TECH: McLaren introduce performance upgrades in Jeddah

Despite leading both the Drivers' and the Constructors' Championship, McLaren have apparently refused to slow down their development push as they have brought new parts to the MCL39 to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

The track is 6.174 kilometres long and one of the fastest of the season with drivers spending around 80% of the lap with the accelerator buried to the floor, even though it is fairly twisty and boasts a record number of corners, 27 in fact, with 16 to the left and 11 to the right.

Many of them are taken at medium or high speed. Although there are three DRS zones, overtaking is not that straightforward due to the lack of any heavy braking points.

The track surface is not very abrasive, with an average level of roughness, but the lateral forces exerted on the tyres are considerable, although not at the level to be found at Suzuka or Barcelona for example. Graining can put in an appearance, especially in the first free practice sessions as the track is very dirty to start with, because it is rarely used for motor racing.

Due to Jeddah’s high speed nature, several team have elected to introduce upgrades to their cars, with the majority of the upgrades focusing on the unique coolin requirements and the long full-throttle sections of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

McLaren have established themselves as the field-leading outfit since the first laps during the three-day pre-season testing in Bahrain. The Woking-based outfit has introduced its first significant upgrade package at this weekend's Jeddah round.

McLaren have brought a reshaped diffuser “to improve overall flow conditioning in this area, with the aim of gaining aerodynamic performance”.

At the back end of the MCL39, the papaya squad has introduced a revised rear brake duct winglet arrangement. The championship leaders hope that the upgraded brake ducts will result "in an improvement in local flowfield around the rear corner translating to an increase in aerodynamic efficiency”.