2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[mwillems]

I do not think that matters at all. It is about using your CFD and wind tunnel right, not how much time you have. RedBull has the lowest time and one of the oldest tunnels...but the smart people to use it right.
In the end McLaren is still not 100% financially healthy, I think they have still the highest loss in F1. Money is still king as long as you can shift engineers between projects.

Cfd and Wind tunnel time don't matter? At all??

Not to that extent

Far better to end the season with a great car and a good result and carry the momentum into ‘24, than have a few extra runs

I'm not sure that the two relate.

We are far enough from 4th that it is not a forgone conclusion we will catch them. This leaves a choice to retard the performance of a single race if need be to endure we don't take 4th.

The team is profitable and doesn't need the cash, the accounts show that. Income exceeds £200m in a budget cap of c£110m so money is irrelevant. The group has issues, not the team.

It is prestige v development. But I think the team have done enough to make our mark this season. All done without retarding development or the cars ultimate pace.

Snatching 4th will have little benefit.

At least that is my view, what is the extent you refer to?

[Dimond]

I have a feeling Lando could be on P2 had he not damaged the floor. Being 3 tenths faster than the rookie was definitely possible

[mwillems]

If anyone needs any lap to understand Piastris talent and confidence, that lap in Q2 was it.

Hard to say. Piastri's suddenly looking spectacular now that Lando's car had damage. The gap would probably have been bigger between fastest McLaren and the rest if Lando had a working floor

I wasn't comparing him to Norris.


It's his first season and his foot was down at Spa in the damp on slicks, he's got talent and no fear

[Darth-Piekus]

How much time do you think Piastri lost on that slip up at that last lap which os strange as he was 9tenths faster on the middle sector.

[101FlyingDutchman]

Dunno. But it almost seems like too much wing. Has the conditions forecast for tomorrow changed. Praying for rain !!

[organic]

Dunno. But it almost seems like too much wing. Has the conditions forecast for tomorrow changed. Praying for rain !!

Believe rain is still due tomorrow. Last I checked there was a yellow warning issued in the region for until 8 PM tomorrow

[MCLvamos]

How much time do you think Piastri lost on that slip up at that last lap which os strange as he was 9tenths faster on the middle sector.

well he was 3 tenths of Charles so even a tenth or two loss with that mistake would've cost him a couple spots. And you'd have to say based off recent form that Lando's been able to extract a tenth or two more than Oscar in qualifying this season, so he could've easily been in the fight with the Ferraris. A lot of what ifs, but still an alright result all things considered and we can have a better idea of the pecking order tomorrow.

[Farnborough]

If anyone needs any lap to understand Piastris talent and confidence, that lap in Q2 was it.

Hard to say. Piastri's suddenly looking spectacular now that Lando's car had damage. The gap would probably have been bigger between fastest McLaren and the rest if Lando had a working floor

I wasn't comparing him to Norris.


It's his first season and his foot was down at Spa in the damp on slicks, he's got talent and no fear

I thought that was very impressive too. Definitely a marker of his skills in a F1 car.

[Darth-Piekus]

By the way someone before mentioned that Red Bull has old facilities which isnt true as their Wind Tunnel and Simulator are updated to the latest versions. Also have in mind that while Andrian Newey is a god in aerodynamics he would be unable to do much without an up to date Wind Tunnel and Simulator. Also budget overcap 2021,2022 cough cough. Obviously James Key and Andreas Seidl held back the full potential of the team which by just one upgrade was finally unleashed with just working on old outdated facilities. Imagine what they can do when the team gets the new ones fully implemented.

[Macklaren]

Sooo nice to have 2 cars in the fight for the first time in a decade

[geogate]

dont know how much oscar lost, but his final sector was yellow, right? so must have been quite a bit

[Ben1980]

I'm sure I saw Piastri was yellow in S3. Even a slight decrease, when others going green woukd have a big knock-on.

[FittingMechanics]

Piastri was marginally slower in S3 on his last run. Less than a tenth.

He was 6 tenths faster in S2 but 8 tenths slower in S1 compared to Leclerc.

But Piastri was 2 tenths slower than Lando in S1 and he did not improve his S3 time while he improved by a second in total with S1 and S2.

So I'd say pole (after VER penalty) was in reach and we missed out due to Lando damage and Piastri S3 mistake.

[Ben1980]

Lots of people having issues with car set up..but, I think the team have shown they know what they are doing. They get all the benefit of doubt from me!

[the EDGE]

Cfd and Wind tunnel time don't matter? At all??

Not to that extent

Far better to end the season with a great car and a good result and carry the momentum into ‘24, than have a few extra runs

I'm not sure that the two relate.

We are far enough from 4th that it is not a forgone conclusion we will catch them. This leaves a choice to retard the performance of a single race if need be to endure we don't take 4th.

The team is profitable and doesn't need the cash, the accounts show that. Income exceeds £200m in a budget cap of c£110m so money is irrelevant. The group has issues, not the team.

It is prestige v development. But I think the team have done enough to make our mark this season. All done without retarding development or the cars ultimate pace.

Snatching 4th will have little benefit.

At least that is my view, what is the extent you refer to?

Well TBH, I think I miss-read the initial post, as money is not at all important! I'd agree that if it were nip & tuck, WIndtunnel & CFD time is more valuable, and that might not be a bad idea

But what I'd rather, is the car to be flying after the summer break, and be fighting for P3. That's more important than throwing this season to secure more development resources for next year, as it's all carry-over for next year