2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[organic]

Today I read the news, where Andrea Stella says that they are in an advanced stage with Mercedes. He also noted that the B specification will come to Austria.

Where did he say that? So far they've been saying it will be available "between Austria and Silverstone" and I interpret that to mean maybe Austria maybe Silverstone. Is there a new quote?

[mwillems]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/stell ... /10479878/

Stella pretty much confirming that a part of our performance is that we can't keep the tyres in the window in race conditions or in hotter conditions, and explaining why getting more heat into the tyres was why we did so well in Spain Qualifying.

Running with more DF will help keep the tyres planted and reduce sliding and tyre wear, I wonder if this is part of the reason for our setup.

Whilst it is our job to manage these tyres with our car, I do find that these tyres offer way too much difference and are way too sensitive for this formula.

[PikeStance]

I would propose to move from the whole Honda thing and I'm not sure why are we even discussing it. Honda was goid back in the 80s and 90s. They haven't done anything significant after that. Their partnership with Mclaren was a disaster because they couldn't bother to do some hard work and Mclaren paid the price becoming a guinea pig testing GP2 engines that were not able to reach high speeds without self dismantling. Add in the fact that Honda almost always ditched their teams before tasting success showing that they have no commitment.

The discussion of Honda and Red Bull/Ford stems from the hiring of Marshall. I have not read anything to suggest that McLaren is unhappy with Mercedes PU. If anything, they have been quite clear that the issue is poor integration. Moreover, Aston Martin and Mercedes teams have both outperformed Mclaren, so there are a lot more issues than PU.

[Mansell89]

I would propose to move from the whole Honda thing and I'm not sure why are we even discussing it. Honda was goid back in the 80s and 90s. They haven't done anything significant after that. Their partnership with Mclaren was a disaster because they couldn't bother to do some hard work and Mclaren paid the price becoming a guinea pig testing GP2 engines that were not able to reach high speeds without self dismantling. Add in the fact that Honda almost always ditched their teams before tasting success showing that they have no commitment.

I think that’s a very pro-McLaren view of things.

I think we rushed them in a year too soon, the FIA stifled all engine suppliers on the back foot with a draconian and pointless token system combined with hardly any testing, and it took multiple years instead of one year for them to work through all the issues.

Since 2021 they’ve been pretty awesome.

I don’t think it was McLaren or Hondas fault alone- just a combination of things that eventually worked themselves out - sadly for Red Bulls benefit haha!

Anyway, back to McLaren- Stella indicating we are quite far advanced in talking to Mercedes HPP for 2026 supply, which with Aston dropping out of the picture probably improves our customer position with them too.

In both hybrid and electric formulas Merc have been strong out of the blocks so you’d be hopeful of a solid start again, assuming engine rules continue about equal customer access to all modes of performance to the works teams.

[McL-H]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

[Lucky]

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has explained why Mercedes' zero sidepod Formula 1 concept was always likely to fail.
During pre-season testing in 2022, Mercedes unveiled the W13 with minimal sidepods, as opposed to the chunky version deployed elsewhere on the grid.
Even after other teams abandoned the idea, the Silver Arrows stuck with the philosophy, even bringing it to the 2023 car before quickly abandoning it, with a more conventional-looking W14 breaking cover at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Teams are gravitating towards the Red Bull wide style of sidepod, where the air is pushed down towards the floor and diffuser, with Stella explaining why this 'downwash' is so crucial.
Stella explains Mercedes struggle
"I wouldn't simply say downwash, I would say wide sidepods is actually the primary concept that seems to interact very well with the floor," Stella told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked why downwash was so important.
"The sidepods, in simple terms, they act a bit like miniskirts, so aerodynamically, having the wide sidepods helps the suction [of air] to the floor.
"That is the concept you can't do without if you want to maximise the suction of the floor and for the load on the car.
"It's very clear that everyone is converging in that direction, and we are also moving development in that direction and hopefully, we will see results soon."
Aero is more important than ever
Stella also explained just how important aerodynamics are in modern Grand Prix racing, with even former mechanical areas of the car now being used for aero purposes.
"Nowadays, the mechanical elements like suspension layout, they are fundamentally aerodynamic enablers," he added.
"It's very difficult to create a performance advantage because you have a better suspension that works the tyres better.
"Aerodynamics is much more important than these mechanical elements, so when yaw sensitivity, it's not because of the underlying layout [of the car].
"It's more about the fundamental design of front wing, around the front tyres, the design of the floor, so it is the usual culprits from an aerodynamic point of view, rather than layout of suspension."
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-pinpo ... t=09062023

