2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[billamend]

In the 2022 car reveal, Key mentioned how much they had worked on the suspension. Key might be conservative, but he was not on the mechanic side of the car. Also, he is not a aerodynamicist, he is a mechanical engineer, so that part obviously was something he cared about.

[FittingMechanics]

I do think in hindsight everyone will realize that pullrod front/pushrod rear is the way to go. I expect that Mercedes will make the switch this year as well.

[ScottR267]

Another new sponsor for the team in Optimum Nutrition

[Farnborough]

In the 2022 car reveal, Key mentioned how much they had worked on the suspension. Key might be conservative, but he was not on the mechanic side of the car. Also, he is not a aerodynamicist, he is a mechanical engineer, so that part obviously was something he cared about.

Agree with you about JK and the negative slating he got from "fans" on here.

I feel there was often opinion on here that demonised JK over team performance, but believe that 2022 chassis was a very good design, fundamentally right on point and furthermore the platform to which, when applied, more resolved aero concept gave the step change we saw in 2023.

Not working there, we can't possibly know the internal politics. Correspondingly, there can't really be accurate opinion of someone's knowledge and influence. I think it's wrong to speak of a person so negatively without good cause, a lot was contributed, there maybe a better "fit" with the current group now working there, but it shouldn't diminish the contribution he made to McL.

[mwillems]

In the 2022 car reveal, Key mentioned how much they had worked on the suspension. Key might be conservative, but he was not on the mechanic side of the car. Also, he is not a aerodynamicist, he is a mechanical engineer, so that part obviously was something he cared about.

It was a good platform for last years development, mechanically speaking, other than the oddities about not being able to feel the road through the car. But he was here to manage the project of delivering a car that was fast in all regards and not to be an engineer.

Stella has spoken about the Aero aspect as being held back somewhat and that the decision making in the team was not optimal with some people not having voices. Zak had spoken about his own disappointment with the development of the car and not finding the time they would want, as well as disappointment with the two poor winters. So I think what was being called into question was not his ability as an engineer, but as the leader of all of the cars development and in particular the leader of a range of people and personalities.

At Mclaren, he fell short of what we needed. I bear no ill will for him it didn't work here, but I'm very glad he has gone as clearly we were existing very much within ourselves as Zak Brown has said repeatedly. Reiterating the man management and people empowerment skills of Stella and how this has taken the same group that Key and Seidl had to a different level. With a different group of people Key may flourish. I wish him the best of luck at Audi, as long as they finish behind us

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... /10563690/

For me, the big moment was the French Grand Prix [in 2022] when we were late with our upgrades and they were ineffective”

“The reaction from the leadership was not the reaction I would have expected. That was also at the same time when you start to develop [the following season's] car.

“So that was the big moment for me, and obviously we made the changes at the end of the year.

This was a reaction to both Key and Seidl.

[billamend]

Stella has spoken about the Aero aspect as being held back somewhat and that the decision making in the team was not optimal with some people not having voices. Zak had spoken about his own disappointment with the development of the car and not finding the time they would want, as well as disappointment with the two poor winters. So I think what was being called into question was not his ability as an engineer, but as the leader of all of the cars development and in particular the leader of a range of people and personalities.

I was not saying that Key was blameless. Just that on the mechanical part of the car, he seemingly did a good job. I agree with most of the complaints that we hear.

[Mostlyeels]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclar ... /10563690/

For me, the big moment was the French Grand Prix [in 2022] when we were late with our upgrades and they were ineffective”

“The reaction from the leadership was not the reaction I would have expected. That was also at the same time when you start to develop [the following season's] car.

“So that was the big moment for me, and obviously we made the changes at the end of the year.

This was a reaction to both Key and Seidl.

Sounds like Key was a dead man walking in Zak's eyes from that point. And yet he still had enough confidence in him to deliver the 2023 car, so perhaps he only made the final decision when it came in below expectations.

[mwillems]

Stella has spoken about the Aero aspect as being held back somewhat and that the decision making in the team was not optimal with some people not having voices. Zak had spoken about his own disappointment with the development of the car and not finding the time they would want, as well as disappointment with the two poor winters. So I think what was being called into question was not his ability as an engineer, but as the leader of all of the cars development and in particular the leader of a range of people and personalities.

