2022 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[billamend]

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

James Key, the technical director of McLaren F1, was asked about the team's relationship with its drivers this season. Lando Norris clearly dominates Daniel Ricciardo, and the engineer admits to being impressed by the British's abilities.

"Lando is still at the beginning of his career in many ways. He has been working at McLaren, as an F1 driver, for as long as I do, three years," Key recalls. So, I think he's still progressing, taking action all the time and doing absolutely great work for us."

"I think his big strength is that he is very constant. From one race to another, he is able to push the limits of the car, find the settings he needs, react very well, which is great. And he does a splendid job for us."

And Key explained that the collaboration between the two drivers is crucial for McLaren: "Daniel contributes just as much with his technical feedback. And they have a very similar feeling with the car. So, it's always good to have this correlation point between the two drivers. When you get to the limit, you talk about finer details."

"And each pilot has a different sensitivity. Each pilot has a limit on a given lap. And the feedback on the feeling of attacking, of being on the razor's edge, is slightly different. But the overview is very similar, and they give us a consistent return. So Daniel gives us a return as good as Lando's."

Ricciardo has a very difficult new season with McLaren, but Key reveals that the Australian's problems are not the same as in 2021, and that they also depend on the MCL36: "I would say they are a little different. The car is completely different. We are not recreating some of the maximum performance we found with last year's car."

"When she was strong, she was very strong, but we had races where she was really in trouble. So, we didn't get this peak with the car. Similarly, we know that we have certain weaknesses."

"I think each team has some, and they will affect one driver slightly differently from another. And we are working with our two drivers to remedy the weaknesses they highlight and their own, as well as the whole car."

[Mansell89]

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

James Key, the technical director of McLaren F1, was asked about the team's relationship with its drivers this season. Lando Norris clearly dominates Daniel Ricciardo, and the engineer admits to being impressed by the British's abilities.

"Lando is still at the beginning of his career in many ways. He has been working at McLaren, as an F1 driver, for as long as I do, three years," Key recalls. So, I think he's still progressing, taking action all the time and doing absolutely great work for us."

"I think his big strength is that he is very constant. From one race to another, he is able to push the limits of the car, find the settings he needs, react very well, which is great. And he does a splendid job for us."

And Key explained that the collaboration between the two drivers is crucial for McLaren: "Daniel contributes just as much with his technical feedback. And they have a very similar feeling with the car. So, it's always good to have this correlation point between the two drivers. When you get to the limit, you talk about finer details."

"And each pilot has a different sensitivity. Each pilot has a limit on a given lap. And the feedback on the feeling of attacking, of being on the razor's edge, is slightly different. But the overview is very similar, and they give us a consistent return. So Daniel gives us a return as good as Lando's."

Ricciardo has a very difficult new season with McLaren, but Key reveals that the Australian's problems are not the same as in 2021, and that they also depend on the MCL36: "I would say they are a little different. The car is completely different. We are not recreating some of the maximum performance we found with last year's car."

"When she was strong, she was very strong, but we had races where she was really in trouble. So, we didn't get this peak with the car. Similarly, we know that we have certain weaknesses."

"I think each team has some, and they will affect one driver slightly differently from another. And we are working with our two drivers to remedy the weaknesses they highlight and their own, as well as the whole car."

Thanks ever so much Billamend

[MrGapes]

Another nice article speaking with James key: https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89613 ... pt-change/

[mwillems]

Another nice article speaking with James key: https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89613 ... pt-change/

There's an article from Mercedes discussing similar sentiments. That the team are looking up and down the grid to decide which philosophy they wish to follow next year, which ideas from which cars they think work the best and that everything is under review. They also say that their sidepods are not really a key differentiator but that the underfloor and the geometries are more important.

It'll be interesting to see what comes out of the wash next year, but I'll make a bold "wish" and say that I hope the team have moved development totally to next years car to give us a good platform for next year, unless those pieces we can develop this year can also help next year.

On another note, I've just discovered all the article and videos on the web about front wing flexing with Ferrari, RB and Merc. Does this "phenomenon" also happen with Mclaren to anyone's knowledge?

It's noticeable on the Ferrari and RB but quite prominent on the Merc. Wasn't this banned somehow?

