McLaren leaves nothing to chance: cars undergo X-ray scrutiny for final challenge against Ferrari. Abu Dhabi: the two MCL38 cars are as if hitting the track for the first time since their unveiling.

While the scale of Ferrari’s challenge to claim the Constructors’ Championship over McLaren, which leads by 21 points, is clear, the extent of McLaren’s preparation for the final Grand Prix of the season is less evident. The advantage held by the papaya team over the red duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc makes it appear to most as a mere formality that McLaren will secure the title this weekend.

However, the fact that only an unusual event or an unpredictable variable could alter the outcome has driven Andrea Stella‘s team to adopt extraordinary measures to prevent such scenarios. The Woking engineers have tightened their control routines for individual car components, including gearboxes, differentials, and clutch management software. The Mercedes Power Unit management codes were meticulously reviewed line by line at Mercedes HPP’s Brixworth facility to detect any hidden bugs that could potentially jeopardize the MCL38’s performance.

At the Yas Island garages, both cars were stripped down to their smallest details, not just following standard procedure but systematically replacing numerous components, even minor ones, with new or minimally-used parts. While such checks are routine between consecutive races, this time, the effort to use as many new components as possible has been taken to the extreme. This included completely replacing electrical wiring looms, installing new hydraulic pumps, and conducting a meticulous analysis of the fuel system, pumps, and filters. It can be confidently said that no part among the thousands comprising the car has been overlooked.

All structural carbon parts, from the chassis floor to the suspension arms, were thoroughly inspected, including with specialized torches combined with a substance akin to “luminol” to detect microfractures in the carbon. Any compromised parts were either replaced or reinforced as necessary.

In essence, the two MCL38 cars are as if hitting the track for the first time since their unveiling, even though this will be their final battle against Ferrari, the decisive one.