McLaren MCL35

Lore & Background

The MCL35 represented a substantial development over its predecessor, the MCL34, featuring a new design that increased aerodynamic efficiency and was better optimized for Renault engines. James Key, recruited from Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2019, was the lead designer. The car emphasized outwash effect and higher rear rake, with a thinner nose, more complex bargeboard, and slimmer sidepod profile.

The suspension geometry was redesigned to influence airflow over the bargeboards and floor. The car was originally unveiled in February 2020 with a papaya and blue livery, and later added a rainbow graphic for Formula One's #WeRaceAsOne campaign. It was the first McLaren car wrapped with vinyl rather than painted, featuring a matte finish and greater use of black to lower weight.

For the 2021 season, McLaren received special permission to modify the chassis to accommodate the Mercedes engine, leading to the MCL35M. The team did not switch gearboxes and continued to design and manufacture their own. Key stated that planning for the switch went smoothly, with only a couple of architectural changes necessary. However, the aerodynamic potential could not be maximized due to the FIA's token system, leading McLaren to implement most chassis upgrades and some aerodynamic changes before the switch in the 2020 season.

Reader's Guide

The MCL35 and its MCL35M variant marked a significant resurgence for McLaren in the turbo-hybrid era. In 2020, the car made its debut at the delayed Austrian Grand Prix, where Lando Norris achieved his first Formula One podium on the final lap after overtaking Sergio Pérez and setting his first fastest lap. McLaren finished third in the World Constructors' Championship for the first time since an unspecified year, achieving podiums at the Austrian and Italian Grands Prix, three fastest laps, and a track record at the Red Bull Ring. The car's success was credited in part to a change in design process that emphasized the car as a whole and its performance relative to competitors rather than individual components.

In 2021, the MCL35M took McLaren's first win since 2012 and first one-two finish since an unspecified year at the Italian Grand Prix, driven by Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris. The car set two fastest laps and one pole position, scoring five podiums in total. McLaren finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, losing third place to Ferrari. The car's competitive performance across both seasons demonstrated McLaren's improved pace and consistency, regularly placing them as the third-fastest team and closing the gap to the leading teams.