The McLaren Formula 1 team’s much anticipated Barcelona update resulted in a notable step forward as the team finally had the car it had hoped to start the season with.
McLaren worked on further revisions to its new front wing before last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, although in the end it elected not to race with it.
The upper cascade elements (1) have been extended in length and reshaped, and now the inner one is actually part of the main structure with the others mounted to it.
On the old version, the outer turning vane was an add on component too. On the inside of the endplate, McLaren has removed the uppermost canard (inset, 2) and replaced it with a Mercedes-esque turning vane, which has been christened a ‘flipper’ (2).
This again will improve the turning moment on the airflow, helping it go around the tyre as opposed to over the top of it.
Both of these modifications are intended to turn more mass airflow around the outside of the front tyre and this will improve the performance of the downforce making parts of the wing.