[ 2020 ] Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[Big Tea]

You wouldn't consider an e-mail, work. Suggestions aren't a big deal. They probably happen now between teams even. Some of these guys know each other and get along. It's hours of aero work, you want to prevent in this case. Just cause I don't know how they police, doesn't mean they don't.

"Please find attached to this email my suggestion for the new underfloor aero design you mentioned in passing the other day at the water cooler. It's just an idea that we've run through several evolutions in our CFD and confirmed with scale model wind tunnel time to be better than the one you have at present. Anyway, just an idea I had, that I thought you might find interesting."

Is that the one accompanied a few seconds later with ~ Oops, ah sorry that was not intended for you, mis post please delete it incase there is an enquiry.

[diffuser]

Out of topic

I always wondered if it is possible for the AERO guys to run CFD simulations at home on their own PC's and then, come back to work next morning and just implement what you have learned...

You wouldn't run it on your own PC. They have racks of computers for that. You can VPN in and run it from your laptop.

[mwillems]

You wouldn't consider an e-mail, work. Suggestions aren't a big deal. They probably happen now between teams even. Some of these guys know each other and get along. It's hours of aero work, you want to prevent in this case. Just cause I don't know how they police, doesn't mean they don't.

"Please find attached to this email my suggestion for the new underfloor aero design you mentioned in passing the other day at the water cooler. It's just an idea that we've run through several evolutions in our CFD and confirmed with scale model wind tunnel time to be better than the one you have at present. Anyway, just an idea I had, that I thought you might find interesting."

Just to add...

[mwillems]

Out of topic

I always wondered if it is possible for the AERO guys to run CFD simulations at home on their own PC's and then, come back to work next morning and just implement what you have learned...

It would be a heck of a PC to be able to do CFD to the levels required for F1. It would also have to use similar software, and similar computational models as the teams... Correlation between those systems is as important as anywhere else. At which point it is no longer a home PC, it's a dedicated workbench for CFD that would need to be set up to provide useful data.

In order to bypass you'd need a fairly hefty and dedicated CFD system and this would belong to other sports teams or other organisations. In reality, if someone got caught it would be a major thing so I'm not sure how much that happens.

We have an Indy team now, but do they have CFD? Possibly not? If they do, do they share the one used by Racing and Automotive? I suppose if you wanted to bypass the budget and CFD caps you could set up a splinter team in Indy that does work for F1 on whatever front you wanted.

I guess the question is, how would anyone know??

[Macklaren]

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/jam ... a-qa-2020/

Excellent read with encouraging New details on the 2021 and 2022 cars including confirmation that the 2021 car will be called the MCL35M!

[billamend]

The most important thing from my point of view is that we preserve the conditions that we created to allow that high level of collaboration between Carlos and Lando. But it’s not just about preserving those conditions, we may have to adapt them. Daniel is not Carlos and his relationship with Lando will be different. It may be similar, but it will not be the same and we need to be mindful of that and adapt with a view to maintain the standards.

We’ve had to do a lot of redesigning, especially when it comes to various systems on the car, such as cooling and electronics. Not only will the chassis be different, the gearbox will be too and, of course, the engine, so the MCL35M is akin to a new car for us.

Having to spend 2021 development tokens on the Mercedes engine installation changed our approach when it came to developments this season. But the upshot of it is that we probably added a bit of performance in 2020 that we normally wouldn't have and there’s scope to develop these areas further based on all the information we’ve gathered.

[mwillems]

For me the standout message is that the issues with the car do not relate to the fundamental architecture and can be addressed for next year.

I don't know if my optimism is taking over here but it reads like the restrictions from the FIA aren't as harsh as we may think.

[ScottR267]

With the budget cap incoming and the big 3 needing to reduce costs, could we be in a position to take some engineers from these teams or do we think it will be status quo when it comes to new engineers this off season/winter given covid? Does anyone have any insight?

[mwillems]

With the budget cap incoming and the big 3 needing to reduce costs, could we be in a position to take some engineers from these teams or do we think it will be status quo when it comes to new engineers this off season/winter given covid? Does anyone have any insight?

Have we shrunk our own workforce sufficiently, yet?

[Ground Effect]

With the budget cap incoming and the big 3 needing to reduce costs, could we be in a position to take some engineers from these teams or do we think it will be status quo when it comes to new engineers this off season/winter given covid? Does anyone have any insight?

It’s not impossible that there could be a few additions, as long as McLaren can accommodate them, they also have to be in compliance as well. But in my opinion, based on the direction F1 is going, I think it’s more likely you’ll see people moving from these top teams to their B-teams or partner teams, ie Ferrari to Alfa Romeo or Haas, Mercedes to Aston Martin, Red Bull to Alpha Tauri, etc.

EDIT: Interestingly, this is an excerpt from an article that’s just been published on motorsport.com

Binotto added that he felt much more comfortable moving staff across to Haas, than having to let them go completely so they can get snapped up by other teams.

"If I may choose and I have to reduce my organisation, I'm certainly more happy to know that those guys are joining the Haas team and reinforcing them, instead of being simply on the market and available to other teams.

[Dipesh1995]

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/jam ... a-qa-2020/

[mwillems]

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/jam ... a-qa-2020/

Excellent read with encouraging New details on the 2021 and 2022 cars including confirmation that the 2021 car will be called the MCL35M!

So it would seem like we aren't at a disadvantage for next year and we hopefully have plenty of scope to make improvements to the packaging.

[diffuser]

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/jam ... a-qa-2020/

Excellent read with encouraging New details on the 2021 and 2022 cars including confirmation that the 2021 car will be called the MCL35M!

So it would seem like we aren't at a disadvantage for next year and we hopefully have plenty of scope to make improvements to the packaging.

I mean makes sense. They moved ahead the the changes they wouldn't be able to make.

[mwillems]

And I wonder if some changes may have been made under the skin in anticipation of the Merc engine, if that was possible.

[diffuser]

And I wonder if some changes may have been made under the skin in anticipation of the Merc engine, if that was possible.

I don't think there is anything you can change that wouldn't need a crash test. We would have heard of that. plus, the difference is too large.