2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[the EDGE]

Mclaren roadcar with a LFA V10 and a hybrid battery would be good idea.

Really... Any idea how much that would weigh? Great for an American muscle car that rarely has to go round a corner, but not what McLaren build

p.s. Sorry Holm86

[mwillems]

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-anticip ... er-mclaren

[CjC]

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-anticip ... er-mclaren

So it’ll be a surprise to Sainz if McLaren aren’t ahead in Qatar?

[mwillems]

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-anticip ... er-mclaren

So it’ll be a surprise to Sainz if McLaren aren’t ahead in Qatar?

Qatar is a track where the properties are the opposite of what he suggests will make Ferrari faster, for sure. Whether he thinks they might have a reason to be confident at Qatar he doesn't discuss though.

[taperoo2k]

Mclaren's road car division is not exactly profitable and the supre/hypercar market is slowing moving towards full electric. So it's unlikely McLaren will start a powertrain division purely for F1 purposes. As I read, Mclaren is actively looking for a partner to electrify their cars and Toyota does have some advanced battery technology which may be of interest to Mclaren.

Toyota appear to be on course to release a car in 2027 (unless things slip) with a solid state battery. Which should have a bigger range (some estimates put it in the 600+ mile range) and won't take as long to charge. McLaren having access to that kind of battery technology would give them an advantage over it's competitors. I can see a Toyota and McLaren hypercar project happening before anything in F1 happens. But we'll see.

McLaren simply doesn't have the funding to build it's own F1 powertrain from scratch.

Toyota have been claiming they would release a car with a Solid State battery since 2017, it was due last year - so dont hold your breath on them releasing a useful SSB anytime soon.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/toyota-ev ... 22-report/

EDIT: beaten by theStig

I know, they have claimed they've made a breakthrough that allows them to reduce the size and weight of the batteries which means cheaper manufacturing costs. If true then they might get a solid state battery car off the production lines before the decade is over. We'll see if it lives upto the 745 mile range and 10 minute charge time.
They are also looking to reduce the weight and size for Lithium Ion batteries. So it might well be in McLaren's F1 and road manufacturing interests to do a deal with Toyota.

[mwillems]

Toyota appear to be on course to release a car in 2027 (unless things slip) with a solid state battery. Which should have a bigger range (some estimates put it in the 600+ mile range) and won't take as long to charge. McLaren having access to that kind of battery technology would give them an advantage over it's competitors. I can see a Toyota and McLaren hypercar project happening before anything in F1 happens. But we'll see.

McLaren simply doesn't have the funding to build it's own F1 powertrain from scratch.

Toyota have been claiming they would release a car with a Solid State battery since 2017, it was due last year - so dont hold your breath on them releasing a useful SSB anytime soon.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/toyota-ev ... 22-report/

EDIT: beaten by theStig

I know, they have claimed they've made a breakthrough that allows them to reduce the size and weight of the batteries which means cheaper manufacturing costs. If true then they might get a solid state battery car off the production lines before the decade is over. We'll see if it lives upto the 745 mile range and 10 minute charge time.
They are also looking to reduce the weight and size for Lithium Ion batteries. So it might well be in McLaren's F1 and road manufacturing interests to do a deal with Toyota.

It isn't just Toyota either. VW and BYD have said the same and that they are gearing up for production. There is clearly a knowledge breakthrough that has happened over the past year and the firms are moving quickly because this tech will corner a big slice of the EV market, and given the cost, weight, range and charge time hurdles they will overcome, a large portion of the overall market.

It's worth noting that while Toyota's mass production will happen in '27, they have said that small scale production will be happening from '25 onwards. BYD are apparently almost ready to mass produce their SSBs.

https://news.metal.com/newscontent/1016 ... t-any-time

It's hard to ignore that they are on the cusp of being available to F1 teams at that there will be a hard fought race for the tech, having links with one of the key players in the SSB market is probably not a coincidence.

[organic]

With one free practice and hot/humid night race with aggressive kerbs and resurfacing, if McLaren nail the setup and RB run into a little bit of trouble it could be a race win on the cards

[mwillems]

With one free practice and hot/humid night race with aggressive kerbs and resurfacing, if McLaren nail the setup and RB run into a little bit of trouble it could be a race win on the cards

Isn't this you're third tentative prediction of a race win?

Where the team is at, you feel like if Max has an issue we are primed to take his place at the top, it feels very close now. But the problem is that both Max and the car have by and large been Bulletproof, and the one time it did fall apart was at a track where Ferrari was better.

[organic]

With one free practice and hot/humid night race with aggressive kerbs and resurfacing, if McLaren nail the setup and RB run into a little bit of trouble it could be a race win on the cards

Isn't this you're third tentative prediction of a race win?

