McLaren showed up in Canada with a brand-new front wing designed to improve performance through an innovative airflow passage between the endplate and the three flaps. The papaya team did not copy the Mercedes solution that set the benchmark, but instead introduced a more extreme interpretation.
McLaren continues to impress. The strategy led by Andrea Stella is clearly to give rivals a headache. In Barcelona, Rob Marshall’s technical staff had brought a front wing identical in design to the one used previously, but built slightly differently to pass the new technical checks that restricted planned flexing.
The result was a commanding one-two finish for McLaren in Spain, with almost no loss in performance—so much so that the pecking order at Montmeló remained unchanged. Aerodynamicist Giuseppe Pesce had taken a sure bet, as Lando Norris had already tested the reinforced wing in FP1 at Imola and found no significant difference in data or handling.
The surprise came in Montreal, where the championship-leading team arrived with several modifications, the most notable being a new front wing. It’s a highly interesting solution because it recalls a concept introduced by Mercedes at the junction between the flaps and the endplate. However, unlike Red Bull and Ferrari—who had adopted that interpretation—Woking went beyond the result Brackley aimed for.
The goal is to boost the outwash effect, meaning increasing the airflow pushed outside the front wheel to clean up the wake. Ferrari had introduced a horizontal slot in Spain between the endplate and the last two flaps.
McLaren, on the other hand, came up with a more extreme solution nicknamed the “Mermaid Tails,” involving even the second wing element. The main profile has grown significantly in chord, allowing for three double flaps that function more as prominent vortex generators than simple airflow guides.
The wing was designed for a medium-downforce circuit like the Notre Dame Island track, so the flap incidence and chord were reduced, altering the airflow toward the front suspension arms. To fine-tune the airflow exiting the wing, the suspension covers were redesigned. This change has no mechanical impact but influences aerodynamics by feeding the Venturi channels of the floor as intended.
To rebalance the MCL39, the rear wing was also revised, now less loaded than the medium one from the previous generation. It wasn’t surprising to see the papaya cars struggle with balance after running comparison tests—it’s crucial to find the right setup and, more importantly, the grip that was lacking on unexpectedly slippery asphalt.
Leave a Reply