AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear

McLaren Undaunted by MCL39’s Rear Instability: An Inside Look at F1 Pre-Season Testing

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 2, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
McLaren Undaunted by MCL39’s Rear Instability: An Inside Look at F1 Pre-Season Testing

McLaren’s latest Formula 1 vehicle, the MCL39, has been raising eyebrows in pre-season testing due to its reported rear-end instability. Despite this, the team has shown no signs of worry, and has clarified that the characteristics of the Bahrain circuit played a significant part in the car’s performance.

Lando Norris, a driver for the Woking-based team, gave a standout performance during a race simulation on the second day of testing. His lap times clocked in at over half a second faster than his Ferrari and Mercedes competitors in a similar race run over three sessions. That said, Norris did concede that the MCL39 demonstrated some instability in the rear axle during cornering.

Reacting to these observations, McLaren’s team boss, Andrea Stella, downplayed the concerns. He noted that the Bahrain circuit’s rear-limited nature likely amplified the sliding Norris encountered.

“Lando’s comments on the rear instability are fair,” Stella admitted to Motorsport Week and other media outlets. “However, given the nature of the Bahrain circuit, I’d be astounded if there wasn’t any rear-end or traction limitation. These limitations are inherent to this particular circuit.”

Stella also addressed the MCL39’s perceived issues during pre-season testing. He stated that while McLaren has managed to make the MCL39 more predictable, it’s unrealistic to expect to completely eliminate nervousness with the current generation of cars.

“We’ve improved the car from that point of view,” Stella said. “However, it’s impossible to fully remove these kinds of problems. The only significant change I’ve seen was when we added the exhaust effect, which dramatically altered the vehicle’s aerodynamic behaviour.”

Despite the limitations imposed by regulations, Stella emphasized the need to continually reduce these limitations.

In addition to addressing the rear-end instability, McLaren is also focusing on enhancing the car’s front-end responsiveness during cornering.

Laughing at Norris’ feedback about the car, Stella confirmed: “Yes, the rear-end is sliding! This was one of the first things he said, not only after getting out of the car, but also during his stints.”

Stella admitted that tyre degradation was a key factor in this, but maintained that it was unsurprising given the circumstances in Bahrain.

“We’re not just trying to improve rear grip for stability in entry and traction, but also the car’s mid-corner front-end behaviour,” Stella added. “We’ve been working on these three attributes for a couple of years now, and as we enter the third season, we’re still striving to mitigate these limitations, which are inherent to a Formula 1 car and particularly a track with this kind of layout.”

Despite the MCL39’s rear-end instability, McLaren remains unfazed, focusing instead on continuous improvements within the regulations’ constraints. This commitment to improvement, coupled with their standout performance in pre-season testing, indicates that McLaren may well be a team to watch in the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Share212Tweet133Send

Related Posts

Cadillac’s Graeme Lowdon reveals grounded approach amid thrilling F1 testing challenges
Motorsports

Cadillac’s Graeme Lowdon reveals grounded approach amid thrilling F1 testing challenges

Cadillac's Formula 1 Ambitions: Graeme Lowdon Stays Realistic Amid Early Optimism As the roar of engines fills the air at...

by David Castro
February 11, 2026
Chase Elliott set to dominate NASCAR playoffs in 2026: analysts predict championship glory!
Motorsports

Chase Elliott set to dominate NASCAR playoffs in 2026: analysts predict championship glory!

Chase Elliott: The Underdog Set to Dominate NASCAR's 2026 Playoff Format! As the engines roar to life for the 2026...

by Carl Smith
February 11, 2026
Ryan Preece dominates in thrilling victory: Daytona 500 dreams ignite after New Smyrna triumph
Motorsports

Ryan Preece dominates in thrilling victory: Daytona 500 dreams ignite after New Smyrna triumph

© 2025 Nigel Kinrade NKP www.NigelKinrade.com

by Simon Monroy
February 11, 2026
Michael McDowell reveals shocking 9-word secret to conquering Daytona 500 challenges
Motorsports

Michael McDowell reveals shocking 9-word secret to conquering Daytona 500 challenges

The Daytona 500: NASCAR's Ultimate Showdown and the Secrets of Survival! As the engines roar and the lights dim, the...

by Miguel Cunha
February 11, 2026

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Cadillac’s Graeme Lowdon reveals grounded approach amid thrilling F1 testing challenges

Cadillac’s Graeme Lowdon reveals grounded approach amid thrilling F1 testing challenges

February 11, 2026
Chase Elliott set to dominate NASCAR playoffs in 2026: analysts predict championship glory!

Chase Elliott set to dominate NASCAR playoffs in 2026: analysts predict championship glory!

February 11, 2026
Ryan Preece dominates in thrilling victory: Daytona 500 dreams ignite after New Smyrna triumph

Ryan Preece dominates in thrilling victory: Daytona 500 dreams ignite after New Smyrna triumph

February 11, 2026
Michael McDowell reveals shocking 9-word secret to conquering Daytona 500 challenges

Michael McDowell reveals shocking 9-word secret to conquering Daytona 500 challenges

February 11, 2026

Newsletter

  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  • EDITORIAL STATUS
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

MSports Play Icon
MSports Play
The New streaming service
Download
×
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.