2022 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[Lucky]

When did the work on that wind tunnel start? 2018? It dazzles me how the Stroll outfit started works on a new factory and wind tunnel in 2021 and the wind tunnel will be finished next year (so basically it takes them 1.5 years). Yet, McLaren windtunnel is taking ages.Last month I read it were to be finished (finally) at the end of this year. Now it’s mid-2023. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear same time next year it has been delayed to 2024.

The new wind tunnel and simulator will be ready in 2024
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/new ... g-for-2023

[geogate]

i don't believe Mclaren even announced the wind tunnel before mid 2019, let alone start any construction

[runningmanz]

Harry Styles in NYC rocking a DR t-shirt. Nice work son.

[MrGapes]

I'm not sure if this is completely right, but I think the team needs to nominate a wind tunnel that they would use over a 12 month duration, since the the team would still be using the TMG wind tunnel well into next year, they would nominate TMG as their designated wind tunnel for next year, and as far as I know you can't re-nominate another wind tunnel unless something happens to the existing nomination, hence why a lot of the 2024 car would still be designed using the Toyota tunnel... until 2024 where they can nominate the new wind tunnel for use over a season.

This is of course assuming they renew there facility selection at the start of each year.

They team could still evaluate next years tunnel (within the f1 realm) by asking the FIA for a temporary nomination... but obviously its temporary..

[mwillems]

I'm not sure if this is completely right, but I think the team needs to nominate a wind tunnel that they would use over a 12 month duration, since the the team would still be using the TMG wind tunnel well into next year, they would nominate TMG as their designated wind tunnel for next year, and as far as I know you can't re-nominate another wind tunnel unless something happens to the existing nomination, hence why a lot of the 2024 car would still be designed using the Toyota tunnel... until 2024 where they can nominate the new wind tunnel for use over a season.

This is of course assuming they renew there facility selection at the start of each year.

They team could still evaluate next years tunnel (within the f1 realm) by asking the FIA for a temporary nomination... but obviously its temporary..

It's a good shout, and the first nomination was mandated to occur "on or before the 1st of Jan 2015", so when Mclaren started their first nomination will determine when they can switch it in for F1 purposes. Since James Key had spoken in the past about it being used for some '23 car development, you might think it is September time, so this perhaps suggests we can use it from Sept 23 Onwards? But who knows really, I guess we will find out in time.

Article 9.3.2 of the Sporting Regulations: RWTT (Restricted Wind Tunnel Testing) may only be carried out in wind tunnels which have been nominated by the Competitor to the FIA. Each Competitor may nominate only one wind tunnel for use in any one twelve month period and declare it in writing to the FIA. For the avoidance of doubt, any RWTT carried out on behalf of or for the benefit of the Competitor by an Associate, a contracted party of the Competitor or of any Associate of the Competitor or any external entity working on behalf of the Competitor or for its own purposes and subsequently providing the results of its work to a Competitor, must take place in the wind tunnel nominated by the Competitor.

[billamend]

[AR3-GP]

Lando is like Ron Dennis and Zak Brown combined.

[taperoo2k]

I think the perception of the McLaren car's behaviour is being exaggerated or misrepresented by a lot of people. At the end of the day, it's about extracting performance, which on driver is doing better than the other. We don't hear folks labelling the Red Bull difficult to drive, even though Gasly flopped in it, went back to STR and got a podium. Albon got smashed by Max, took a year out and looks the bees knees in a less capable car. Lando complains but gets performance, Carlos complained, got performance. Daniel gets performance every now and then, but the inconsistency is the issue. The points difference is an issue, the gap to Lando is an issue. You'd expect a driver of his experience to adapt and get something consistent out of the car, even if he's not as quick as Lando.

3 drivers, Carlos, Lando and Daniel have all described the McLaren cars as being “unusual” to drive to put it kindly.

The Mclaren is unpredictable and inconsistent in its feedback, I don’t think those are desirable traits when you are trying to drive on the edge of adhesion!

Agreed, the McLaren is difficult to drive, the issue is 2 out of those 3 drivers still managed to get consistent performance from the car. Lando, even as a rookie was never a million miles away from Carlos. Daniel, I'd expect by now to understand the traits of the McLaren and be more consistent. How bad can the McLaren possibly be? We've seen Daniel go fast in the McLaren, but he's just not consistent enough. I don't think the traits of the car change every other GP.

