2025 McLaren F1 Team

[mwillems]

Both Piastri and Norris had massive understeer.

This car needs a little more work and thought as to the best way to approach a corner, with what appears to be a little more bias than last year on gearing up for a good exit.

I was just saying in the race thread that the car is fussy on entry, and probably will be for a while. But it's OK because if you get the entry right and the car feels happy, it's able to carry strong apex speed and power through the exits.

[Macklaren]

Won't it be hilarious if 9 teams bring a new front wing this weekend and only McLaren don't?

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

[mwillems]

Won't it be hilarious if 9 teams bring a new front wing this weekend and only McLaren don't?

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

We still brought a strengthened front wing, we just tested it at a different race. It's no different to anyone else. And it was only Imola, so not that long ago.

At the point that everyone was initially discussing whether the Mclaren FW was compliant, this wing had not been used at all, and no compliant wing has been used in races. This will be the first time. So whilst the upgrade doc alone paints a picture, reality is we are in the same boat as the other teams.

But I do wonder if they had one eye on the upgrade doc optics when they tested the wing

[CjC]

Won't it be hilarious if 9 teams bring a new front wing this weekend and only McLaren don't?

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

We still brought a strengthened front wing, we just tested it at a different race. It's no different to anyone else. And it was only Imola, so not that long ago.

At the point that everyone was initially discussing whether the Mclaren FW was compliant, this wing had not been used at all, and no compliant wing has been used in races. This will be the first time. So whilst the upgrade doc alone paints a picture, reality is we are in the same boat as the other teams.

But I do wonder if they had one eye on the upgrade doc optics when they tested the wing

But a new front wing wasn’t declared in Imola…. Yet we seem new ones declared in Spain. Macklaren does have a point

[FittingMechanics]

Won't it be hilarious if 9 teams bring a new front wing this weekend and only McLaren don't?

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

We still brought a strengthened front wing, we just tested it at a different race. It's no different to anyone else. And it was only Imola, so not that long ago.

At the point that everyone was initially discussing whether the Mclaren FW was compliant, this wing had not been used at all, and no compliant wing has been used in races. This will be the first time. So whilst the upgrade doc alone paints a picture, reality is we are in the same boat as the other teams.

But I do wonder if they had one eye on the upgrade doc optics when they tested the wing

But if it was that important for performance surely they would have used this time to bring an upgrade for it. They had time to do it.

[mwillems]

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

We still brought a strengthened front wing, we just tested it at a different race. It's no different to anyone else. And it was only Imola, so not that long ago.

At the point that everyone was initially discussing whether the Mclaren FW was compliant, this wing had not been used at all, and no compliant wing has been used in races. This will be the first time. So whilst the upgrade doc alone paints a picture, reality is we are in the same boat as the other teams.

But I do wonder if they had one eye on the upgrade doc optics when they tested the wing

But a new front wing wasn’t declared in Imola…. Yet we seem new ones declared in Spain. Macklaren does have a point

The difference in flex is noticeable, if we got around declaring it on some technicality, I don't think it makes a difference. This wing vs the wings we ran previously are different.

[Ben1980]

The team do have a new front wing, and its strengthened as per the regulations. They didn't need to register it, but it is new and not been run in anger previously.

[mwillems]

Not saying I told you so but...

https://x.com/formularacers_/status/1928380047699608054

We still brought a strengthened front wing, we just tested it at a different race. It's no different to anyone else. And it was only Imola, so not that long ago.

At the point that everyone was initially discussing whether the Mclaren FW was compliant, this wing had not been used at all, and no compliant wing has been used in races. This will be the first time. So whilst the upgrade doc alone paints a picture, reality is we are in the same boat as the other teams.

But I do wonder if they had one eye on the upgrade doc optics when they tested the wing

But if it was that important for performance surely they would have used this time to bring an upgrade for it. They had time to do it.

Sorry, I don't think I understand.

I think this wing will cause us some performance loss, but relative to others, probably not really any different.

Already some folks are highlighting issues they think might be related to the front in low speeds. But will it have such an impact on the peak AoA? I don't think so, not zero, but the wing seems to be starting from a similar position pre flex, the impact would then occur later at higher speeds with less flex.

Plenty of time to see in some more competitive practises how this impacts the top speeds and the corners.

[Quantum]

Also the fact Ferrari and Red Bull have effectively brought new front wings will skew the picture even more, which will probably be conveniently forgotten

We cannot call McLaren's old wing....old. It has an extra hook, and a new adjuster...and Carbon weave direction.
Depending on sun position it definitely has a new profile, if you've been staring directly at the sun for too long.
In a darkened environment of pitch black you could definitely tell it's new too. Just close your eyes and imagine a new wing.

Seems McLaren and Marshall have been telling porkies wheeling out the old wing and putting a extra hook on it with a 2024 straight strut instead of the curved 2025 one. The rascals.

[Darth-Piekus]

Old wing or new wing at the end of the day it doesnt seem to matter. So far the Mclaren seems to be setting the pace despite the new TD.

[genarro]

Looking at the race pace of Lando, he was lapping around 1.18.8 to 18.9 on his second long run on mediums while Ver was lapping aroind 1.20s on softs on his second run and at the first run he was lapping around 1.19.8 on softs..

Looks good so far... Or did i miss anything. I only checked fp2 long runs

[FittingMechanics]

Really hard to compare, cars have traffic, different run plans and goals.

But I think it looks just like other weekends this year.

[mwillems]

Really hard to compare, cars have traffic, different run plans and goals.

But I think it looks just like other weekends this year.

Some people are seeing signs in the tealeaves.

[saputra_25]

Old wing or new wing at the end of the day it doesnt seem to matter. So far the Mclaren seems to be setting the pace despite the new TD.

There should be some (if not significant) performance gain, otherwise they will not develop it (especially in the budget cap era). But I agree, in the end it is relative performance (to other teams) that is matter.

Apart of the performance, I see the opposite in terms R&D budget allocation, Mclaren is clearly the team that benefits the most from this flex wing TD.

They have used it for the vast majority of 2024 season, they must have been developing this since end of 2023 season (thus using budget of 2023). Perhaps some small part of 2024 budget for procurement/fabrication of early FW sets.

Whereas the others, they were caught by surprise and have to develop this flexi wing late and used 2024 budget. I can imagine the non-Mclaren teams are the one that was lobbying FIA to impose the TD from Barcelona onwards instead of early 2025 season. Simply, because they have spent significant budget for R&D, wind tunnel test, procuring the materials, fabricate it (etc). If FIA implement this TD from race 1, those money and time they have spent just got wasted, without getting any benefit in the race.

[organic]

Back to high DF?