AMG.Tzan wrote: ↑24 Mar 2022, 21:17
Their problems surely have to do with their suspension setups!
McLaren has a history of not being able to optimize a new suspension system just like in 2013 when they went for the pull-rod front suspension and they were nowhere! Ferrari on the other hand made it work properly...same goes for Red Bull this year!
McLaren since 2012 (10 years now) have looked like a true midfield team, unable to produce unique designs that work...
It's been said time and time again by multiple people who have actual experience in the field, that the way you package your suspension (push-rod or pull-rod) should theoretically make no difference in performance. The only influence in the decision has to do with the aero concept the team decides to follow.
We only perceive the front pull-rod to be the less ideal choice because the cars that used them in the previous generation (execpt the SF15-T) were not very competitive, and somehow people attribute the suspension geometry to their lack of performance. But in reality, those cars had a multitude of other issues that made them slower than their competitors.
McLaren could have a less effective suspension compared to Ferrari/RedBull, but we can never be certain as the suspension could also be the most optimized piece McLaren has compared to those two teams at the moment.
What we know for sure is that McLaren is lacking downforce, and according to some of the latest articles, they lack a considerable amount of downforce. Way too much to attribute it to a poor suspension packaging choice that perhaps may be affecting the aero in a sub-optimal manner.
So, based on what I have mentioned, I disagree with your premise. If McLaren was 0.7-1s behind Ferrari/RedBull in Bahrain, while being as competitive in the high-speed corners relative to them as they were last year for example. Then yes, I would agree that perhaps McLaren's mechanical setup is lacking compared to those teams.
But McLaren were slow everywhere, and miles off the pace (particularly on the race). The suspension geometry is perhaps the least of McLaren's worries at the moment.