What were my others? If I predicted Silverstone and Suzuka I'll take a gap of 2s and 15s

[mwillems]

With one free practice and hot/humid night race with aggressive kerbs and resurfacing, if McLaren nail the setup and RB run into a little bit of trouble it could be a race win on the cards

Isn't this you're third tentative prediction of a race win?

What were my others? If I predicted Silverstone and Suzuka I'll take a gap of 2s and 15s

Ahaha I can't remember, I thought it was you suggesting that we might have had race wins prior to this, I think I even replied to those tentative hopes previously!

[organic]

Isn't this you're third tentative prediction of a race win?

What were my others? If I predicted Silverstone and Suzuka I'll take a gap of 2s and 15s

Ahaha I can't remember, I thought it was you suggesting that we might have had race wins prior to this, I think I even replied to those tentative hopes previously!

I've definitely predicted fighting for win at Suzuka or Qatar after Silverstone. Qatar just suits the car to ground due to the hard tyre selection and the lack of low speed..

But I don't want to underestimate RB. They have shown to have a car that's amazing when they're on top of it. McLaren seems to be just below their level at some circuits that suit them so IF it goes badly for RB here then McLaren will be right there. It doesn't need to be a disaster like Singapore for RB but simply a misfire, a few tenths of pace.

[mwillems]

What were my others? If I predicted Silverstone and Suzuka I'll take a gap of 2s and 15s

Ahaha I can't remember, I thought it was you suggesting that we might have had race wins prior to this, I think I even replied to those tentative hopes previously!

I've definitely predicted fighting for win at Suzuka or Qatar after Silverstone. Qatar just suits the car to ground due to the hard tyre selection and the lack of low speed..

But I don't want to underestimate RB. They have shown to have a car that's amazing when they're on top of it. McLaren seems to be just below their level at some circuits that suit them so IF it goes badly for RB here then McLaren will be right there. It doesn't need to be a disaster like Singapore for RB but simply a misfire, a few tenths of pace.

They totally will be, it is a new level of excitement to the racing. What i've noticed about my own reaction to the races though, is that I'm not as excited by the podiums now, each race I'm looking for that elusive win and if we don't get it that "I guess it's been a good race"

But it will be hard to get a win this year based on where RB are. And you'd have to think that RB have been saving some Dev time for next years car, given the restrictions placed up on them, and this may be making us appear more competitive against them than we otherwise would. And despite that they are still 2 levels beyond us, at least. But hopefully Max can have a rare off... or actually get a penalty given for a change!

[BMMR61]

Thanks for the insights into the future off SSB technologies and the next 3-6 years....

Meanwhile in 3 days we'll be getting a picture of McLaren's competitiveness at the Qatar circuit, I have some questions;
With the reported total resealing of the circuit which last saw F1 action in 2021 how will the McLaren work it's C1, 2, 3 (softest range) tyres in temperatures of up to 34 degrees?
Will this be another two stop race?
Therefore will this again be regarded as a "high deg" track requiring further evolution of Oscar's tyre management?
Have the Singapore updates brought about much improved aero efficiency in terms of non-DRs top speeds or am I missing something from the Suzuka data?
Wings - are that thorny topic on this forum - what wing do you think they will be bringing?
Anyone for believing McLaren can reduce the qualifying deficit to Max to significantly less than 0.5?

Consensus around most insiders appears to be that McLaren will be second fastest (again) ahead of Ferrari, then Mercedes trying to compensate poor outright pace with less tyre degradation. McLaren seem to be continuing a trend of quite decent deg relative to all except the Red Bulls.

[M840TR]

Thanks for the insights into the future off SSB technologies and the next 3-6 years....

Meanwhile in 3 days we'll be getting a picture of McLaren's competitiveness at the Qatar circuit, I have some questions;
With the reported total resealing of the circuit which last saw F1 action in 2021 how will the McLaren work it's C1, 2, 3 (softest range) tyres in temperatures of up to 34 degrees?
Will this be another two stop race?
Therefore will this again be regarded as a "high deg" track requiring further evolution of Oscar's tyre management?
Have the Singapore updates brought about much improved aero efficiency in terms of non-DRs top speeds or am I missing something from the Suzuka data?
Wings - are that thorny topic on this forum - what wing do you think they will be bringing?
Anyone for believing McLaren can reduce the qualifying deficit to Max to significantly less than 0.5?

Consensus around most insiders appears to be that McLaren will be second fastest (again) ahead of Ferrari, then Mercedes trying to compensate poor outright pace with less tyre degradation. McLaren seem to be continuing a trend of quite decent deg relative to all except the Red Bulls.

C 1/2/3 is the hardest compound range, not softest. Tyre deg will be high due to new track surface that's not rubbered in and the track is entirely high-med speed corners. Race will be 2/3 stop.

[Mansell89]

Yeah you’d imagine we should be in the shout for P2/3 with Max out in his own little race again.

Ferrari might struggle in the race with tyres? So expect Merc to jump them on deg alone and you might even see Alonso do okay too here with some tyre whispering.