McLaren wastes no time: in Miami it has decided to debut the entire new package of updates, not caring that the US event is the second of the season, after China, with the Sprint Race format and, therefore, with only one free practice session.
The Woking team made a wise decision: they entrusted the advanced MCL38 (it’s a sort of new car…) to Lando Norris, while Oscar Piastri will carry out the only free practice session with the standard version, in order to allow the technicians to carry out comparative assessments after the back to back.
McLaren MCL38: here is the new front wing and the suspension which is modified in the arm covers
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
It is no mystery that the objective is to increase performance, to confirm McLaren ahead of Ferrari and aspire to the role of challenger to Red Bull.
“We hope to have a faster car straight away. I think it is logical to think of having a more high-performance car after the hard work that has been done in the factory in recent weeks. If we weren’t convinced of the leap in quality we wouldn’t have taken the risk of debuting the new car on a weekend with the sprint race.”
We can say that McLaren’s is a large update package that affects every part of the single-seater, so much so that it could be defined as a B version of the MCL38.
The aerodynamic study of the front has been revised starting from the front wing which is entirely new: the head of the aerodynamicists, Peter Prodromou, has studied profiles that work better in synergy with the brake duct and the different front suspension which should laminate better the flows towards the bottom and the radiator outlets with newly designed carbon covers.
Here is the McLaren MCL38 evolution seen in Miami
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
The radiator mouth is also new with a smaller front section and with a “visor” decidedly more oriented towards the style of the Red Bull RB20 which, for a change, will set a precedent, given that Ferrari is also preparing to go in this direction , abjuring the tray of the SF-24.
Detail of the new side and bottom of the McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
If the car body tries to reduce drag with an upper part of the side that is more linear to curve downwards in the last portion towards the rear. A great cleaning job has been done in the undercut with a rather evident lateral flare of the belly, the bottom aims for a significant increase in downforce: important changes can be seen on the visible part of the floor. There is an attempt to increase the air flow towards the outside of the rear wheels from the low pressure area, while the length of the “scimitar”, the cantilevered profile of the pavement, has increased.
McLaren MCL38: you can see the more tapered bonnet and the rather generous bazooka with large gills
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
The revision of the MCL38 also concerns the layout of the bonnet which has been incredibly reduced in section, showing a larger vertical fin which vents hot air on both sides, so the opening at the tail is decidedly smaller, preferring the large gills on the sides of a decidedly flashier bazooka.
Also at the rear there is a suspension with arms equipped with new carbon covers designed for the new flow fields in this delicate area. To increase the vertical thrust, the eye-catching fins that adorn the brake duct are also new.
Detail of the rear of the new McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
The package is completed by a rear wing with a decidedly flatter main profile, but this can mainly be considered an adaptation of the car to the characteristics of the Miami track.
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