McLaren MCL36

[Ground Effect]

It is confirmed that this car will have upgrades for the first race, but just by looking at it, I am struggling to find areas that will be affected.

The floor brought to testing was quite developed. The front wing seems like a late development iteration. Sidepods seem unlikely to change drastically, and there is not much room allowed by the regulation for many external bodywork pieces.

The only things that looks somewhat basic, at least compared to some other cars, are the bib and the "bargeboard" on the side of the tunnel entrance.

Perhaps most upgrades will be invisible to us. Like a new underfloor shape, or some mechanical enhancement.

Either way, I am really getting excited for this season. Initial impressions have been very good for this car. Nothing that would make me think it is going to be a championship contender, but I am certainly hoping it will fight for the top spot more often than last year.

What do we think about the engine cover, rear wing?

[the EDGE]

It is confirmed that this car will have upgrades for the first race, but just by looking at it, I am struggling to find areas that will be affected.

The floor brought to testing was quite developed. The front wing seems like a late development iteration. Sidepods seem unlikely to change drastically, and there is not much room allowed by the regulation for many external bodywork pieces.

The only things that looks somewhat basic, at least compared to some other cars, are the bib and the "bargeboard" on the side of the tunnel entrance.

Perhaps most upgrades will be invisible to us. Like a new underfloor shape, or some mechanical enhancement.

Either way, I am really getting excited for this season. Initial impressions have been very good for this car. Nothing that would make me think it is going to be a championship contender, but I am certainly hoping it will fight for the top spot more often than last year.

What do we think about the engine cover, rear wing?

I’m quite sure at present McLaren are running the hot weather engine cover, no doubt this will change and the cooling exit Slimmed, Once they have had time to evaluate cooling on the test track, and from race to race depending on climate

Again, rear wings change from race to race depending on downforce requirements anyway, So I suspect we will see various solutions over the course of the year

[f1rules]

thats what we get from being dissapointed so many many many times, imagine this would have been the pre season of rbr, they would be favourites by now, but i agree, we simply cannot expect that big a step from mclaren with their inferior wind tunnel. Regardings updates, like you mention bib, bargeboards and maybe sidepod shoulders/mirror attachment. About the updates, they need inform fia now, so we should know everything going on

It is confirmed that this car will have upgrades for the first race, but just by looking at it, I am struggling to find areas that will be affected.

The floor brought to testing was quite developed. The front wing seems like a late development iteration. Sidepods seem unlikely to change drastically, and there is not much room allowed by the regulation for many external bodywork pieces.

The only things that looks somewhat basic, at least compared to some other cars, are the bib and the "bargeboard" on the side of the tunnel entrance.

Perhaps most upgrades will be invisible to us. Like a new underfloor shape, or some mechanical enhancement.

Either way, I am really getting excited for this season. Initial impressions have been very good for this car. Nothing that would make me think it is going to be a championship contender, but I am certainly hoping it will fight for the top spot more often than last year.

[mclaren111]

Nice picture...



Nice picture...

[SmallSoldier]

McLaren without and with aero loading…



Vía @Dr_Obbs

[Emag]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

Is that flex, or is that the rear suspension lowering the car?

If you look at the angle of the rod, in the second image it is a bit sharper.

[Hoffman900]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

While there is some squat, they are not taken from the same angle either and the difference accounting for that is a lot less than these photos would suggest.

[SmallSoldier]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

Is that flex, or is that the rear suspension lowering the car?

If you look at the angle of the rod, in the second image it is a bit sharper.

That’s the rear suspension squatting under load… Not floor flexing

[SmallSoldier]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

While there is some squat, they are not taken from the same angle either and the difference accounting for that is a lot less than these photos would suggest.

I was also thinking the same (in regards to the angle of the pictures), but it does help visualize how much the cars are squatting under load and how close to the ground they are running

[the EDGE]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

While there is some squat, they are not taken from the same angle either and the difference accounting for that is a lot less than these photos would suggest.

I was also thinking the same (in regards to the angle of the pictures), but it does help visualize how much the cars are squatting under load and how close to the ground they are running

What’s interesting is that McLaren seem to have a ‘small’ amount of rake

Do others? Or are they completely level?

[DiogoBrand]

While there is some squat, they are not taken from the same angle either and the difference accounting for that is a lot less than these photos would suggest.

I was also thinking the same (in regards to the angle of the pictures), but it does help visualize how much the cars are squatting under load and how close to the ground they are running

What’s interesting is that McLaren seem to have a ‘small’ amount of rake

Do others? Or are they completely level?

It does. I think even though the diffuser is much bigger this year, you can make it bigger-er by having a bit of rake.
It may also be necessary to have some rake to counteract the squat under aero load.

[NtsParadize]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

And a little bit of rake?

[Just_a_fan]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

There's a difference in the angle of the photo too, of course, but it does show that the rear is squatting at speed compared to when trundling down the pit lane.

[Just_a_fan]

McLaren without and with aero loading…

https://i.imgur.com/BFn7EhZ.jpg

Vía @Dr_Obbs

And a little bit of rake?

There will always be a bit of rake when slow because the cars have to have some suspension movement and that gets compressed at speed.

[Zynerji]

I was also thinking the same (in regards to the angle of the pictures), but it does help visualize how much the cars are squatting under load and how close to the ground they are running

What’s interesting is that McLaren seem to have a ‘small’ amount of rake

Do others? Or are they completely level?

It does. I think even though the diffuser is much bigger this year, you can make it bigger-er by having a bit of rake.
It may also be necessary to have some rake to counteract the squat under aero load.

This may be the anti-porpoise power of the MCL36, and may be down to their rear 4link setup.