McLaren will be forced to overcome several obstacles to return to the front of Formula 1, as the British squad looks to bridge a currently significant gap.
McLaren has a reasonable foundation to build upon for the remainder of these regulations, consistently competing near the front of F1’s midfield pack.
After a catastrophic start to the year in Bahrain, the Woking-based team will be pleased to have salvaged its 2022 campaign and finished in a respectable 5th place.
However, even this recovery highlights the weaknesses McLaren must address in the next few seasons if they are to fight for major hours in F1.
McLaren is still firmly in the unofficial ‘midfield’ of Formula 1, lacking the performance to fight with the front-runners.
The 2023 season will provide evidence for how significantly – if at all – they can make inroads on the advantage enjoyed by the top three reams.
Having made steady improvements since the start of 2018, some might have optimism for the chances of this project and rebuilding process bearing fruits in the foreseeable future.
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Unfortunately for McLaren, they are behind schedule on the construction of crucial development facilities – including a new wind tunnel.
This completion of this wind tunnel has been delayed until halfway through 2023, meaning the first car to be developed exclusively with this new infrastructure will be in 2025.
Whilst this delay is far from a death sentence for McLaren – who will see long-term benefits from this investment – it will present another challenge.
Adjusting to a new wind tunnel is no easy process, often requiring time for transition before seeing any immediate results.
F1 will have another major change in 2026, meaning the British squad will likely be forced to wait until the next regulation change to see the impact of these new facilities.
It would be a stretch to say that new facilities are necessary to thrive in Formula 1, given that McLaren enjoyed strong development from 2018-21 with relatively old equipment.
However, the upcoming winter break and pre-season will be crucial in demonstrating McLaren’s short-term potential in Formula 1.
Additional wind tunnel time (due to their championship position) will give the team an advantage over its rivals, one they cannot afford to capitalise on.
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