FIA helps McLaren cool the MCL39 chassis using a dry ice tank. In Spain, it emerged that McLaren uses a special tank.

In Spain, it emerged that McLaren uses a special tank, positioned in front of the driver’s pedals, to cool the carbon chassis. There could be other uses as well.

Among the many topics discussed this season, cooling is certainly one of them. Behind every winning car there is an extremely efficient cooling system that allows the cars not to suffer from heat, which is essential to improve performance. We have seen how perfect management of tire temperature blankets, combined with excellent aerodynamics under the chassis, makes McLaren, for example, the best car on the grid. Indeed, the ability to keep tires within the correct temperature window, without overheating them excessively, allows for less wear and better tire management.

According to Motorsport.com, it emerged that McLaren asked the FIA for permission to use a tank filled with dry ice to cool the car’s cockpit. This tank, with a capacity of about 3 liters, is installed at the end of the chassis, near the pedals. It is not only the engine and braking system that have to deal with overheating issues: the chassis can also accumulate heat.

In fact, Formula 1 cars, traveling at a very low ride height, are often in contact with the asphalt. The friction between the chassis and the asphalt causes heat buildup, which is transmitted to the chassis.

McLaren’s setup causes chassis overheating
In McLaren’s case, it seems that, due to the setup, impacts with the asphalt occur mainly on the front part of the car, right where the driver is. This means that the heat absorbed by the chassis can be directly felt by the driver: a condition far from ideal during driving. For this reason, the tank with dry ice serves to keep the temperature of the chassis in that area lower.

The fact that the FIA authorized the use of this tank by McLaren suggests there was a safety-related necessity. On one hand, this solution allows McLaren to better manage high temperatures, but on the other, it represents a potential disadvantage: the tank has weight, and its placement towards the front changes the ideal center of gravity of the car.

It is not yet entirely clear in which situations, and for what exact reason beyond the hypothesized one, McLaren uses this device. It seems, however, that it is employed in races with particularly high ambient temperatures. In any case, it cannot be defined as either an absolute advantage or disadvantage: it is yet another demonstration of the commitment of McLaren’s technicians to ensure the car has the best possible cooling system.