What’s behind the latest McLaren F1 upgrades?

It duly arrived at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend with some new parts for evaluation as its intended to improve the performance of the MCL35M.

The parts were first tested by Lando Norris during FP1, while his teammate Daniel Ricciardo was collecting basic data on the old setup.

Both had the revisions for FP2, with the front wing optimized for a higher downforce configuration, while the new floor follows the competitor’s example.

The changes to the front wing are very subtle, with the arrangement used in the season opening only needing to be optimized in order to achieve a little more performance without destabilizing the already established flow structures that blend well with the other aerodynamic furniture downstream.

However, the tweaks, albeit small, are thorough, with the entire wing section changed. This is more evident in the inner and outer areas where the geometry of the main plane has changed at the connection points.

In the outer area of ​​the wing, the main aircraft now has a straight section where it connects to the endplate instead of hanging down (highlighted in orange).

This also has a corresponding effect on the shape of the flaps behind, as these must be adapted accordingly. All of this changes the interaction of the wing elements with the end plate and thus also the behavior of the air flow.

McLaren MCL35M front wing comparison

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

It’s a similar story as the main plane is connected to the neutral center section of the wing, with the leading edge now hanging down with a gentler curve as it extends over the front of the wing (highlighted in orange).

This profile change at the junction of the two wing sections causes the Y250 vortex to be detached from the region, which is changing as the team fine-tunes the vortex’s direction, shape, and / or speed before moving on to other aerodynamic equipment downstream.

The shape of the flaps behind the main aircraft was also changed, further changing the shape, direction and speed of the vortex, while also changing the ratio of the wing available for flow conditioning to downforce generation.

The two struts attached to the underside of the wing also seem to have been modified, have been placed closer together and the outermost strut has also been reduced slightly in height.

McLaren MCL35M Z-shaped bottom cutout

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

McLaren are also the eighth team to try a Z-shaped floor layout after watching with interest their rivals in the opening phase of the season while preparing their own version.

The solution was paired with a pair of staggered, outwardly angled ribs (red arrow) at the beginning of the cutout as they direct the airflow into the path of the cutout and initiate a stronger vortex structure.

And although it will undoubtedly have to address the topside aero structures in front of the rear tire, the team here has already been actively striving for wins this season.

The team uses quadruple fins that arch over the edge of the floor (blue arrow) and the “R” shaped vane (green arrow) to try to divert airflow before it reaches the tire surface. If this is not enabled, it can get into the diffuser and reduce performance.