New year... new thread. I'll update the OP as more info gets released; add images etc
For now... some info from James Key on the new Mclaren MCL35M (via Motorweek).
McLarenโs 2021 car will be โakin to a new carโ despite stable regulations and limited development permitted under the regulations, according to technical director James Key.
Teams will largely carry across their current car designs from 2020 to โ21 due to regulations introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the delay of the planned introduction of a new car design, which will now happen in โ22.
The FIA has introduced a token development system to limit the amount of work teams can do on their current cars ahead of the new season, but with McLaren in the unique position that itโs changing from Renault to Mercedes power, it is having to spend the bulk of its tokens on making changes to accommodate the new power unit.
This will limit the aerodynamic changes it can make, as it needs to introduce a new chassis, cooling and gearbox, which Key says will be akin to introducing an almost entirely new car.
โThe big change heading into next year, which is unique to us, is the new power unit. We canโt just carry over the chassis from 2020,โ explained Key.
โWeโve had to do a lot of redesigning, especially when it comes to various systems on the car, such as cooling and electronics. Not only will the chassis be different, the gearbox will be too and, of course, the engine, so the MCL35M is akin to a new car for us.โ
With their tokens โspentโ on accommodating the Mercedes power unit โ which the team hopes will deliver an immediate step forward โ they have had to introduce as many updates as possible this year to ensure they donโt get left behind by their rivals, which are able to focus development elsewhere.
โHaving to spend 2021 development tokens on the Mercedes engine installation changed our approach when it came to developments this season,โ he said.
โBut the upshot of it is that we probably added a bit of performance in 2020 that we normally wouldnโt have and thereโs scope to develop these areas further based on all the information weโve gathered.โ
Key is expecting a very busy โ21 season as teams look to develop their cars, whilst also resuming development on the โ22 cars, which will be a total reset in terms of regulations.
โ2021 will be a busy year with a full season to complete, the MCL35M to develop and race, and new discoveries to make with our โ22 contender as it evolves โ we canโt wait for it to start!โ
Malren MCL35M - Initial Fire Up: https://youtu.be/9r-rfCLzGMA
Edited by SparkPlug86, 15 February 2021 - 20:05.