Spot the difference
What are the differences between the McLaren MCL35 and MCL34?
With minimal changes to Formula 1’s technical regulations for 2020, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s little difference between the MCL35 and MCL34. As Lando might say, ‘if it ain’t bwoke, don’t fix it.’
But, as is so often the case, the devil is in the detail. And we’ve got just the person to talk you through how this year’s challenger has evolved from its predecessor.
Take it away McLaren F1 Technical Director James Key…
1 | Wheelbase
Last year’s car was a good step forward. It reacted well to the upgrades we applied and a lot of what we learnt went straight into the MCL35. The architectural changes to this year’s car are motivated only by performance development and have come off the back of some good development directions from the team. An example of this is the wheelbase, which has been modified to help certain areas of the car’s aerodynamics and layout. It’s one of the key changes for this year’s car and it’s something we learnt during the development of the MCL34.
2 | Nose
The MCL35 has got a very narrow nose and it has lost the nostrils that featured on the MCL34. These changes were driven by aerodynamics in tune with what the rest of the car required, and they were no mean feat. A narrow nose makes it harder to pass the FIA crash tests, but the team worked well to ensure it’s strong enough.
3 | Bodywork
One of the more obvious changes is the width of the bodywork. It’s really narrow compared to last year, and a lot of effort went into packaging. Having a bit more time to design and develop the MCL35, as well as beginning work on the engine installation a little earlier with Renault, helped us achieve this.
4 | Rear suspension
Moving down the car, the kinematics of the rear are different with our redesigned suspension, which complements aerodynamic development and improves mechanical grip over what we had last year.
5 | What you can’t see
Under the skin, there are a huge number of changes. The cooling layout and exhaust system are very different this year. Underneath its bodywork, the MCL35 is a real work of art – particularly the packaging within the sidepods and underneath the radiator ducts, which is how we’ve achieved our updated bodywork geometry.
6 | Diffuser
The diffuser is affected by all the changes made upstream, so the updated architecture we have put in place naturally has knock-on effects to the back of the car. We have some developments in this area which will be part of the upcoming Melbourne-spec car.
