We've already seen the Haas VF-20, the Ferrari SF1000, the Red Bull RB16, the Renault RS20 (partially), and today it's the McLaren MCL35's turn . Just a day before Valentine's Day, the Woking-based team unveiled their new machine. The 2020 F1 car that Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris will drive as they try to secure valuable points for the constructors' championship.
Tomorrow it's Mercedes' turn with their W11, since the car they showed a few days ago was last year's model with the new livery and sponsors . It will be interesting, as will the presentation of the Alfa Tauri (Toro Rosso), which is also scheduled for tomorrow. Little by little, all the cards will be revealed, although in preseason testing and especially in qualifying for the Australian GP we'll really see how they perform, not just how they look…
Before delving into the more technical details, the most striking feature of the McLaren MCL35 is its new livery . This year, they've given more prominence to blue. Personally, I'd prefer less blue and more orange, although that's a matter of taste. Another notable aspect is the new sponsors, and the fact that the halo has been painted orange this time instead of being left unpainted. It's also interesting to see that the entire lower section of the car remains unpainted carbon fiber, as in previous years. Probably to save some weight…
front area
The front view of the car clearly shows the differences compared to the MCL34. The new McLaren MCL35 has a front wing almost identical to the one used on last year's prototype. If you look at the curved shape of the main wing, it's practically the same. The upper flaps also follow the same design philosophy, with a slightly more pronounced slope at the end, right where they meet the endplate, just as they and other cars did last year.
Its nose is particularly striking , having reverted to a more primitive form. The complexity of the previous two years has been reduced. While other current cars copied McLaren in this respect, they seem to have taken a step back in their evolution and created a simple nose. The holes and channels that were present on the sides and on the nose itself are gone. None of that remains; only a traditional nose and conventional supports.
The suspension geometry and brake ducts appear very similar to those at the end of last season. There aren't too many changes in those areas either. What is noticeable, however, is that in the area where the nose cone meets the cockpit, there's a more pronounced depression than last year (you can see it better where the number 4 is in the next image, creating a central channel and two higher areas at the edge of the nose).
side area
The side view also reveals interesting details. Although the holes in the nose have been removed, the fairing or profiles that run from the front wing supports to the rear under the nose remain. This is something they already had and that other teams have copied. Furthermore, this fairing has some lateral slots or openings to generate vortices and redirect the airflow as desired towards the rear.
In the midsection, the extreme complexity of the barge boards and floor remains . The horizontal profile also continues, contrasting with the sidepods designed by Iván Roldán for McLaren, a design already copied by others. The sidepod area features horizontal aerodynamic profiles and vertical plates similar to last year's.
But some interesting changes are noticeable . The opening of the sidepods appears slightly smaller than last year. And in this image, they seem to have been raised a bit compared to last year, when they were more rounded and sloping. This creates a tighter silhouette under the air intakes, allowing more air to flow to the rear over the floor. Incidentally, the floor still features grooves and profiles along its edge to manage the turbulent airflow generated by the tires and "protect" the laminar flow that circulates beneath the flat floor before being extracted at the diffuser.
Another striking change is that last year's small shark fins have been replaced by a larger, unified fin this year. And the engine cowling appears more voluminous at the top rear and narrower at the bottom to allow for larger channels and a more streamlined "waist" in that area.
Finally, the airbox also stands out in this area . Although it maintains a similar shape to last year, there appear to be some holes just behind the driver's helmet, and six or more channels (though the shadows are deceiving) divided by carbon fiber pieces can be seen inside the air opening. These are the routine ones for cooling the gearbox oil reservoir, the intercooler, the turbocharger air intake, and perhaps to increase cooling by taking advantage of these extra openings to compensate for the reduced sidepod area, which was used to decrease drag.
Rear area
The surprise has been that they've revealed the diffuser . Something teams always keep hidden. Mysteriously, McLaren has shown it, and we don't know if it's because it's last year's and it doesn't matter if it's visible, or if they've edited the rendered images. Either way, we'll see if the one they're using in preseason testing remains the same, or if it changes.
The work on the rear endplates is also complex . They are among the most intricate on the grid. It's striking how simple those of teams like Red Bull are, and how complex McLaren's always are, with slots and aerodynamic profiles to improve airflow in the rear.
Now the two central supports appear to have remained the same, positioned just to the sides of the exhaust pipe and the wastegate outlets. Furthermore, the rear wing doesn't seem excessively large, which could be a good indication that they're achieving good downforce and traction at the rear and don't need to mount very large, drag-inducing wings. Although we'll have to wait and see…
Finally, I don't want to finish without also showing you Carlos Sainz Jr.'s new helmet design . The son of the reigning Dakar champion also unveiled this new helmet today. It's completely redesigned and different from last year's model. It's truly striking, with metallic gray tones that I personally really like, as well as the colors of the Spanish flag taking center stage.
Conclusion
Personally, I think they've definitely improved on last year's numbers. But so have their rivals. Therefore, pending further information on how the other cars and the McLaren MCL35 itself perform, it's likely they'll be roughly where they were last year . I hope they can continue fighting to get into Q3 and score good points in the race…
But let's be realistic , it's unknown whether the Renault engine will be any good or not. Whether they've improved it a little, a lot, or not at all, and whether those improvements will make it less reliable or more reliable... And no matter how good a job they've done, they won't be fighting for podiums anymore without radical changes to the technical regulations that could shake things up like in F1 2021.
Another issue that worries me is the split with their engine supplier, Renault . I hope it won't be a nightmare season for them because they aren't getting everything they could be. We already saw what happened with McLaren in their last year with Mercedes. Despite having the best engine on the grid, they had a very tough time when they learned they'd be switching to Honda the following year…
The decision to break with Honda will have repercussions for them. If Mercedes remains in F1, McLaren will continue to be what it is this year, last year, and the year before… a mere customer. Therefore, the relationship won't be the same. With Honda, they were "almost" a manufacturer, given their exclusivity agreement. Personally, I wouldn't have broken with the Japanese manufacturer. Red Bull is now reaping all the benefits, while McLaren was left to deal with the initial problems alone.