In what has been a remarkable 2024 season for McLaren, their resurgence in pace has left the paddock stunned. With the Woking-based outfit leading the constructors’ championship amidst Red Bull’s struggles, many are left questioning the source of McLaren’s newfound dominance. However, Ferrari performance engineer Jock Clear has voiced skepticism over one particular theory—that McLaren’s wind tunnel is the main factor behind their dramatic performance boost.
Clear, speaking out on McLaren’s surge, revealed uncertainty about exactly what has driven their remarkable improvement with the MCL38, but he was quick to dismiss the idea that their new wind tunnel facility alone could be credited. Drawing on his experience, Clear pointed out that while the fidelity of wind tunnels and their components can indeed play a role, they don’t tell the full story of a team’s success.
“I honestly don’t know the answer to that,” said Clear, reflecting on McLaren’s improvements. “Looking at the fidelity of our wind-tunnel and how old the belts and mechanisms are, you do wonder if that has an impact. But honestly, I wouldn’t like to say that that is where McLaren’s performance is coming from—they’ve just done a good job this season.”
Clear acknowledged that McLaren has performed impressively in 2024, even as Ferrari continues to trail them by over 75 points in the constructors’ standings. Despite Ferrari’s erratic form, the veteran engineer emphasized that the Scuderia had made strides in closing the gap to McLaren, though there are still circuits that seem to favor the British outfit.
“We’ve closed the gap to a large extent,” said Clear, but he added a word of caution. “There are still circuits which suit them, but certainly, you’ve seen over the past couple of races, we’ve closed the gap again.”
Ferrari remains determined to fight back in the championship, though it’s clear that McLaren’s momentum has placed them as the team to beat. Meanwhile, Lando Norris is still within striking distance in the drivers’ championship, hoping to overcome Max Verstappen in the final six races of the season.
As the F1 grid prepares for the final stretch, both championships remain up for grabs. But with Jock Clear casting doubt on McLaren’s wind tunnel being the magic bullet, the real question becomes whether Ferrari—or any team—can halt McLaren’s charge to glory before the season concludes.
