Mclaren MCL40

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CjC
CjC
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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Can anyone see whats innovative on the front suspension that Rob alluded to?

Lower leg looks like it goes back a loooong way?
Just a fan's point of view*

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Gridlock
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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CjC wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 20:48
Can anyone see whats innovative on the front suspension that Rob alluded to?

Lower leg looks like it goes back a loooong way?
Looks crazy (img from Scarbs)

https://bsky.app/profile/scarbstech.bsk ... mtkwmek2e

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Emag
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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There is something peculiar happening here but I cant make out exactly what. Is one of the top wishbones? twisting hard here, or is there a very thin detatchment that breaks off from the uppermost part of that particular arm?

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SilviuAgo
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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Emag wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 21:30
There is something peculiar happening here but I cant make out exactly what. Is one of the top wishbones? twisting hard here, or is there a very thin detatchment that breaks off from the uppermost part of that particular arm?

https://i.postimg.cc/GhzYFTnP/IMG-9755.jpg
On the MCL40 , the suspension has been further refined and pushed to the limit compared to 2025, with the lower rear wishbone almost attached to the floor inlet. The lower front wishbone is below the upper one.

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@AndreaGalante

Badger
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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I wouldn't call that a refinement, it's a complete redesign. I didn't clock the lower rear wishbone on the pictures first, very odd. It looks less multi-link than the 2025.

the EDGE
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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Emag wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 21:30
There is something peculiar happening here but I cant make out exactly what. Is one of the top wishbones? twisting hard here, or is there a very thin detatchment that breaks off from the uppermost part of that particular arm?

https://i.postimg.cc/GhzYFTnP/IMG-9755.jpg
Didn’t look right to me either at first glance , but i think it’s just the shadow of the wishbone on the pushrod making it look odd

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atanatizante
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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SilviuAgo wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 21:54
Emag wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 21:30
There is something peculiar happening here but I cant make out exactly what. Is one of the top wishbones? twisting hard here, or is there a very thin detatchment that breaks off from the uppermost part of that particular arm?

https://i.postimg.cc/GhzYFTnP/IMG-9755.jpg
On the MCL40 , the suspension has been further refined and pushed to the limit compared to 2025, with the lower rear wishbone almost attached to the floor inlet. The lower front wishbone is below the upper one.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HA0OARTaAAE ... name=large
@AndreaGalante
We know that last year the track rod was located behind the forward leg of the lower wishbone, but on this year's car it is not visible in the image...
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f1rules
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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from my armchair, the AM looks a tad more agressive with their undercut but then compromises elsewhere with their gigantic hotair outlets. The McL looks overall pretty agressive with amazing packaging without compromising to much elsewhere. A more rounded balanced agressive design. But until we see the cars in their final spec will be difficult to judge. Also we dont know how much AM will keep of that outlet. But honestly im sure mcl will have two cars in top 6 qual. They know what they are doing. THey have a genius chassis guy and a genius aero guy working perfectly together. And with all the noices/complaints coming out, i think the merc PU will be pretty good. So my bet will be mcl, merc and rb at the front with Ferrari and AM a bit more of the unknown at the moment

LionsHeart
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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CjC wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 20:48
Can anyone see whats innovative on the front suspension that Rob alluded to?

Lower leg looks like it goes back a loooong way?
The rear of the lower control arm is positioned very far back. This may be diverting the airflow into a critical area. Last year, this arm was closer to the front wheel centerline, but this year, it's positioned further back than the upper control arms.

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Stu
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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LionsHeart wrote:
11 Feb 2026, 07:15
CjC wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 20:48
Can anyone see whats innovative on the front suspension that Rob alluded to?

Lower leg looks like it goes back a loooong way?
The rear of the lower control arm is positioned very far back. This may be diverting the airflow into a critical area. Last year, this arm was closer to the front wheel centerline, but this year, it's positioned further back than the upper control arms.
The extent to which they are using the suspension members as flow-conditioners for both the floor and side-pod is amazing.
It also harks back to the original days of multi-link suspension in the 60’s.
With a tube-frame car and the early monocoque cars it was not viable to react suspension forces as unsupported loads, and more bulkheads/supported tubes meant more weight.
This could be a far more complex solution than first meets the eye.
It will be interesting to see how the dampers are laid out this year as they are reverting back to pushrod actuation.
Perspective - Understanding that sometimes the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.

LionsHeart
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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Stu wrote:
11 Feb 2026, 09:00
LionsHeart wrote:
11 Feb 2026, 07:15
CjC wrote:
10 Feb 2026, 20:48
Can anyone see whats innovative on the front suspension that Rob alluded to?

Lower leg looks like it goes back a loooong way?
The rear of the lower control arm is positioned very far back. This may be diverting the airflow into a critical area. Last year, this arm was closer to the front wheel centerline, but this year, it's positioned further back than the upper control arms.
The extent to which they are using the suspension members as flow-conditioners for both the floor and side-pod is amazing.
It also harks back to the original days of multi-link suspension in the 60’s.
With a tube-frame car and the early monocoque cars it was not viable to react suspension forces as unsupported loads, and more bulkheads/supported tubes meant more weight.
This could be a far more complex solution than first meets the eye.
It will be interesting to see how the dampers are laid out this year as they are reverting back to pushrod actuation.
I'm no expert on suspension, but looking at the photo above, which compares it to last year's car, I think the suspension's elastokinematics will make a significant difference when turning the wheels in slow corners. How this works in conjunction with the shorter wheelbase remains to be seen and compared to competitors.

From an aerodynamic standpoint, this solution also appears quite progressive compared to its competitors. I don't have tools that would show flow distribution or pressure data, but I would assume the goal is to reduce drag in the control arms area, and its geometry is partially responsible for the flow distribution in the sidepod area, the front floor area, and the side edge of the floor.

f1rules
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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interesting that AM choose similar route to mclaren with their endplate winglet

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_cerber1
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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_cerber1
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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f1rules
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Re: Mclaren MCL40

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