McLaren showcased a strong design during the collective F1 tests in Bahrain. While not yet perfect, as team principal Andrea Stella pointed out, the car is being refined to compete at the top. The reigning world champion team remains focused on its goal: defending the Constructors’ title and securing the Drivers’ championship as well. Despite Stella’s cautious statements, Woking is confident in its chances.
F1, McLaren: Piastri on the Attack
Max Verstappen is disappointed with Red Bull. As discussed yesterday, the Dutchman expected a very different car and is frustrated with the same recurring issues. Meanwhile, Norris and Piastri are eager to dethrone him. This sets up an intriguing battle, as the two McLaren drivers will no longer be working together. Oscar Piastri is no longer Lando Norris‘ supporting act and will aim to assert himself immediately, especially at the season opener in Melbourne, his home race.
Last year, McLaren struggled with internal team management. The infamous “papaya rules” proved detrimental, costing Norris crucial points in his bid to challenge Verstappen for the title. This season, things must change. Stella has been working on this, convinced he can handle the situation. However, managing it won’t be easy, as Piastri has proven to be both fast and mentally resilient against his teammate.
F1, McLaren MCL39’s Extreme Pull-Rod Too Much for Red Bull
Pierre Waché has commented on McLaren’s front suspension, which adopts the same pull-rod layout as Red Bull. However, after closely examining McLaren’s suspension geometry during testing, the Red Bull technical director raised concerns. According to the Austrian team, the MCL39’s suspension is a highly risky design. Waché’s skepticism is understandable, as Red Bull has set the benchmark in suspension dynamics in recent years.
Red Bull has consistently optimized vehicle dynamics, making its pull-rod suspension a reference point in F1. The RB21 features an innovative pull-rod layout, uniting the first suspension arm along a single axis. McLaren has followed a similar concept but has taken an even more extreme approach. Let’s break it down.
The second arm of the upper wishbone on the MCL39 is mounted several millimeters lower than on the RB21. This reveals McLaren’s clear objective: maximizing the anti-dive effect of the pull-rod suspension. In simple terms, the team aims to shorten the moment arm of inertial forces under braking. From observations, when the McLaren pitches forward under braking, only part of the load transfer is utilized to activate the internal suspension components.
Overall, this setup minimizes variations in the car’s characteristic angles. McLaren’s pull-rod suspension is notably stiff, which could enhance stable downforce generation from the floor. However, a potential issue arises—similar to what partially affected the RB20. Excessive anti-dive reduces front tire movement, which in turn hinders the ability to warm up the front axle. This could become a major headache on certain circuits like Melbourne or Baku.
These tracks, due to their layouts, put less stress on the front end, exacerbating the thermal imbalance between the front and rear axles. It is well known that in such conditions, the rear tires can overheat faster than the front, which already struggles to generate enough temperature. This is Pierre Wache’s key concern: making a pull-rod suspension with such geometry work effectively in all conditions won’t be easy. That’s why he has raised a red flag over McLaren’s decision, warning that it could lead to significant challenges for the Woking engineers.
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