Mercedes and McLaren have adopted contrasting aerodynamic philosophies with the W17 and MCL40, taking different approaches to sidepod design and airflow management in pursuit of the widest and most effective operating window. Mercedes has pushed further towards an aggressive downwash concept designed to generate stronger pressure gradients and maximise downforce, while McLaren has chosen less steeply sloping bodywork in an attempt to achieve greater overall aerodynamic stability.
The comparison highlights one of the central challenges of modern Formula 1 development: outright peak load is not enough on its own. The car must also maintain that aerodynamic performance consistently as ride height, pitch, roll and load transfer change throughout a lap.
Mercedes W17 introduces revised sidepod aerodynamics
The W17 recently received a new sidepod specification as part of the substantial upgrade package introduced in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Mercedes engineers are still working to fully exploit that package, with the Brackley team yet to completely understand the cause of some of the instability experienced on track.
There are several possible explanations. One may lie in the updated aerodynamic map of the W17, because the airflow structure surrounding the car has changed significantly and therefore requires different set-up parameters to reach its full potential.
The work completed in Singapore was nevertheless encouraging, a conclusion reinforced by senior Mercedes figures after the race. Kimi Antonelli, who finished on the podium at Marina Bay, ran the complete upgrade package and gathered positive feedback over the 300-kilometre race distance during the second half of the weekend.
Mercedes still needs to resolve new front-wing question
One remaining issue concerns the front wing. A new specification was tested on both cars during free practice but was temporarily set aside.
The component is considered crucial to the correct aerodynamic operation of the W17’s revised “B” specification. Mercedes therefore intends to continue working on it and hopes to approve the design definitively at the next round in Austin. The front wing is particularly important because it influences how the airflow is conditioned before it reaches the rest of the car. With Mercedes having substantially changed the sidepod concept, the interaction between the front of the car and the new downstream airflow structure has become even more critical.
Mercedes vs McLaren: downwash versus load stability
Mercedes has significantly altered its sidepod philosophy with one clear objective: moving towards a solution strongly inspired by the Red Bull concept. There is no single technical direction across the Formula 1 grid, however, and McLaren’s latest development has moved in almost the opposite direction.
While the W17 now uses a more pronounced downwash sidepod concept, McLaren has opted for bodywork volumes that slope less aggressively towards the floor. The two architectures are based on contrasting aerodynamic principles. Mercedes’ current configuration features a pronounced ramp towards the rear of the sidepod. This surface accelerates airflow by creating a strong pressure gradient towards the back of the car.
The aim is to channel high-energy airflow towards the upper surface of the diffuser and thereby increase the potential downforce generated in that area.
How Mercedes uses airflow to support the diffuser
The Mercedes solution also creates what can effectively act as a pneumatic barrier between the rear tyre and the outer wall of the diffuser.
This region is particularly important because turbulence generated by the rotating rear tyre can disturb the diffuser and reduce the stability of the aerodynamic load. Managing that interaction is therefore critical to keeping rear downforce as consistent as possible. By creating a stronger and more energetic airflow structure around this area, Mercedes is attempting to improve both the performance of the diffuser and the quality of the airflow reaching the rear of the car.
McLaren chooses less aggressive MCL40 sidepod concept
McLaren’s approach moves away from such a pronounced ramp. The MCL40 uses a less aggressive shape, with the aim of allowing more airflow to travel through the lower region of the car and around the sidepods themselves.
The concept is less extreme, but it brings one important advantage: greater absolute aerodynamic stability. The strong pressure gradient created by an aggressive downwash philosophy can generate fluid-dynamic instability under certain operating conditions. That means a design capable of producing very high peak downforce may become more sensitive when the car moves outside its ideal aerodynamic window.
Why aerodynamic stability can matter more than peak load
For aerodynamic load to be genuinely effective, it must remain as consistent as possible through the full range of movements experienced by the car.
Achieving complete stability in every dynamic condition is effectively impossible. The real engineering challenge is therefore to make the aerodynamic map as broad as possible, ensuring that the car remains effective across a wider operating window. A broader aerodynamic window makes the car more predictable, more stable and more tolerant of the constant load transfers that occur under braking, acceleration and cornering.
That is where the philosophical difference between Mercedes and McLaren becomes especially relevant. Mercedes is pursuing a more aggressive concept with the potential to generate stronger local pressure gradients and increased downforce, while McLaren appears to be placing greater emphasis on maintaining stable airflow through a wider range of conditions.
Which aerodynamic concept is better?
Neither philosophy can be considered inherently superior in isolation. The effectiveness of each depends on how well the complete car works around it, including the front wing, floor, diffuser, suspension behaviour and the sensitivity of the aerodynamic platform to changes in ride height and attitude.
Mercedes’ challenge is to make the more aggressive W17 concept stable enough to exploit its theoretical downforce potential consistently. McLaren, by contrast, is pursuing a less extreme solution that may sacrifice some peak aerodynamic aggression in return for a more predictable platform.
The coming races will therefore be particularly important for Mercedes. With further work still required on the front wing and the wider aerodynamic map, the team must prove that its revised downwash concept can deliver not only more load, but also the consistency needed across different circuits and conditions.
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