TECH ANALYSIS: How McLaren's MCL39 has benefitted from an 'aggressive' evolution approach

While visually similar to last year’s car, the new McLaren MCL39 has benefitted from what Team Principal Andrea Stella describes as an ‘aggressive’ approach to its evolution.

“We have raised the bar in many areas,” he claims, “including its fundamental layout, in order to give our aerodynamic department volumes to work with.”

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Typically, this will focus upon the geometry of the chassis monocoque to create space around the sidepods beneath the radiator inlets and at the coke bottle section at the back.

Formula 1 header templates (11).png — The McLaren MCL39 has hit the track for the first time as part of a promotional filming day at Silverstone

Creating space around those areas inevitably means re-assessing the cooling layout and it appears as if both the radiator inlet and the air box design are substantially different, suggesting there has been a further move towards siting more radiator area upwards and back.

The suspension – pullrod at the front and pushrod at the rear, which is the same as before – appears to feature enhanced anti-dive at the front and anti-squat at the rear. It suggests an aerodynamic platform working within even tighter parameters of ride height.

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“There has been some work also on the interaction with the tyres,” adds Stella.