Daniel's problem at McLaren has been his lack of consistency, you get glimpses of his talent and speed, but it's never sustained. Considering the issues McLaren had at the start of the season with the car, it's not looking too bad. Lando seems to have found a way to drive the car and extract consistent performance out of it.

Finding the right setup for an F1 car at specific tracks can be a real challenge at times.

[runningmanz]

3 drivers, Carlos, Lando and Daniel have all described the McLaren cars as being “unusual” to drive to put it kindly.

The Mclaren is unpredictable and inconsistent in its feedback, I don’t think those are desirable traits when you are trying to drive on the edge of adhesion!

Agreed, the McLaren is difficult to drive, the issue is 2 out of those 3 drivers still managed to get consistent performance from the car. Lando, even as a rookie was never a million miles away from Carlos. Daniel, I'd expect by now to understand the traits of the McLaren and be more consistent. How bad can the McLaren possibly be? We've seen Daniel go fast in the McLaren, but he's just not consistent enough. I don't think the traits of the car change every other GP.

Daniel's problem at McLaren has been his lack of consistency, you get glimpses of his talent and speed, but it's never sustained. Considering the issues McLaren had at the start of the season with the car, it's not looking too bad. Lando seems to have found a way to drive the car and extract consistent performance out of it.

Finding the right setup for an F1 car at specific tracks can be a real challenge at times.

Yes its not like he has been rubbish at every race weekend, he has been up there or not far off with Lando at a few races this year, like Bahrain, Saudi, Australia, Imola (all weekend up until the crash), Azerbaijan, Canada, Austria and France, but the lows are quite low with the odd qualli gaps and the races where he has struggled on the hards at times. Qualifying is the main issue though its really hurting his legacy and its where he is leaving himself so much work to do in the race to try and catch up to Lando. Lando also operating at such a consistent high level is also magnifying Dan's issues. Its not making excuses as we can all agree Dan hasn't met expectations, its just an educated attempt at trying to understand why this is occuring taking everything into account because its certainly not normal or anything like we have seen from him since he joined F1.

Not sure if he remained in McLaren until his contract finished if the consistency gap would disappear or not however he never had this amount of problems at any other teams which says alot. I'd again ask those that believe he has lost it do you honestly believe in a matter of months being on fire at Renault and switching to McLaren a driver can lose his skill? I honestly don't think thats possible to go from such a high level to so many lows in a few months and say the driver is no longer good enough. This is why myself and others believe its a mismatch with his driving style and the McLaren car design philosophy. Its the only logical answer I believe given how many different cars and teams he has been in during his F1 career and how he performed for so long at a high level overall before McLaren.

If he gets another drive at another team it will say alot if he does find his mojo again or not. I do hope he gets the chance to redeem himself but only time will tell.

[geogate]

I dont think anyone has suggested he has lost his skills - I think most of us think he is demonstrating a pretty dramatic inability to adapt, which for me is a prerequisite for a driver on his kind of money.
The issue for him is, will any new era car suit him?

“It’s new, the whole car is completely new so you have to really change your driving style and it’s very interesting for us drivers just to try different things.

“In the last three years it was more or less the same driving style. OK, you adapt a little bit from one car to the other, but it’s not a big difference. But this year it is, so it makes it very very interesting for the drivers.

“The brakings are quite different. The distance in itself is not so different, but the way you are braking is different and yeah, still trying to find the perfect spot in the perfect way of braking.”
Charles Leclerc

[Shakeman]

Some drivers can adapt to different car's handling characteristics others can't Vettel was as fast as anyone in a Red Bull with a stable rear end, he's mid field talent in a car with any sort of rear end looseness. Ric's in the same boat under braking. The McLaren package has been like kryptonite for his confidence under braking which is where you setup the car to carry speed into the corner and generate your laptime. Gasly couldn't get on top of the Red Bull, the list can go on. The premiere league of drivers can and do adapt to cars others end up being found out.

Ric's won, he's minted. Arguably he's been better at coining it in with contracts than driving which is fair play to him. If winning races was the main thing on his mind he would've stayed at Red Bull a top 3 team where he would've got many more chances than with either Renault or McLaren. He choose another way of winning in life.

[MrGapes]

https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/17/exc ... n-in-2024/

nice exclusive.

[SmallSoldier]

https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/17/exc ... n-in-2024/

nice exclusive.

Thanks for sharing, that was a good read

[Lucky]

[Mansell89]

Anyone able to help with a translation on that article? Apologies!