[MrGapes]

Another nice article speaking with James key: https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89613 ... pt-change/

There's an article from Mercedes discussing similar sentiments. That the team are looking up and down the grid to decide which philosophy they wish to follow next year, which ideas from which cars they think work the best and that everything is under review. They also say that their sidepods are not really a key differentiator but that the underfloor and the geometries are more important.

It'll be interesting to see what comes out of the wash next year, but I'll make a bold "wish" and say that I hope the team have moved development totally to next years car to give us a good platform for next year, unless those pieces we can develop this year can also help next year.

On another note, I've just discovered all the article and videos on the web about front wing flexing with Ferrari, RB and Merc. Does this "phenomenon" also happen with Mclaren to anyone's knowledge?

It's noticeable on the Ferrari and RB but quite prominent on the Merc. Wasn't this banned somehow?

Interesting.. I think McLaren especially are in a interesting position with this frontal bib outwash concept, and if they continue to pursue this direction next year, especially with next years floor edges being raised. The team have been quite supportive of the TD, I wonder if they seek to gain an advantage with these changes....

[CaribouBread]

Very interesting that Mclaren is also looking to build a limited run NA V10 single seater with radical aerodynamics ala Valkyrie, this is a move in the right direction imo. Get the engineers some off the books opportunity to increase their understanding of ground effect.

[mwillems]

Fascinating interview about how Covid and Brexit caused Mclaren to not be able to use their wind tunnel quota last year and to be behind on the 21 and 22 car.

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89626 ... id-brexit/

The main take home is that Mclaren had the ideas that made other cars faster and chose to be more Conservative. "We should have been braver" says Key.

[Arcanum]

Good article on how the wind tunnel and driver simulator are holding McLaren back:

https://the-race.com/formula-1/exactly- ... d-it-back/

[SmallSoldier]

Fascinating interview about how Covid and Brexit caused Mclaren to not be able to use their wind tunnel quota last year and to be behind on the 21 and 22 car.

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89626 ... id-brexit/

The main take home is that Mclaren had the ideas that made other cars faster and chose to be more Conservative. "We should have been braver" says Key.

It’s good that he isn’t stating them as excuses, but they would have had an impact in what is a very fast pace industry… Hopefully, 2022 is been a better year in terms of managing those aspects and they are fully utilizing their time and now that they have one year behind them, maybe they can implement some of those ideas they had that didn’t came to fruition for this year’s car into the next.

[mwillems]

It would have had an impact, but it was mitigated slightly by the FIA granting Mclaren catch up time later.

It's best summed up as "We didn't get the best start to 21 (behind the scenes) due to Covid, but we didn't help ourselves either.

Can't argue really, hopefully the development is smoother for next year and that the team can make strong decisions to bring us close to the front.

[Stig14]

Another great article featuring plenty of quotes from Key:
https://the-race.com/formula-1/exactly- ... d-it-back/

It makes me excited for McLaren's future prospects when you hear about the limitations the engineering team current have with facilities and how much potential there should be for improved car performance following these weaknesses being addressed in the next couple of years.

[Mostlyeels]

I never realised the sim was so far out of date. Even with upgrades, they've done pretty well with it. And also the windtunnel he describes, sounds amazing.

[djos]

I never realised the sim was so far out of date. Even with upgrades, they've done pretty well with it. And also the windtunnel he describes, sounds amazing.

It’s little wonder then that Daniel hasn’t been able to properly learn the eccentricities of the Mclaren cars in the simulator!

[JPower]

I never realised the sim was so far out of date. Even with upgrades, they've done pretty well with it. And also the windtunnel he describes, sounds amazing.

It’s little wonder then that Daniel hasn’t been able to properly learn the eccentricities of the Mclaren cars in the simulator!

He's had plenty of time in the car to do that.

[SmallSoldier]

Another great article featuring plenty of quotes from Key:
https://the-race.com/formula-1/exactly- ... d-it-back/

It makes me excited for McLaren's future prospects when you hear about the limitations the engineering team current have with facilities and how much potential there should be for improved car performance following these weaknesses being addressed in the next couple of years.

Thanks for posting… I wasn’t that far off thinking that the MCL36 didn’t liked high track temperatures

From Key: “Key pinpointed the 2022 McLaren MCL36’s main weaknesses as being excessive drag and sensitivity to high track temperatures.”