McLaren MCL35

The McLaren MCL35 is a Formula One car constructed by McLaren to compete in the 2020 and 2021 Formula One World Championships. It was originally intended to contest only the 2020 championship before a new car was to be introduced in 2021, but under an agreement reached between teams and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile 2020-specification cars will see their lifespan extended to compete in 2021.[5]

McLaren MCL35
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An MCL35 with aero rakes driven by Lando Norris during 2020 pre-season testing.
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorMcLaren
Designer(s)James Key (Technical Director)
Peter Prodromou (Chief Engineer, Aerodynamics)
PredecessorMcLaren MCL34
Technical specifications[1][2][3][4]
Suspension (front)Carbon fibre wishbone and pushrod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system
Suspension (rear)Carbon fibre wishbone and pullrod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system
EngineRenault E-Tech 20 1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout
Electric motorRenault kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
TransmissionSequential with eight forward and one reverse gears
BatteryLithium-ion battery
Weight746 kg (including driver, excluding fuel)
BrakesAkebono
TyresPirelli P Zero (dry)
Pirelli Cinturato (wet)
Competition history
Notable entrantsMcLaren F1 Team
Notable drivers

The car will be driven by Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris in 2020,[6] and by Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in 2021.[7][lower-alpha 1] The car was planned to make its competitive début at the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, but this was delayed when the race was cancelled and multiple events were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The MCL35 is now expected to make its début at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix and is expected to be the last McLaren car to be fitted with a Renault engine as the team will return to Mercedes engines for 2021.[10]

Development history

Initial design and development

James Key was recruited from Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2019 to replace the outgoing Tim Goss,[11] and was named as the MCL35's lead designer.[12][13] In October 2019 team principal Andreas Seidl stated very little of the MCL34 would be carried over to the MCL35,[14][15] with the aim of the closing the gap to the top three teams to under one second.[13][16] Lando Norris stated that one of the team's major areas of focus would be to improve the MCL35's cornering ability.[17][18]

Switch from Renault to Mercedes engines

Aside from minor upgrades, 2020-specification cars were meant to be kept largely unchanged for the 2021 season. However, McLaren received special permission—subject to inspection from the FIA—to make modifications to the chassis that would allow the MCL35 to accommodate the new Mercedes engine as the team had signed an agreement with Mercedes before the decision for all teams to keep using their 2020 cars was made.[19][20] This requirement led directly to Formula One's adoption of a token-based system for 2021 vehicle development.[21]

Notes
  1. Carlos Sainz Jr. is due to leave the team and join Ferrari in 2021.[8]

References
  1. "McLaren Racing - McLaren MCL35 Technical Specification". mclaren.com. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  2. "F1 - 2020 provisional entry list". fia.com. FIA. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  3. Coch, Mat (26 November 2018). "Pirelli to remain F1 tyre supplier until 2023". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. "2020 Formula One technical regulations". FIA. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  5. Herrero, Daniel (20 March 2020). "Formula 1's new regulations delayed until 2022". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  6. "McLaren confirm Norris alongside Sainz in 2020 line-up". formula1.com. Formula One Group. 9 July 2019. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  7. "Australian Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo to join McLaren after spell with Renault". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  8. Coch, Mat (14 May 2020). "Ferrari confirms Sainz as Vettel's replacement". speedcafe.com. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  9. Coch, Mat (13 March 2020). "Confirmed: F1 cancelled at Australian Grand Prix". Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  10. "McLaren F1 To Be Powered By Mercedes-Benz From 2021". McLaren. McLaren Racing Ltd. 27 September 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  11. Beer, Matt. "Toro Rosso: Key to join McLaren as F1 technical boss after Melbourne". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  12. "McLaren Racing - Zak Brown Q&A". mclaren.com. McLaren F1 Team. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  13. "Formula 1 - Seidl: Big changes to McLaren concept for 2020". FormulaSpy. 29 October 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  14. van Osten, Phillip (18 October 2019). "McLaren set for 'decent step' with 2020 design - Seidl". F1i.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  15. Horton, Phillip (19 October 2019). "Formula 1: McLaren hints at partial concept change for 2020 F1 car". Motorsport Week. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  16. "FIA Friday press conference - Mexico". formula1.com. Formula One Administration. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  17. Kalinauckas, Alex (11 January 2020). "Norris: McLaren working to solve F1 cornering weakness for 2020 car". Autosport.com. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  18. "Lando Norris: Carlos Sainz relationship only 'benefits' McLaren". PlanetF1. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  19. Edmondson, Laurence (16 April 2020). "FIA will closely monitor McLaren's engine switch". ESPN.com. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  20. Edmondson, Laurence (16 April 2020). "FIA will closely monitor McLaren's engine switch". ESPN.com. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  21. Carvalho, Ronan (16 June 2020). "Ross Brawn Opens Up on the Major Compromise the FIA Made for McLaren". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
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