McLaren increases downforce
On Friday, the Woking team unveiled a new medium-to-high downforce rear wing, the third one of the season, featuring a distinctive V-shaped main profile. The results were positive, so much so that the wing was successfully used up to the Sprint race. However, the arrival of rain forced the team to revise its plans, reinstalling the higher downforce wing used in previous events in the United States Grand Prix at the Austin circuit and in Mexico City.
The MCL38 single-seater also saw changes to the beam-wing underneath, which was also adjusted to a higher downforce setting compared to Saturday’s specification. McLaren is clearly betting on a wet-weather setup, sacrificing a bit of straight-line speed. Meanwhile, direct competitors Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull have maintained the same aerodynamic setup from the beginning of the weekend, though they have made adjustments in other areas of their setup.
Wet-weather setups
The aerodynamic package is only part of the adjustments typically made in wet conditions. To improve mechanical grip, teams usually soften the suspension and raise the ride height, changes that have significant aerodynamic effects on ground-effect cars. Generally, the balance is shifted toward the rear to ensure better traction and stability. With parc fermé rules now in effect, teams will still have the opportunity to make minor adjustments to the differential, brake balance, and migration settings before the race to achieve the best possible drivability.
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