2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[McL-H]

I see “Crofty” felt the need to voice his opinion that he doesn’t personally like the McLaren livery, as if his opinion holds any weight as the single most clueless Formula 1 pundit and commentator I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to.

A squawking pretender of a commentator and almost single-handedly ruining Sky F1s coverage on a weekly basis.

Thanks for letting us know though David, we can all sleep well now tonight

Errr, what's the big deal with someone having an opinion you don't like? You're the only one actually adding any importance to it Slightly ironic...!

[Mansell89]

Lando with a decent lap, let’s see if he can find any magic in quali tomorrow.

[Xero]

Lando with a decent lap, let’s see if he can find any magic in quali tomorrow.

It was! Field so tight again, with traffic at play it's going to be a very mixed grid I reckon.

[SmallSoldier]

Yes this is true, I agreed with that earlier. I just can't see any other advantage and I don't see that as being much of a disadvantage.

All of the engines would likely fit into all the cars with some chassis adaptations and minimal impact on aero other than by cooling requirements. Even then I don't think they'd differ much now.

New regs would see greater engine disparities for a couple of years before equalising though.

The cooling requirements are not mandated by the aero / chassis team… The engine manufacturer/ department will make the most powerful and reliable unit they can make and then let the other departments know what they requirements are and not viceversa… The teams build their chassis (Tub) and their radiators to meet those requirements and their new car design… That’s why you can have the same PU in a car with Zero Pods (Mercedes), a car with a very narrow mid section (the MCL36), the 2 different iterations of the AMR last year and a very different side pod arrangement like the 2022 Williams… All of them with same PU architecture

By the way, we are agreeing with each other, it just seems like somehow we aren't, but we are. The only difference being that as a works team I'm sure there will be some time advantage found from some preference in parts quality that isn't mentioned and I'm sure there will be some slight advantage in other little tricks. I just don't think that in these regs, there can be much of an advantage.

In terms of cooling requirements there will just be a thermal profile given to the teams, then naturally we push it as close to the bone as we can, hence Mclarens burning engine covers in testing a few years back. But yes the solution is totally each individual teams.

What I'm not saying very well is that there will be a more pronounced difference at the start of the new regs in 26, where there will be more divergence in the properties and shapes of the engines. But today? I doubt it makes much of a difference at all.

We do agree, lol

I haven’t immersed myself much in the 2026 engine discussion… But the little that I’ve reviewed tells a story of a very prescriptive regulation, making the need for a works deal even less.

I’m with you that there has to be some advantages, the question is, are they significant? If McLaren would be within a a tenth of been a Championship leader, I would argue that yes, it could impact… Today, it doesn’t… A lot more needs to be done to get to the front than an engine deal, the new wind tunnel, simulator and staff will have more impact than that… Staying with a proven manufacturer (Mercedes) it’s a better bet than going for an outsider that could get it right or very wrong… When you are clawing your way back, you need to reduce the amount of factors that could slow you down and going for an unknown entity (given that with the exception of Honda, there isn’t a works deal around for someone with a proven/tested engine to be a works team) in my opinion is the right course of action.

[Lucky]

[MrGapes]

Lando has purple mini sectors in sector 1 on his first run but ran into traffic, so might be 1 or 2 tenths in it still.

[mwillems]

I see “Crofty” felt the need to voice his opinion that he doesn’t personally like the McLaren livery, as if his opinion holds any weight as the single most clueless Formula 1 pundit and commentator I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to.

A squawking pretender of a commentator and almost single-handedly ruining Sky F1s coverage on a weekly basis.

Thanks for letting us know though David, we can all sleep well now tonight

Errr, what's the big deal with someone having an opinion you don't like? You're the only one actually adding any importance to it Slightly ironic...!

Not interested in his opinion good or bad, was just an opportunity to vent about him Haha. I just find him a massive irritant.

Would love him to commentate on the action, instead of his chat show style in the comm box.

Just a frustrated traditionalist here that’s all

I'm just teasing, that's fair enough, we all have to rant sometimes!

