McLaren is the car to beat for the 2024 F1 World Championship. Ferrari and Red Bull will try, as will Mercedes. The season is about to begin, but first, in about two weeks, the pre-season tests will take place in Sakhir, Bahrain. Although the Woking-based team had not yet scheduled an official presentation, yesterday we were able to observe some images. This allows us to conduct a preliminary technical analysis while waiting to see the MCL39 in person. It is immediately noticeable that continuity remains a key approach, as announced in recent months.
The first noticeable change is the nose design. Within the regulatory framework, the team decided to introduce some modifications. The overall volume of the new nose is smaller, and the slot at the tip, which was previously used to eliminate overpressure at the stagnation point where fluid velocity drops to zero, has disappeared. The front wing, overall, should be equivalent to last year’s specification. Regarding vehicle dynamics, McLaren has chosen to transfer all previous solutions onto the new F1 car as well.
F1, McLaren MCL39: More Efficiency with Ferrari and Red Bull-Style “L” Sidepods
At first glance, the suspension geometry appears quite similar to last year. As expected, the pull-rod front suspension has been confirmed. The attachment point of the first arm of the upper triangle remains largely unchanged, while the second arm appears lower. If confirmed, this would increase the anti-dive percentage, provided there are no modifications in spatial positioning. The anti-dive percentage is determined by ideally extending both suspension triangles toward the rear.
The theoretical point where they intersect then determines the imposed anti-dive percentage. Suspension arms also have an important aerodynamic function, so for now, we cannot rule out that this modification is more about aerodynamics than dynamics. This is particularly relevant since in 2024, McLaren already had strong resistance to dive. In the same glimpse of the MCL39, a modified airbox is visible in its front area. The air intake is more rounded on the sides, although the internal division into three channels appears unchanged.
The mirrors have a more squared-off support to manage airflow differently, considering that this area of the car experiences strong suction toward the cockpit. Perhaps the most significant modification concerns the sidepods. It seems McLaren has invested heavily in this area to align with Red Bull and Ferrari, which already use an “L”-shaped opening. These two teams utilized this section differently last season.
That is why it will be interesting to understand whether the internal channels of the new MCL39 feature any form of separation. This new shape undoubtedly facilitates one key function: it should help “consume” the thickened boundary layer flowing along the cockpit wall. This is a clear move by the reigning F1 World Champion team, necessary to reduce drag.
F1, McLaren MCL39: Interesting Innovation at the Rear of the Car
At the rear, the suspension geometry remains almost identical in terms of layout. It is easy to observe that the arms of both the upper and lower triangles are positioned in the same manner. What has changed is the shape of the push-rod itself, which is no longer a simple linear element along its axis. This suggests that it is no longer just a straightforward strut experiencing only axial compression force. With a non-unidimensional axis, the component’s design becomes more complex, as it will also be subjected to various tangential forces.
Such a decision is not made by the vehicle dynamics team. The attachment points on the wheel hub and chassis appear quite similar, indicating that this design choice was driven by the aerodynamics department regarding the shape of this suspension arm, which transmits forces to the internal components. It is difficult to determine precisely the purpose of this spatial arrangement. The fairings of the suspension arms are now aerodynamic devices that influence the downstream airflow direction, making their correct usage crucial. McLaren knows this well…
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