I was not saying that Key was blameless. Just that on the mechanical part of the car, he seemingly did a good job. I agree with most of the complaints that we hear.

Yeah he was on the nose with elements of the chassis, Stella paid tribute to the chassis, stating that without a good chassis the car would not have been as "upgradeable" as it was.

[JordanMugen]

Key explained why a pull-rod configuration is trickier to perfect than a more conventional configuration.
Key expects more teams to adopt pull-rod front suspension
“In terms of the challenge, it’s definitely not what you’d do if you had a free hand at suspension design in its own right,” he said. “It’s very difficult. Everything’s kind of the wrong way around compared to a push-rod.

When I read this I’m happy he left the office.
Stuck to a principle and not understanding why teams start to use a pull rod -or- open to accept other solutions might be better…

Source:
https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/09/a-h ... uspension/

Your point doesn't make sense, Key implemented the pull rod front suspension on the initial 2022 McLaren already since the beginning of the regulations.

[JPower]

Key explained why a pull-rod configuration is trickier to perfect than a more conventional configuration.
Key expects more teams to adopt pull-rod front suspension
“In terms of the challenge, it’s definitely not what you’d do if you had a free hand at suspension design in its own right,” he said. “It’s very difficult. Everything’s kind of the wrong way around compared to a push-rod.

When I read this I’m happy he left the office.
Stuck to a principle and not understanding why teams start to use a pull rod -or- open to accept other solutions might be better…

Source:
https://www.racefans.net/2024/02/09/a-h ... uspension/

Your point doesn't make sense, Key implemented the pull rod front suspension on the initial 2022 McLaren already since the beginning of the regulations.

Exactly, and he said even back then how much of a risk it was.

I think he did a commendable job during his McLaren stint given the tools he had available. The team was able to stand on its feet again. Sometimes a change is needed to go even further.

[djos]

The mechanical package under Key was never the issue. The issue was him ignoring PP and forcing his own flawed aero concepts onto the car. Lando complained year after year that the car behaved differently from corner to corner, lap to lap and was ignored.

TBH, I think it took Daniel being unable to live with with the car to highlight how serious the issues were and force Zak to restructure the team without Key.

[Zynerji]

The mechanical package under Key was never the issue. The issue was him ignoring PP and forcing his own flawed aero concepts onto the car. Lando complained year after year that the car behaved differently from corner to corner, lap to lap and was ignored.

TBH, I think it took Daniel being unable to live with with the car to highlight how serious the issues were and force Zak to restructure the team without Key.

Makes u wonder how Daniel might have lived in that 2023 McL.

[the EDGE]

The mechanical package under Key was never the issue. The issue was him ignoring PP and forcing his own flawed aero concepts onto the car. Lando complained year after year that the car behaved differently from corner to corner, lap to lap and was ignored.

TBH, I think it took Daniel being unable to live with with the car to highlight how serious the issues were and force Zak to restructure the team without Key.

Makes u wonder how Daniel might have lived in that 2023 McL.

I think maybe the days of engineers being sole technical directors are over. Aero is now Key (pun intended) and therefore Aerodynamicists need to ultimately take the lead, hence McLaren now having 2 aero TD's. Key was a casualty of this decision

[djos]

The mechanical package under Key was never the issue. The issue was him ignoring PP and forcing his own flawed aero concepts onto the car. Lando complained year after year that the car behaved differently from corner to corner, lap to lap and was ignored.

TBH, I think it took Daniel being unable to live with with the car to highlight how serious the issues were and force Zak to restructure the team without Key.

Makes u wonder how Daniel might have lived in that 2023 McL.

While the 23 car was a big improvement, some of Lando’s comments hinted that the issues weren’t gone, the car was just more predictable. We all saw it bite him a few times in qualifying.

I’d have loved Daniel to thrive at MacLaren, but IMO even last years car would have caused him problems.

[Darth-Piekus]

Im hearing that Ferrari tries to obtain Pierre Vas from Red Bull. The press mentions that he had a bigger impact on the last two Red Bull cars than even Andrian Newey. What is your opinion of Mclaren getting him first?