Despite the landmark shift in ground-effect design rules for 2022, last season’s MCL36 still suffers from the same mid-corner handling unpredictability as its 2021 predecessor.
Lando Norris has since made the same complaint about the current MCL60, while team boss Andrea Stella has said the car is weakest in low-grip conditions and when the driver lets off the accelerator and brakes.
As these deficiencies have survived major rule changes, McLaren suspects its design problems stem from the failure of its methodology and upcoming wind tunnel to recreate accurate real-world conditions.
Asked why the McLaren car was repeatedly suffering from underhandling, Stella – who also pointed to the car’s excessive drag – explained: “I have to say, the pattern doesn’t seem to have changed.
“I know we’ve talked in some of the conversations before that it’s more about aerodynamic efficiency. It’s true because if you look at the times we lose on the straights, we do lose because of drag.
“In general, if you increase the load without changing the characteristics, you will go faster.
“However, in these advantages of higher overall load and less drag, this mode may be related to the infrastructure that we are improving, the conditions on the track are very challenging because you are in the curvature, you can’t simulate wind tunnels correct.
Construction of a new wind tunnel and simulator in Woking is nearing its expected June completion, and Stella previously said he could hear it being tested from his office.
McLaren MCL60 driver Lando Norris leads his mechanics on stage
In recent years, the team has had to rent Toyota’s wind tunnel facility in Cologne, which has included shipping new parts to Germany in the back of a van.
Stella hopes that the infrastructure upgrade will make it clear to McLaren whether its approach is lacking in a solution to the ‘DNA’ problem.
He continued: “Of course, with the wind tunnel we use, it is more difficult than other facilities, and it will become easier and more representative in the wind tunnel we have available in the short term.
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“It’s because you have better performance, for example, due to adaptive walls in the wind tunnel that the car sees on the track.
“So, it’s possible that what you’re talking about with DNA has to do with some of the limitations of the methods we’ve used over the years, and somehow, despite the regulatory changes, they still seem to be leading. The same operating point.
“So once we compare what we’re seeing in the (McLaren Technology Center) wind tunnel with the wind tunnel we’ve been using for the past two years, we’ll know more in a few months.”
Christian Horner’s face beams with pride after the Spanish GP. Not without reason: Max Verstappen won in very dominant fashion. The Red Bull team boss realizes life is pretty good for his team at the moment.
After two mistakes in qualifying affected his race, Alonso started eighth on the grid and managed just one place in the race, finishing seventh behind teammate Lance Stroll.
It marks the second time in 2023 he has missed an Aston Martin podium, with Alonso pointing out: “We’re not keeping pace, that’s the biggest problem.
“It wasn’t because we were unlucky or with a different strategy or anything like that, I think we were slower compared to the Mercedes – soft slower, hard slower.
“We’re just focusing on the Alps, the AlphaTauris, and keeping up with Ferrari.
“In the end I think we outscored Ferrari this weekend because they only had Carlos (Sainz) to score. We dropped points at Mercedes but they did better this weekend. So let’s try one.”
Asked whether the team’s form had to do with the track or with upgrades brought in by rivals, Alonso admitted both played a role.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, weigh in
“I think the track is a little bit off for us,” he said.
“From FP1 we had a completely different setup than we expected, so we had to work a lot over the weekend to be happy with the car, which was a bit new for us.
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“We are always happy with FP1 (this year) and here we have to work a little more.
“Then there was an upgrade from the others and I think they probably didn’t show their full potential in Monaco and Miami – on the street circuit. So here, what we saw today, maybe they were a little bit stronger.
“But I’m not worried. There will be better weekends and worse weekends and we’ll have a chance in Canada.”
Asked by Autosport whether Barcelona was a reality check after such a strong race, he said: “No, I don’t think so. I think in two weeks’ time we’ll see a completely different picture and hopefully we’ll be back with Red Bull as soon as possible. Team fight.”
He added: “I needed a good qualifying session. I regretted yesterday’s mistake and I thought all night that if I could rewind qualifying, things would have been different.
“I can’t do it yet, change the time! So I’m just thinking about Canada right now and I’ll use that drive to have a great weekend there.”
Fernando Alonso finished seventh in his home grand prix behind his Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, but told his team he would not be in the final laps of the race attack him. Still, the Spaniard today is not as good as he has been so far this season.