McLaren has everything it needs to win in Qatar, round 22 of the F1 season. At first glance, it might seem like we’re ready to hand the constructors’ championship to the British team. In reality, the challenge will be tough, especially because, let’s not forget, the Sprint Race will once again come into play at Losail. This final appointment with the unique format will make the precision of simulator studies—those carried out in the factory with the driver-in-the-loop simulator—crucially important for the weekend’s performance. Then there’s the matter of reliability, particularly given the issue Norris faced in Las Vegas.
We’re referring to those 10 laps during which the British driver, following strict instructions from his race engineer, from lap 30 to lap 40, had to manage handling adjustments between lift-and-coast, short shifting, and power management to avoid retiring while controlling the overheating of the Mercedes power unit. This is a noteworthy situation, especially since it occurred in relatively low temperatures. The Qatar circuit features a mix of high-speed corners and technical sections that will push the cars to their limits. The Losail track is characterized by wide, fast curves.
This aspect benefits F1 cars with strong aerodynamic downforce and stable handling across both axles. The asphalt, with its specific characteristics, affects grip and tire degradation, making an optimal setup configuration essential to maintain peak performance throughout the race. In this context, teams will need to strike the right balance between aerodynamic load and mechanical stiffness. The goal is to achieve high cornering speeds without compromising agility in the more technical sections and direction changes.
F1, Qatar GP 2024: McLaren Just Needs to Nail the Perfect Setup
McLaren is gearing up for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, where expectations are sky-high. There’s no hiding from it, especially considering the team’s excellent performance in fast corners, a hallmark of its season. The Woking car has consistently shown some of the best, if not the best, minimum speeds in mid-corner. However, it tends to lose out slightly in quicker direction changes compared to Red Bull, which remains the absolute benchmark in this key area.
This F1 circuit, with its numerous flowing sections and high-speed corners, seems almost “tailor-made” for the MCL38. Aerodynamically, McLaren stands out with a floor that generates stable vertical downforce under various operating conditions. This translates to a platform largely unaffected by roll, pitch, or yaw, allowing the car to maintain optimal balance even in the fastest corners that demand high levels of lateral grip.
The MCL38’s aerodynamic efficiency is complemented by a mechanically stiffer setup compared to competitors. This choice has enabled strong performance from the start of the season. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the British car initially struggled in slower sections, a weakness progressively addressed through improvements in balance and low-speed aerodynamic load. Finally, there’s the tire factor, which could present a challenge for the leading teams in Qatar.
The ability to keep the tires within their optimal operating window will largely depend on the setup choices made during preparation. The memory of the Austin Grand Prix is still fresh in this regard. The British F1 team, leading the constructors’ standings, had opted for an aero-mechanical compromise on a distinctly different circuit, which proved ineffective in the race. We recall the higher-than-expected tire degradation struggles vividly.
This is obviously a critical factor for any F1 car, and McLaren, leveraging the experience gained at COTA, will need to avoid a similar deficit in Qatar. On the Arab circuit, where the asphalt and high-speed corners will again challenge tire management, we expect McLaren to adopt a setup aimed at optimizing thermal management of the compounds. Given the distinct characteristics of the MCL38, the team’s engineers and drivers should not encounter significant issues in achieving the right balance for the car.
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