Mclaren MCL40

[AR3-GP]

https://i.postimg.cc/T3TrGcgS/image.png
https://i.postimg.cc/9QfrJgGC/image.png

where did you get the bottom angle from?

You can stop and start the video below.

[Emag]

https://i.postimg.cc/T3TrGcgS/image.png
https://i.postimg.cc/9QfrJgGC/image.png

The only interesting thing about this render is the front suspension layout. They have retained their "spread-out" multi-link layout but swapped to a push-rod. Also one of the arms seems very twisted.

Other than this, I honestly don't know what else to say about the car shown on the render. It's tightly packaged, but nothing "inspired" or creative is going on here.

[AR3-GP]

[MrGapes]

https://i.postimg.cc/T3TrGcgS/image.png
https://i.postimg.cc/9QfrJgGC/image.png

where did you get the bottom angle from?

You can stop and start the video below.

thank you!

[Xero]

Some people claim to be the most beautiful from all cars but to me tt looks like a basic F1 2026 concept. Is it heavily edited or is it the real car?

I vividly remember a lot of people saying the 2024 car looked basic, and how we argued that does not necessarily mean slow, but rather a focused baseline to build upon. Seems the team are sticking to that approach.

I agree with others though, there's a lot hidden on these renders. Could be an old concept model.

[Emag]

Some people claim to be the most beautiful from all cars but to me tt looks like a basic F1 2026 concept. Is it heavily edited or is it the real car?

I vividly remember a lot of people saying the 2024 car looked basic, and how we argued that does not necessarily mean slow, but rather a focused baseline to build upon. Seems the team are sticking to that approach.

I agree with others though, there's a lot hidden on these renders. Could be an old concept model.

The 2024 car kept looking basic even when it was the leading package. No fancy inlets like Ferrari. No crazy centerline like RedBull and (although it failed) no intricate early-Mercedes front wing either. It was just a car composed of features that we already had seen on others put together. This is not the McLaren of old which tried out bizarre ideas like those L shaped sidepods or the failed octopus exhaust.

I already made a comment earlier where I stated my expectations for McLaren this year were the same. Basically, no “flashy” concept compared to RB, Ferrari and Mercedes. But this render is honestly very basic, even with that expectation in mind. Very small deviation from 2025. Which doesn’t imply that it will be slow. Because looks-wise I honestly still think there’s nothing on the surface that make the MCL38 and MCL39 look like obvious winners compared to their direct rivals. An argument could be made for MCL39’s front suspension though.

[Macklaren]

There is nothing that we can see so far which would justify calling this design "ambitious". Which means either that a) there is a lot more to come or b) its under the covers like last year

[Peter Ian Staker]

Fully expect the car to look a lot different in Barcelona.

[pronopheus]

I think, this is an early stage render. More to come in real life, i would guess air- intakes, floor, floorboards, maybe sidepods.

Although i see a very huge undercut, but unlike Ferrari or Merc down to the floor.

[LionsHeart]

https://i.postimg.cc/T3TrGcgS/image.png

That nose is giving me a little bit 2014-vibes

Yup, indeed! The first thought was the same.

Edit: I would also like to point out that, like several other teams, McLaren decided to use an additional horizontal brace to more firmly secure the side deflectors (bargeboard) that are riveted to the edge of the floor.

[euv2]

The 2024 car kept looking basic even when it was the leading package. No fancy inlets like Ferrari. No crazy centerline like RedBull and (although it failed) no intricate early-Mercedes front wing either. It was just a car composed of features that we already had seen on others put together. This is not the McLaren of old which tried out bizarre ideas like those L shaped sidepods or the failed octopus exhaust.

I already made a comment earlier where I stated my expectations for McLaren this year were the same. Basically, no “flashy” concept compared to RB, Ferrari and Mercedes. But this render is honestly very basic, even with that expectation in mind. Very small deviation from 2025. Which doesn’t imply that it will be slow. Because looks-wise I honestly still think there’s nothing on the surface that make the MCL38 and MCL39 look like obvious winners compared to their direct rivals. An argument could be made for MCL39’s front suspension though.

I think that was the biggest innovation of the MCL39, even Pierre Wache was interested if they could make the extreme anti dive work and they did. Body aero wise, I don't think MCL have shown as much innovation/risk as say RBR or MERC, but they were still strong enough for it to be any hinderance to the car.

Still very early to draw any conclusions from just analyzing how complex/developed a car looks.

[ChrisM40]

This is probably the most 'obviously a render' render that we have seen yet. The super plain barge boards are clearly cut and paste on, not that well, and the floor looks entirely wrong. There is also some conspicuous blurriness in places.

I dont think we can take anything from this render at all. To the point that I wouldn’t even trust the suspension layout to be the same on the real car. It might as well just be the FIA show car.

[LionsHeart]

The 2024 car kept looking basic even when it was the leading package. No fancy inlets like Ferrari. No crazy centerline like RedBull and (although it failed) no intricate early-Mercedes front wing either. It was just a car composed of features that we already had seen on others put together. This is not the McLaren of old which tried out bizarre ideas like those L shaped sidepods or the failed octopus exhaust.

I already made a comment earlier where I stated my expectations for McLaren this year were the same. Basically, no “flashy” concept compared to RB, Ferrari and Mercedes. But this render is honestly very basic, even with that expectation in mind. Very small deviation from 2025. Which doesn’t imply that it will be slow. Because looks-wise I honestly still think there’s nothing on the surface that make the MCL38 and MCL39 look like obvious winners compared to their direct rivals. An argument could be made for MCL39’s front suspension though.

I think that was the biggest innovation of the MCL39, even Pierre Wache was interested if they could make the extreme anti dive work and they did. Body aero wise, I don't think MCL have shown as much innovation/risk as say RBR or MERC, but they were still strong enough for it to be any hinderance to the car.

Still very early to draw any conclusions from just analyzing how complex/developed a car looks.

After seeing the first renderings, I also wanted to raise the question of the front suspension. Judging by the mounting of the upper rear control arms, it's the same as last year. The anti-dive system is in place. It's nice that some features can be carried over to the completely new chassis, which has undergone critical changes to the technical regulations in all areas. If the rear suspension is still pushrod-based, how optimal will the balance be in slow corners? Any suspension experts?

[Macklaren]

Are my "CFD eyes" rusty or does the nose tip look much higher in the front-on pic vs. the side pics? Esp. given the higher angle of the front on pic? The side pics def give a 2014-vibe as others have noted

[michl420]

The front wing is unique until now and they doing again something crazy with the front suspension (lower rear leg). But I have no idea if this is a photo or a render.