[diffuser]

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has explained why Mercedes' zero sidepod Formula 1 concept was always likely to fail.
During pre-season testing in 2022, Mercedes unveiled the W13 with minimal sidepods, as opposed to the chunky version deployed elsewhere on the grid.
Even after other teams abandoned the idea, the Silver Arrows stuck with the philosophy, even bringing it to the 2023 car before quickly abandoning it, with a more conventional-looking W14 breaking cover at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Teams are gravitating towards the Red Bull wide style of sidepod, where the air is pushed down towards the floor and diffuser, with Stella explaining why this 'downwash' is so crucial.
Stella explains Mercedes struggle
"I wouldn't simply say downwash, I would say wide sidepods is actually the primary concept that seems to interact very well with the floor," Stella told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked why downwash was so important.
"The sidepods, in simple terms, they act a bit like miniskirts, so aerodynamically, having the wide sidepods helps the suction [of air] to the floor.
"That is the concept you can't do without if you want to maximise the suction of the floor and for the load on the car.
"It's very clear that everyone is converging in that direction, and we are also moving development in that direction and hopefully, we will see results soon."
Aero is more important than ever
Stella also explained just how important aerodynamics are in modern Grand Prix racing, with even former mechanical areas of the car now being used for aero purposes.
"Nowadays, the mechanical elements like suspension layout, they are fundamentally aerodynamic enablers," he added.
"It's very difficult to create a performance advantage because you have a better suspension that works the tyres better.
"Aerodynamics is much more important than these mechanical elements, so when yaw sensitivity, it's not because of the underlying layout [of the car].
"It's more about the fundamental design of front wing, around the front tyres, the design of the floor, so it is the usual culprits from an aerodynamic point of view, rather than layout of suspension."
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-pinpo ... t=09062023

Nice article...Alpine don't get enough credit. Really Merc are using more of a Alpine sidepod design than RBR.

Interestingly enough RBR seem to be moving slightly to the early Alfa/Aston design. Atleast, they're creating a larger space/passage under the sidepod. What's different than those designs is the remaining shape of the sidepod is that of a upside-down wing.

[mclaren111]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0fkbDYKN0SY

[mwillems]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

I doubt we will be that fast, at the last race they were the 2nd fastest car,.

[diffuser]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

Like I said, I heard there is no B spec. Little birdie emailed me.

[diffuser]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

I doubt we will be that fast, at the last race they were the 2nd fastest car,.

If they could only solve their tire wear issues. I wonder if that's just a lack of DF or what.

[mwillems]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

I doubt we will be that fast, at the last race they were the 2nd fastest car,.

If they could only solve their tire wear issues. I wonder if that's just a lack of DF or what.

Given that we were still heating them quickly in the damp, I'd guess it's just something the car does.

More DF would help of course.

[mclaren111]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

Like I said, I heard there is no B spec. Little birdie emailed me.

So... No B-Spec means just a lot of upgrades ?

[djos]

Let’s just hope that we come level with Mercedes with the B-spec before the summer break. We then have the 2nd half of the season to close the gap to Aston Martin. It would be a good season if we finish it having the 2nd/3rd fastest car. Irrespective of our finishing position.

It would set us up for regular podiums next year, so we can fight Red Bull for the championship in 2025.

Like I said, I heard there is no B spec. Little birdie emailed me.

So... No B-Spec means just a lot of upgrades ?

Realistically, B spec cars are just not viable under the cost cap, even Mercedes can’t bring B spec cars to fix their stupid Zero pod design.

[mclaren111]

Like I said, I heard there is no B spec. Little birdie emailed me.

So... No B-Spec means just a lot of upgrades ?

Realistically, B spec cars are just not viable under the cost cap, even Mercedes can’t bring B spec cars to fix their stupid Zero pod design.

Agreed... TBH, I think Stella said "sort off" B-Spec...