McLaren MCL38 speculation.

[Cs98]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

[trinidefender]

Who provides the exhaust manifold? Chassis or engine constructor?

Exhaust systems beyond turbine and wastegate exits are provided by the engine supplier

I'm asking about the exhaust manifold which is between the block and the turbine/waste gate

[AR3-GP]

Who provides the exhaust manifold? Chassis or engine constructor?

Exhaust systems beyond turbine and wastegate exits are provided by the engine supplier

I'm asking about the exhaust manifold which is between the block and the turbine/waste gate

Engine constructor and that was homologated in 2022

[FittingMechanics]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

[AR3-GP]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

Technically it is allowed, but Mclaren would have to pay for the dyno time on the alternate fuel. I don't see the incentive especially as Mclaren will not be able to maintain any sort of intellectual property when they have to give the fuels over to Mercedes to test. Mercedes would have to know things about the fuel that would benefit Mercedes unless there are strict rules preventing it.

[saviour stivala]

As the engine (power unit) is supplied by another manufacturer, all that the (power unit) includes/come supplied with, and that includes anything that makes it run and controls it's running, belongs to the supplier and the user have no control on how it is used.

[-wkst-]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

They never used Petrobras.

[Holm86]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

They never used Petrobras.

But they did
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... 8/4986198/

[FittingMechanics]

That article reads like a load of BS. Fuel mixture is homologated since 2022 and why would McLaren be running its own mixture anyways? That would obviously be something they get from Merc who developed it specifically for their IP. Same with the engine maps, McLaren are not in charge of those, they get the modes Merc develop for their car. The extent of McLaren's own customisation of the powertrain is running their own gear ratios (and maybe controlling how they deploy/harvest electrical energy across the lap), but their engine is identical to Merc in terms of power, fuel, engine modes, etc.

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

They never used Petrobras.

I have no idea if they really used it or not, but there was definitely talk that they are using their fuels and lubricants. Whether that is real or just marketing talk is not something I know. It would probably be awkward for McLaren to admit they are not using fuel of their sponsor so maybe it was just marketing.

To be back on topic, the article mentioning fuel is probably just a fluff piece to make some content in the offseason. I wouldn't think that there is much merit to it.

[-wkst-]

Agreed. I do think there was talk couple of years ago that McLaren was using Petrobras? fuel and that it may be costing them a bit of performance. Assumption was that they will switch to Mercedes supplied fuel as that will be the most performant. It is hard to think that any other fuel maker can make better fuel than the works team supplier.

They never used Petrobras.

But they did
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... 8/4986198/

I remember that before the start of the season (2019) McLaren said that they are not ready to use Petrobras fuel yet (which was the plan). I highly doubt that they ever used it when half a year later the partnership had been terminated, which was already publicly mentioned in May 2019.

[DoctorRadio]

I think they used Petrobras in 2014, at the time they were quite a lot down on power to the Petronas oiled PUs of Mercedes and Williams.
Then they switched to Honda in 2015.

[Ground Effect]

I think they used Petrobras in 2014, at the time they were quite a lot down on power to the Petronas oiled PUs of Mercedes and Williams.
Then they switched to Honda in 2015.

ExxonMobil

[DoctorRadio]

I think they used Petrobras in 2014, at the time they were quite a lot down on power to the Petronas oiled PUs of Mercedes and Williams.
Then they switched to Honda in 2015.

ExxonMobil

[organic]

“On these cars, aerodynamics and ride, they go pretty much hand-in-hand – because you know that you would like to run these cars as low as possible to the ground,” he said. “This is one of the challenges for every team.

“Looking at where the right compromise is from this point of view for instance, just to give you a concrete, real example of where we’ve been looking at, this is an area that deserves some attention.

“There’s some other areas which I wouldn’t disclose just for a matter of protecting our IP, let’s say, but this was one of the priorities of the winter.”

While Stella says that some improvements in this area will likely make their way onto McLaren’s launch car, other bits will follow in due course.

“Some of the benefits may be embedded onto the launch car, but actually some of the projects belong to a workstream that may land trackside with some other developments,” he said.

“Some things require a few months to be addressed, let’s say.”

[AR3-GP]

...and there it is. The first concessions