2024 is the year of McLaren’s definitive confirmation, as the team returns to regularly fighting for victories and world championships, targeting the Constructors’ Championship title. However, the team from Woking does not make the big leap until the Miami Grand Prix. At the start of the season, the MCL38 is an incomplete car, with the team consciously choosing not to install all the updates on the car for the beginning of the season, preferring to take the necessary time to complete its development and then introduce them at the Florida race. At that point, McLaren’s season officially takes off, followed by two additional development packages. Here are all the stages of the MCL38’s development.
A cautious start
The first quarter of the season sees few updates for McLaren, aside from adaptations for specific tracks. In Jeddah, the medium downforce rear wing makes its debut, accompanied by a single-profile beam wing, which is reused at the next race in Melbourne. In Suzuka, new front brake cooling ducts are introduced, an area the team closely focuses on throughout the year, as it is crucial for stabilizing tire temperatures.
Miami
In Florida, the highly anticipated first update package debuts, some of which were originally scheduled for the launch car. The MCL38 features a new floor and diffuser, interacting with a revised bodywork that better shields the underside from external turbulence while promoting airflow towards the rear. Specifically, the side radiator inlets are wider and thinner, allowing the lower part of the sidepods to flare out.
McLaren’s work is comprehensive, with an aerodynamic overhaul starting from the management of airflow at the front end. The front wing is reworked to direct airflow towards the suspension arms, which are also reshaped with new fairings. The front brake cooling ducts are also updated. Overall, the package propels McLaren into direct competition with Ferrari and Red Bull, with the greatest progress made in medium to low-speed corners. It couldn’t have been a better debut for the updates, with Lando Norris securing his first career victory.
Imola and Monaco
In May, further track-specific adaptations arrive. In Imola, a new medium-downforce package is introduced, including a new front wing and beam wing. The same happens a week later in Monaco, with the front wing and beam wing designed for maximum downforce. McLaren finishes the Monaco weekend in second and fourth positions, confirming improvements in slow corners.
Austria
At the Red Bull Ring, new modifications are introduced to the MCL38, emphasizing McLaren’s focus on front-end aerodynamics. The front wing features new adjustable flaps, along with a revised geometry for the external flaps of the endplates. These updates interact with the suspension arm fairings, which are once again revised.
Towards the break
In July, McLaren focuses primarily on improving low-downforce efficiency, another significant weakness of previous designs. At Silverstone, the team debuts a new medium-downforce rear wing, paired with a slightly revised single-profile beam wing. The engine cover is also redesigned, now narrower and more efficient, with two heat exhaust vents positioned near the rear suspension arms to ensure sufficient heat dissipation.
At Spa, McLaren takes another step forward in high-speed track efficiency. A new low-downforce rear wing makes its debut, also used at Monza and Baku. Additional single-profile beam wings and new flap cascades on the rear wheel assemblies complete the MCL38’s low-drag package.
Zandvoort
In the Netherlands, the second major development package of the season is introduced. It represents a natural evolution of the previous specification, so much so that the floor changes are not easily visible from the outside. However, updated front brake cooling ducts are noticeable, demonstrating McLaren’s continued focus on this crucial area. The same goes for the interaction between the airflow and the suspension arms, both front and rear, now covered by new fairings. Adaptations for high-downforce tracks are also introduced, including a new rear wing and beam wing, which prove valuable both in Zandvoort’s success and in the subsequent victory in Singapore.
Monza and Singapore
In Italy, McLaren continues working on low-downforce efficiency, establishing itself as the top contender at the Temple of Speed but missing out on victory due to inefficient strategic and race management. The engine cover and front wing are optimized for maximum efficiency, while a Monza-specific rear wing is also used. After testing it during practice, however, the team chooses to stick with the higher-downforce version from Spa for better balance. The Monza updates also include smaller front brake cooling ducts. September ends without further updates for McLaren, except for the latest version of the beam wing, designed for the high-downforce Singapore circuit.
Austin and Mexico City
In Texas, the third and final update package for the MCL38 is introduced. Once again, the development work covers the entire car, starting from the front end. As with previous packages, the upper elements of the front wing, suspension arm fairings, and both front and rear brake cooling ducts are updated, focusing on both aerodynamic performance and tire temperature control.
For the floor, McLaren delays its debut by seven days, waiting for the Mexico Grand Prix, which lacks the Sprint format and features three free practice sessions. The updates affect both the outer edge and the Venturi channels. Looking back at the season as a whole, it’s remarkable how the team never experiences any significant side effects from the updates, thanks to its design tools and methodologies.
Brazil
The Woking team doesn’t stop and arrives in São Paulo with a new iteration of the high-downforce package. The rear wing is entirely redesigned, replacing the straight main profile with a pronounced V-shaped one. The beam wing is also updated, with McLaren continuing its approach of working on both rear wings simultaneously to optimize their aerodynamic interaction.
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