I personally don't mind crofty or the Sky F1 team. They aren't perfect but we are spoiled in the UK, many places in the world don't use ex sportsman in their coverage, just highly paid armchair experts. I suppose we'll always find reason to disagree with commentors. Try watching Gary Neville commentating on football. I just want to punch him! Ahahaha

[mwillems]

The cooling requirements are not mandated by the aero / chassis team… The engine manufacturer/ department will make the most powerful and reliable unit they can make and then let the other departments know what they requirements are and not viceversa… The teams build their chassis (Tub) and their radiators to meet those requirements and their new car design… That’s why you can have the same PU in a car with Zero Pods (Mercedes), a car with a very narrow mid section (the MCL36), the 2 different iterations of the AMR last year and a very different side pod arrangement like the 2022 Williams… All of them with same PU architecture

By the way, we are agreeing with each other, it just seems like somehow we aren't, but we are. The only difference being that as a works team I'm sure there will be some time advantage found from some preference in parts quality that isn't mentioned and I'm sure there will be some slight advantage in other little tricks. I just don't think that in these regs, there can be much of an advantage.

In terms of cooling requirements there will just be a thermal profile given to the teams, then naturally we push it as close to the bone as we can, hence Mclarens burning engine covers in testing a few years back. But yes the solution is totally each individual teams.

What I'm not saying very well is that there will be a more pronounced difference at the start of the new regs in 26, where there will be more divergence in the properties and shapes of the engines. But today? I doubt it makes much of a difference at all.

We do agree, lol

I haven’t immersed myself much in the 2026 engine discussion… But the little that I’ve reviewed tells a story of a very prescriptive regulation, making the need for a works deal even less.

I’m with you that there has to be some advantages, the question is, are they significant? If McLaren would be within a a tenth of been a Championship leader, I would argue that yes, it could impact… Today, it doesn’t… A lot more needs to be done to get to the front than an engine deal, the new wind tunnel, simulator and staff will have more impact than that… Staying with a proven manufacturer (Mercedes) it’s a better bet than going for an outsider that could get it right or very wrong… When you are clawing your way back, you need to reduce the amount of factors that could slow you down and going for an unknown entity (given that with the exception of Honda, there isn’t a works deal around for someone with a proven/tested engine to be a works team) in my opinion is the right course of action.

Agreed.

re:prescriptive regs... not sure, these aero regs were supposed to be prescriptive but in year 1 there were 3 very different designs and by year 2 they'd bypassed the spirit of the rules in terms of following, airflow and the ability to push air around the car, so we will see

I mean, I'd love a works deal if it made us faster, but I feel that we just need to accept that it is just the chassis is not there.

Maybe before the summer with the two new upgrades, people will forget about Honda, maybe not

[Balalu]

While I really love Japan and the Japanese, I also understand they have somewhat different working culture.

But, still I find Honda's modern F1 story, or rather their behaviour as puzzling. I don't understand how Redbull are not pissed about the Honda/Aston Martin deal. They were forced to start manufacturing their own PU because of Honda leaving. In the end, they did not really leave, yet/and they are actually back - with a rival team.

What does all this have to do with McLaren you might say? Well, it does. Because while I would love a McLaren Honda redemption reunion, I'm not sure in which state would Honda's indecisiveness and lack of 100% commitment to F1 leave McLaren in, in the not so far future. Seeing how McLaren are somewhat battling their own demons still.

[MrGapes]

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

[SmallSoldier]

https://ibb.co/mDsCptd

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

Let’s wait a bit for Oscar, he is probably just building up speed… First rule in Monaco, do not crash in practice, specially when you need the track time

[organic]

https://ibb.co/mDsCptd

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

Norris really is something special at Monaco.

[Lucky]

https://ibb.co/mDsCptd

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

No, there are the best sectors above for 2 practice, according to these data, the loss is 0.411

[MrGapes]

https://ibb.co/mDsCptd

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

No, there are the best sectors above for 2 practice, according to these data, the loss is 0.411

he never completed the sector... this was up to turn 4

[MrGapes]

https://ibb.co/mDsCptd

Still a lot of time in that lap, Lando was -0.275 in sector 1 on his aborted run. That would put him +0.169 of the fastest time in fp2.

Oscar is mostly struggling in the last sector, hopefully he can tune the setup overnight.

Let’s wait a bit for Oscar, he is probably just building up speed… First rule in Monaco, do not crash in practice, specially when you need the track time

100% agree ..he always finds the time the next day