 14 which made it very tricky to get on power.

[SmallSoldier]

Another race where the detriments of the Q2 tyre rule to the midfield teams really showed. I don’t understand why they don’t scrap it if they’re so eager to narrow field spread.
The team could’ve easily fought for p4 and maybe even p3.

I don't like the rule any more than I do but I don't understand the reference in this case. All the cars that finished ahead of Sainz were in Q3 as well and with the exception of LeClerc, started on Softs.

The medium tyre was by far the ideal race tire. With the exception of Gasly, who Sainz would've overtaken if it weren't for Bottas's untimely blue flag, everyone else was bested by Mclaren on similar strategy.

However, my comment relates more to the broader impact the rule has. We know the top 2 are a second ahead of the top midfield team but the strategy they're relegated to stands contrary to the FOM's claim of bunching up the field spread. As HAM-BOT-VER scurry into the distance, the rest are left nursing their tyres. This regulation might've served better in the v8 era but the margins are nowhere close to what they were then in order for it to justify its place in the book.

I don't really think Leclerc was faster than the Mclarens, he was running in free air for a majority of the race on the ideal tyre. So not only were other midfield teams precluded from punching upwards, they were also denied from potentially capitalising on Verstappen's ill-conceived initial strategy.

I believe the regulation has the intention of creating artificial excitement in the race... Is not about “bunching up the field”, but is more about giving an opportunity to those that didn’t qualified in the top 10... Long first stints on “Mediums” by those in P11-P14 that end up placing them in scoring positions have been possible only because of that rule.

I don’t agree with the rule and find it unfair (although, liked it when Mclaren could barely make it to P11), but it has helped bring a bit of excitement to F1 in times where on track action was clearly missing.


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[Chicane]

McLaren are struggling with a relatively weak front end from last year where they struggle in corners which require a responsive front end to get the nose in. One of the reasons for their relatively weak performance in slow speed corners.

Everyone struggled with front graining in Portimao but in f1 everything is relative and McLaren struggled much more.

The drivers are having to make additional steering inputs to get the front tyres to turn in midway through the corners which adds up over time leading to excessive wear and consequently loosing time over a stint in comparison.

What Mclaren are looking for is a responsive front end and the updates appear to be directed in that direction in addition to other goals.

[Macklaren]

I am encouraged that the car was reasonably competitive in Portimao despite strong gusting winds that even other drivers were calling out. Hope that is a sign of reduced wind sensitivity.

[101FlyingDutchman]

Yep its mid corner understeer that stops them from carrying more speed around the longer radius corners. More steer inputs required as the car washes out. That front wing although a thing of beauty clearly can’t produce the same DF as a RB or a Merc FW. It clearly is very efficient for the amount of drag it generates but a few more tweaks required together with the BB package to extract the most of the car. Clearly the rear is very good evidenced by S1 in Portimao. Quite often near the very top of the time sheets so traction is excellent

[diffuser]

Yep its mid corner understeer that stops them from carrying more speed around the longer radius corners. More steer inputs required as the car washes out. That front wing although a thing of beauty clearly can’t produce the same DF as a RB or a Merc FW. It clearly is very efficient for the amount of drag it generates but a few more tweaks required together with the BB package to extract the most of the car. Clearly the rear is very good evidenced by S1 in Portimao. Quite often near the very top of the time sheets so traction is excellent

Maybe it's more inline with the DF on the rear next year ...

[M840TR]

Carlos and Lando qualified a very respectable P7 and P8. Earlier in qualifying, the car looked – perhaps – good for a place or two higher than that. They both thought their laps (separated by only five-thousandths of a second) were solid – but the difference was that, at the end of Q2, the wind really started to pick up. While everyone got a little slower, the MCL35’s often-discussed sensitivity to strong winds saw it perhaps impacted more than most. Would they have been higher had the session started on time? Possibly. Coming back to the pitlane, Carlos muttered that he didn’t know where the pace had gone. After a pause race engineer Tom Stallard said cautiously: “you probably don’t want me to mention the ‘W’ word, do you?

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/2020/por ... ou-missed/

[CjC]

Massive news
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15312 ... investment

This this puts to bed any of the tiny speculation that Mclaren might become the next works Mercedes outfit IF Merc pulled the plug

[Darth-Piekus]

In my opinion starting from 2022 this whole thing should stop. Apart from Engines Customer Teams should create their own car. At best they can copy innovations from others and recreating their own but having access to the data of the factory team should not be allowed. I don't have any problem if Aston Martin wants to write a new name for themselves in F1 but they should make it with their own abilities instead of taking everything ready from the best team. The best example is Mercedes. All of their success has Mclaren written all over it.

[_cerber1]

The team is completely confident in their updates.

https://www.racefans.net/2020/10/28/rac ... p-28-10-3/

[Macklaren]

Massive news
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15312 ... investment

This this puts to bed any of the tiny speculation that Mclaren might become the next works Mercedes outfit IF Merc pulled the plug

I think this is a fair conclusion but also note that this is slightly different -- this is more about MB getting paid for the technology it is providing to AM in the form of an equity stake (because AM doesn't really have any money). So MB not really committing any capital here.

[haza]

The team is completely confident in their updates.

https://www.racefans.net/2020/10/28/rac ... p-28-10-3/

They ain’t hangin about with these updates they’ve brought updates for the last 4-5 races in a row looks to me like there tryna make the car 21 spec before the seasons end

[SmallSoldier]

The team is completely confident in their updates.

https://www.racefans.net/2020/10/28/rac ... p-28-10-3/

Exactly what they needed... An uneventful Friday to be able to run their program and perform the scheduled tests.

This weekend will be a challenge with the shorten format... Let’s hope we start the only practice sessions with a good baseline.


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